If the upcoming Winter sports season is anything like the Fall season, it will be filled with triumph and thrills. The Varsity coaches share their teams’ outlook for this season.
GIRLS ICE HOCKEY: COACH MARY VAUGHAN
The Gorham Ice Hockey team is looking forward to another fun and competitive year of hockey. The team won the SMAA sportsmanship award last year and has picked up exactly where they left off.
Coach Vaughan shared, “players to watch are Senior captain, Cadence Howard (Bonny Eagle), and junior captain, Emerson Homa (Gorham) are both forwards to watch who were all-conference selections last year. Junior captain, Greta Grant (Fryeburg), was a defensive all-conference selection last year and will definitely be a player to watch on the blue line. Their leadership has set the tone for our talented newcomers and underclassmen.”
She added, “Senior Ellie Keil (Gorham) is between the pipes for us this year and looks to have a strong season. She is a tremendous leader and embodies everything we want to see from our team.”
New additions from Lake Region are senior Caitlin Lees (defense) and freshman Marissa Payne (forward). Marissa had 4 goals in our first win against the new Penobscot team, including a natural hat trick (3 goals in a row with no other goals from either team).
Sophomore forward/defender Katelyn Cyr (Gorham) will also be a key player this season. Senior Riley Maynard (Gorham) has stepped up her game and brings a contagious tenacity each and every day.
Vaughan emphasized, “We have a depth this year that we’ve never had before, and with so much shifting of other teams, it looks to be an exciting season. I think Cheverus will be the team to beat this year, as they only lost one senior. It looks like most other teams have had a lot of turnover, so I think it’s anyone’s season. We are looking to be competitive in all our games; it’s going to be an exciting winter.”
BOYS ICE HOCKEY: COACH SHAWN SULLIVAN
Coach Shawn Sullivan in his first year as head coach shared, “We’re expecting a very good season out of the boys hockey team. Last year was an extremely down year for our boys finishing with a record of 5-14.” Sullivan has been an assistant coach for several years and (GHS ‘15).
Coach Sullivan added, “This year we have 7 seniors on the roster. With the addition of a senior transfer and 3 skilled freshmen to the team, we have depth that we haven’t had in years.”
The boys’ team is led by senior captains Jasper Crane, Jack Reidy, and Andrew Gaudreau, the Rams will look to compete for a spot atop of their conference.
Newcomer, Emmit Sullivan along with juniors Cole Allen and Corliss Ordway are all expected to have big years offensively.
The boys started off their season with a big test on Saturday, Dec. 10 at home vs Greely. The Rams won that contest 7-2. They improve their record to 3-0 with a 4-2 win @ Kennebunk and a 5-3 win @ York, going into the annual holiday tournament hosted at USM.
GIRLS BASKETBALL: COACH LAUGHN BERTHIAUME
Last year the Rams finished with an 18-4 record and crowned the Southern AA Regional Champions (State Runner-up).
This year’s Captains are Senior Elizabeth Willette and Junior Ellie Gay.
Players to watch are Ellie Gay (JR), Kalin Curtis (JR), Summer Gammon (JR), Vanessa Walker (SO), Julia Reed (SO), Elizabeth Willette (SR).
Coach Berthiaume shared, “Gorham has six returning varsity players who gained valuable experience on a team that competed for the State Championship. We return one starter from that team, Ellie Gay.”
Coach continued, “The players returning from last year were solid every day in practice against some experienced seniors and they were members of an undefeated JV team. This year we have a very good mix of speed and athleticism, and the preseason has provided a chance for team chemistry and growth.” The Rams play an uptempo-style offense and move the ball to have balanced scoring.
Berthiaume added, “Our talented returners are joined by some excellent newcomers with lots of potential. This year we added sophomores Lindy Moreland and Payton Thibodeau along with three freshmen, Zoe Dellinger, Lauren Dunbar, and Logan Doughty. We are looking forward to competing with the top teams in our league as well as some of the top teams in our crossovers.”
Games to watch will be Thornton Academy, Scarborough, Falmouth, Greely, Brunswick, Oxford Hills. The girls team is 3-1 going into the Holiday break.
BOYS BASKETBALL: COACH MARK KARTER
Last season the Rams ended with a record of 7-11 and a loss in the regional quarterfinal game.
Impact players this season are; Ashton Leclerc, (JR), G; Gabe Michaud, (JR), G; Caden Smith, (JR), Quinn Dillon, (SR), G; Devin Jacques, SR), G; and Wyatt Nadeau, (SO), C.
Coach Mark Karter shared, “The outlook for the rams is Leclerc, the SMAA Class AA rookie of the year who averaged 17.9 points, Michaud (7.0 points per game, 2.6 assists) and Smith (9.0 points) are returning starters for a team using a tough man-to man defense and up tempo style based offense.”
The team is still relatively young, brings back key experience and should be in the top half of the league. Taylor Mannix, co-host of middays on The Big JAB 96.3, states, “you can’t keep Gorham out of the conversation of being a top contender down the stretch.”
The Rams go into the holiday break 5-0 and pick up a win over Scarborough by double figures 65-48.
