Photo credit: Colleen HealAshley Connolly in action for the Rams
GIRLS SOCCER: COACH JEANNE ZARRILLI
The girls team went undefeated last year in their regular season schedule; and reached the Regional final v. Scarborough. The team graduated five seniors. This year’s team is led by senior captains Kaitlyn Nichols, Giselle Doucette and junior Ashley Connolly, who is a “player to watch.” Seniors Addy Harjula, Ayress Cook, Lily Rubin and Ella LaBrie will make significant impacts. Juniors Piper Forgues, Lily Tukey, Sarah Rosingana and Bailey Hatch are all starters and will play a key role once again this season.
Coach Zarrilli commented, “We have a very challenging league and schedule this year v. Scarborough, Windham, Thornton Academy, Cheverus, Marshwood, Sanford and Falmouth.” Worth noting that the team beat Marshwood in a nail biter in O.T. in their first home opener.
Coach added, “We will do our yearly MCCP cancer walk to honor Gorham Middle Schooler Lauren Hawkes.”
Photo credit: Colleen HealGirls Soccer players celebrate after Connolly scores the winning goal in Overtime v. Marshwood
BOYS SOCCER: COACH NICK VIOLA
The boys team finished with a final record of 12-3-1 last year and lost in the semifinals of the SMAA conference playoffs. Seniors and players to watch this season are; Ethan Homa, Jack Luciano, JT Morrell, Cole Smith, Jackson Landry and Riley Ottoson.
Coach Viola shared, “expectations include consistency in playing our best at all times, demonstrating excellent sportsmanship, performing well in the classroom and giving back to the community. The program attended a NE Revolution game for a team building trip and all coaches and players are working directly with GYSA boys teams throughout the fall season.
Photo credit: Meredith BickfordField Hockey team photo
FIELD HOCKEY: COACH BECKY MANSON
Coach Manson remarked, “Last season we lost to Windham in the semi-final game. We finished in 7th place with an 8-5-1 record. The highlight of the season was beating Biddeford (the #2 team) in the quarter-final game in overtime, who we lost to the year before in the quarter-final game. We graduated Ellie Szostalo, Annie Cunningham, Madyson Quimby and Maeve Donnelly.”
Coach Manson shared, “This year’s seniors, captains and players to watch are: Hannah Bickford, senior captain who plays Center-Mid (13 career goals and 21 assists, ’21’22 all-state player, ’21’22 1st team all-conference, ’21’22’23 Portland Press Herald Players to Watch), and Brooke Farquhar, senior captain, Attack (29 career goals and 20 assists, ’21 all conference honorable mention, ’22 2nd team all-conference ’23 Press Herald Players to Watch). Other key players include senior captain Julia Wareham, (three-year starter/defense), Ellia Downing (captain and three-year starter) Camryn Caruso, Emerson Homa and Arianna Morse. Underclassmen to watch are Madison Tibbals, two-year starting goal-keeper, Annabelle Collier, Sophomore (six goals and three assists last year with all-conference all-Rookie Team recognition), Kayla McLean, junior two-year starting defender and Sophie Kacmarek, junior two-year starting midfielder.”
Coach Manson added, “experience will prove to be a strength as well as speed and overall athleticism. With nine of the previous year’s starting lineup puts Gorham as a contender for the regional final. We’ll look to capitalize on scoring opportunities and use the depth and strength of all team personnel to take us deep into the season.”
Wednesday, Sept. 27 will be the team program’s “Purple Game” at 6 p.m. to support and promote mental health awareness.
Photo credit: Meredith BickfordSeven field hockey seniors
FOOTBALL: COACH SAM MORRISON
Last year’s record the team went 2-7 and lost in the 1st round of the Playoffs by a score of 27-22 to the #2 Seed, graduating four seniors.
This years’ team captains are Izak Young, Thomas Curtis, Aiden Lee, and Caden Smith and also are “players to watch” along with teammates, Luke Burns, Casey Skolfield, Cordell Jones, Henry Holland, Andre Dube, Lucas Graham, Jack Karlonas, and Atticus Whitten.
Coach Morrison shared, “Our league year in and year out is very competitive. This year is no different. We open up with Kennebunk then go to Cheverus for a crossover game and then host Marshwood who is always tough. Game 4 is @ South Portland who is now in Class A and a perennial contender. So, the first half of the schedule will certainly challenge us.”
The Football program will volunteer at youth games on most weekends and have a team building bowling night.
Photo credit: Eric TirellVolleyball team huddle
VOLLEYBALL: COACH EMMA TIRRELL
Coach Tirrell shared, “We went to the state final last year. Our record was 12-2. We graduated two seniors, Zoe Diffin and Kaci Mollison. A highlight of ours was being able to play the state final in our hometown at USM.”
This year’s seniors are Meryk Lewellen (captain), Caroline Morrell (captain), Sophia Diphilippo (captain), Amber Bretton, Lydia Fluet, Andi Cloutier, Grace Desmond, Lilly Andreasen, Addison Canty, Summer Gammon, and Natalie Haskell (manager). Bretton, Morrell, Diphilippo, Lewellen and Gammon are all considered “players to watch”.
Coach Tirrell added, “We’re expecting to do very well this season. Our most challenging opponents in class A are Scarborough and Biddeford. Outside of the MPA schedule, the team traveled to Londonderry, NH for a first ever tri-match scrimmage. And the team ran their annual car wash fundraiser at Carter’s in Gorham.”
Photo credit: Eric TirellVolleyball team in action
GOLF: COACH SCOTT NEVERS
Last season the team finished T4 in the State Championship with 2 of our golfers finishing T3 and T5 individually.
Coach Nevers shared, “We lost Quinn Dillon, Patrick Cyr, and Wyatt Nadeau from last year’s state team. We have a few new faces from other sports joining golf who look to make an immediate impact.”
This year’s seniors (captains/leaders/players to watch) are Taylor Farr, Bennett Walker and Zach Irish. Players to watch will be Taylor Farr.
Coach Nevers added, “We always have tough matches against Greely and Thornton Academy. Windham is getting better each year so that will be another couple of tough matches. Our goal this season is to practice and gain as much experience this year as possible. We are a fairly inexperienced team compared to years prior and look to some newcomers and underclassmen to help. Our goal is to compete all season and qualify for the State Championship again.”
CROSS-COUNTRY: COACH JASON TANGUAY
Coach Tanguay shared, “last year both our boys and girls teams qualified to compete in the state championship. This year’s seniors include Nathan Bergquist-Guimond, Nolan Feyler, Cruise LaBrie, Jacob Mora, Dylan Phillips and Mason Starkey and on the girls side, Rita Cummings and Aislyn McLean. The underclassmen to watch are junior, Matt Sallinen; junior, Finn Henderson; freshman, Harrison Crider; freshman, Harvey Crider; freshman, Owen Cummings and on the Girls side: sophomore, Zoe Dellinger; sophomore, Winni Moreland; sophomore, Brooklyn Spearin.
Coach remarked, “Both our girls and boys teams graduated some talented seniors, but I am grateful to see some promising new faces join our team. If these new runners can work hard to improve their physical and mental fitness, then I feel our teams can be competitive in our league schedule.