Winter Previews: Gorham

Alpine Skiing (the Rams are joined by skiers from Bonny Eagle and Massabesic)
Coach: Sean Munkacsi
Key returners: Jacob Polchies, Nolan McCullough, Sam Cousins, Griffin Loranger, Jack Cunningham, Ryan Castonguay, Aubrey Denico, Estelle Ballard, Claire Munkacsi
Outlook: “On the boys’ side, senior captain Jacob Polchies was our points leader last year,” Munkacsi says. “In addition, we expect strong results from returning skiers Nolan McCullough, Sam Cousins, Griffin Loranger and Jack Cunningham. They will be challenged in every race by a group of freshmen who are looking to establish themselves early on. The girls will continue to be led by their top scorer for the last three years, senior Estelle Ballard. She and Claire Munkacsi, a junior, finished in the top 15 in last year’s State Championship Slalom race and are expected to push each other to improve even more. They will be joined by several new girls who will make them competitive in the SMAA.”

Boys Basketball
Coach: Mark Karter (35th year)
Last year’s record: 11-8, fell to Scarborough in AA South quarterfinals
Key returners: Nick Strout (G), Grant Nadeau (G), Ryan Reno (C), Bode Meader (G), Jordan Bretton (G)
Key newcomers: Stephen Graham (C), Alex Burghardt (C), Garrett Smith (G), Mason Laskey G), Josh Allen (F), Ben Tukey (F)
Key matchups: Bonny Eagle, Thornton Academy, South Portland, Windham
Outlook: “The Gorham boys basketball team will have a tough road in the upcoming season,” Karter says. “The Southern Maine AA Boys’ schedule is one of the most difficult in the State. Gorham will look to use its perimeter play, coupled with increased post presence, to try and navigate a schedule loaded with powerful teams. The boys will try to improve.”

Girls Basketball
Coach: Laughn Berthiaume
Last year’s record: 13-7
Key players lost: Mackenzie Holmes, Brittany Desjardin, Courtney Brent
Key returners: Jacqui Hamilton (sr., Captain); Adele Nadeau (jr., Captain); Olivia Michaud (jr., Captain)
Key matchups: South Portland, Oxford Hills
Outlook: “We graduated five seniors who were all very valuable; three are currently playing in college,” Berthiaume says. (Holmes, of course, went DI to Indiania; Desjardin is at the University of Southern Maine and Courtney Brent is at UMaine Farmington.) “Our captains are going to lead a young, fiery squad who are looking to play up-tempo and move the ball quickly. We plan to use our depth to keep up the pace for 32 minutes a game. AA South looks to be extremely competitive and our early season schedule is going to give us a good idea of where we are – we play South Portland and Oxford Hills right away.”

Cheerleading
Coaches: Julie Dvilinsky (head), Erika Dvilinsky (asst.)
Last year’s record: Fifth at Regionals, 12th at States
Key athletes lost: Haley Thompson
Key returners: Rebecca Brunner, Caralin Mills, Cassidy Rioux, Reighley Adams
Outlook: “With our focus on strong technique and tumbling,” Julie Dvilinsky says, “we hope to qualify for the State Championship in 2020, as well as New Englands.”

Boys Hockey
Coach: Jon Portwine
Last year’s record: 11-9
Key players lost: “11 seniors and a starting goalie,” Portwine says.
Key returners: Cole Perreault (sr., F); Peter Richards (sr., F/D); Jonah Bird (sr., F); Cam Sawyer (sr., D); Aiden Owens (sr., D)
Key newcomers: Jasper Crane (fr., G); Andrew Gaudreau (fr., F/D)
Key matchups: Scarborough, Yarmouth, Greely
Outlook: “Last season ended in the semifinals against the eventual State Champions, the Greely Rangers,” Portwine says. “Eleven seniors and both goalies from last year left the program, so there are plenty of spots to be won this winter. There are a lot of talented younger players that will come up from a very successful JV team a year ago to contribute. Offensively, the Rams should be able to hang with anyone, but what they get on the defensive end will determine how far this year’s team can go. As long as the young Rams can continually improve as the season goes on, they should be competitive again in [Class B South], despite having a roster full of first-time varsity players.”

Girls Hockey (a co-op with Bonny Eagle, Massabesic and Westbrook)
Coach: Nat Germond
Last year’s record: 3-14-1
Key players lost: Isis Adams, C. C. Cochran, Anna Rathbun
Key returners: Izzie Wareham, Anna Nault, Phoebe Richards, Brooke Guimond
Key newcomers: Cadence Howard
Key matchups: Biddeford/Thornton Academy/Wells/Sanford, Mt. Ararat/Morse/Lisbon, York/Traip/Marshwood
Outlook: “With seven returning seniors, we’re hoping to improve on last season’s record and achieve a postseason berth,” Germond says. “The schedule is front-loaded with top-ranked teams. If we can show steady improvement and maintain a positive attitude through the early season, we have a legitimate shot at returning to the playoffs.”