SKI TEAM: COACH SEAN MUNKACSI
Coach Munkacsi shared, “The Alpine ski team is looking to build on the successes of last season when both teams had consistent top 10 individual SMAA finishes. The boys finished 3rd in SMAA and the girls were 4th. The girls will be led by Abby Fecteau, Brooke Stevens, Sophie Kasczmarek and Ari Flett.”
The Coach added, “The boys team has high expectations with the return of all four of the top scorers: Owen Ballard, Sam Munkacsi, Ryker Spear and Trent Stevens.”
Gorham will once again be home to Pleasant Mountain (formally Shawnee Peak), and sister resorts to Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine and Loon Mtn. in New Hampshire.
The ski team is eager to hit the slopes, as their pre-season includes a lot of “dryland” practices.
The conditions should be in line with the first ski race that is scheduled on Jan. 4. The Pleasant Mountain crew is working diligently to provide the best course conditions that allow the athletes to compete.
During the holiday break, the athletes will focus on strength training and pliability workouts. The team will practice at Pleasant Mountain on Jan. 3rd and 6th. If conditions allow, the team could potentially expect to practice with gates. The SMAA championships will be Feb. 10 with the Class “A” State championship @ Saddleback Mtn., Rangeley Maine. February 15-16.
SWIM TEAM: COACH WILLIAM YORK
Coach York shared, “Last season our boys team finished second in the South-South West division, missing first by five points. Our girls team placed 5th with stiff competition. Last year our team broke seven school records, and this season we have already broken one school record and are on course to break those seven records plus potentially three others.”
The captains this year are Senior Abby Rosingana, Senior Kate Pelletier, Junior Natalie Haskell, Junior Isaac Donson, and Junior Thomas Pritchard.
Coach York said, “All five bring a lot of leadership and talent to the team. We have a team of 24 this year with 11 new swimmers.”
York added, “Our boys team is pushing to win the South-South Westerns this year. The entire team is extremely strong but freshmen Brodie Berlinger and Junior Thomas Pritchard are working towards top three finishers at both regionals and states in a variety of events. Senior Kyle Brown and Sophomore Ryan Morrill also will be adding great depth as they continue to add state qualifying events to their resumes.”
He also shared, “The girls team has a lot of new talent and depth. Three new freshmen girls who are top ten USA swimmers in their age group in Maine help to bring much needed depth after six graduating senior girls. Hanna Logan, Stella Moores and Maya Moores were 1-2 seconds off team records the past week at our first meet. Captain Abby Rosingana is pushing to be the fastest 500 free swimmer in the state this year.”
In addition to this depth Gorham has new swimmers; Junior Julia Wareham and Junior Sophia DiPhilippo.
Coach York emphasized, “This looks to be a great year for Gorham Swimming, and we are excited to be back in the water without restriction and back to a normal season.”
BOYS INDOOR TRACK: COACH JASON TANGUAY
Last season the boys’ indoor team placed 3rd place in league championship and 5th place in the state championship.
Coach Tanguay shared, “Athletes to watch this year are; Jacob Lehmann, senior, jumps; Lucien Beardsley, senior, distance; Nolan Feyler, junior, hurdles, and sprints; Aidan Lee, junior, hurdles and jumps; Matt Sallinen, sophomore, distance; Kuba Kaczmarek, sophomore, jumps; Nick Munyaneza, sophomore, distance, and jumps.”
This year’s Captains are; Jacob Lehmann, Lucien Beardsley, Nolan Feyler, Jacob Mora, Owen Duplisea.
Coach Tanguay added, “Our boys team graduated a handful of outstanding track and field athletes so we will be looking to find our identity this upcoming season. Over half of our team is made up of new faces of which some are even new to the sport so it will take some time for us to find our groove.”
Coach continued, “With such a young team of numerous new student-athletes, the regular season meets will each provide opportunities for growth. The coaches are excited to see the progress we could make over the season.”
The track teams opened their seasons against Kennebunk, Portland / TA. The next meet was postponed to after the holiday on Dec. 27.
GIRLS INDOOR TRACK: COACH JOHN CATERINA
Coach Caterina shared, “The 2023 Gorham Girls Indoor Track and Field team has 35 athletes competing this season. After graduating a very talented group of athletes from the 2022 Class A runner up team, several returning members and new additions look to keep Gorham very competitive in the SMAA.”
Caterina added, “Gorham will be led by four senior captains. Rachel Cummings will be competing in the distance events and relays; Sadie Fiore will be in the high jump and shot put; Allie Sutton will be in the long jump and triple jump; and Mayla Wilson will be in the pole vault, hurdles and high jump.”
Key returners include juniors Andi Cloutier (shot put and sprints); Rita Cummings (distance); Ella Downing (distance); sophomores Ashley Connolly (sprints); Emily Fadrigon (sprints).
Coach Caterina concluded, “There are several new additions to the team who should make an immediate impact. They include senior Erin Lawrence (mid-distance); juniors Lillian Andreasen (jumps, shot put) Ella Labrie (jumps), Meryk Lewellen (jumps); sophomores Piper Forgues (sprints); Bailey Hatch (sprints), Lindy Moreland (jumps, hurdles).”