Boys Indoor Track & Field
Coach: Jason Tanguay (11th year)
Last year’s record: Seventh at Southwesterns, ninth at Class A States
Key returners: Ryan Farr (sr., sprints); Tyler Rollins (sr., sprints); Kyle Ouillette (sr., shot put); Seamus Tims (sr., shot put); Andrew Tinkham (sr., distance); Ryan Gendron (jr., jumps); Reed Henderson (jr., distance); Josh Lehmann (jr., distance); Ryan Murray (jr., sprints); Andrew Farr (so., sprints); Calvin Cummings (so., distance); Landon Bickford (so., middle distance/jumps); Evan Russo (so., pole vault)
Key newcomers: Lucien Beardsley (fr., distance); Christian Butler (fr., sprints)
Key meets: Southwesterns
Outlook: “Gorham graduated some talented seniors,” Tanguay says, “but the team this year has added many athletes. If these new additions can make positive progress this season, then our team could be competitive in the League meets. It should be exciting to watch the development of this crew.”

Girls Indoor Track & Field
Coach: John Caterina (20th year)
Last year’s results: Seventh at Class A States
Key returners: Kate Tugman (sr., distance); Iris Kitchen (sr., middle distance); Abby O’Brien (sr., jumps/shot put); Lydia Drew (sr., sprints); Peyton Morton (sr., sprints); Quinn Young (sr., jumps); Sydney Fox, (jr. middle distance); Gabbie Labarge (jr., jumps); Nevaeh Moore (jr. sprints); Molly Murray (jr., sprints); Alie Peterson (jr., middle distance)
Outlook: “Gorham has the depth and talent to be a contender in both SMAA and Class A competition this winter,” Caterina says. “Returning scorers include Kate Tugman, Iris Kitchen, Alyvia Caruso, Sydney Connolly, Emma Green and Nevaeh Moore. This is the largest roster ever for Gorham, so it will be important to find the best events for all the athletes, especially the new group of freshmen.”

Swimming
Coach: Adam Cyr
Last year’s record: Boys 3-6, fifth at Southwesterns, 16th at States; girls 7-2, second at Southwesterns, sixth at States
Key swimmers lost: Evan Russo
Key returners: Patrick Bishop (sr., Captain); Cody Smith (jr.); Laura Bolduc (sr., Captain); Ava Pitman (sr., Captain); Caroline Bishop (so.); Allison Bishop (so.)
Key newcomers: Ryan Jodoin (fr.), Kyle Brown (fr.), Abby Rosigana (fr.), Kate Pelletier (fr.)
Key matchups: Westbrook boys; Falmouth, Kennebunk, Cheverus girls; boys and girls Southwesterns; girls States
Outlook: “Our boys team is still on the smaller side,” Cyr says, “with only 12 athletes this season. But we’re hoping to build upon the new success we had last season. Our lone senior and Captain, Patrick Bishop, looks to be our strongest swimmer in just about every event. Patrick is backed up by a junior class that features Cody Smith and has been together on the team going into their third year. We will sorely miss sophomore Evan Russo, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, but we have one of our largest ever freshman classes. It features Ryan Jodoin and Kyle Brown, whose work ethic and attitude in just the first week of practices are a great addition to the team. The boys team has the same schedule as the girls, but because of our size that means we have some good tests early and often. We should be very competitive in almost every meet we swim even looking to improve the number of wins over last season. Our first meet is a rivalry meet against Westbrook who is similar in size and makeup to us. If we can get a win in week one, we can look to be above .500 around the halfway mark of our season with some winnable meets in December before the brutal stretch leading up to the Regional Championship. We finished in the top-five at the Southwestern Championship last year for the first time and we’re hoping to repeat that feat this year.” Meanwhile, on the girls’ side of things: “We return a large senior class,” Cyr says, “which features senior Captains and record-holders Laura Bolduc and Ava Pitman. The two ladies will be the backbone of possibly our strongest GHS swim team ever. We are also returning a large and talented sophomore class, which features Caroline and Allison Bishop, who are two talented swimmers likely to both be in our top-five point-scorers this season. Our freshman class is not the biggest, but has two very strong swimmers in Abby Rosigana and Kate Pelletier. These two bring with them a lot of swimming experience and are strong additions because they fill the few holes we have in our roster. Our schedule is very back-loaded, with our three strongest opponents being our last three meets – Falmouth, Kennebunk and Cheverus. But an early contest against Scarborough should prove to be exactly what we need to start the season strong and defend our second-place finish at the Southwestern Championship – and hopefully be gunning for first. We also hope to crack into the top-five for the first time ever at the State Championship, after our sixth-place finish last season.”

Wrestling (Gorham wrestlers compete alongside the Westbrook squad)
Coach: Peter Grant
Key wrestlers lost: Nicco Pappalardo
Outlook: “This year, we picked up some talented hopefuls from both schools,” Grant says. “I’ve got high expectations for two from Westbrook, Zach Davis at 120 and Shane Lowell at 152, and two from Gorham, Matthew Reno at heavyweight and Henri Kuntz at 170. Henri took third at States last year and is striving for first this year. I have high hopes for a few more – but it’s only their second year and they’re in tough brackets, so I don’t need to add pressure to them. We’ll take what we can get for now.”