File photo

• SMAA all-star, first-team
• Team MVP

Bibeau did a little of everything in leading the Bulldogs to a successful season, boasting a potent bat and coming up big in the clutch on the mound. His glove and arm at shortstop were pretty formidable, too.

After missing out on his freshman season due to COVID, Bibeau hit .388 and drove in 14 runs as a sophomore. This spring, he was even better and wound up earning team Most Valuable Player honors.

Bibeau hit .470 with a home run and drove in 22 runs. He led Portland in average and RBI. Bibeau also was the Bulldogs’ closer and he finished with a record of 3-1, with four saves.

Highlights included three hits in a season-opening win over Biddeford, a victory in relief versus Marshwood; two runs scored and two RBI in a win over Windham; a double, three runs scored and the save in a victory over Bonny Eagle; a double, triple, home run, two runs scored, four RBI and a save in a win over Deering; a save in a victory over Kennebunk; three hits and three RBI in a loss to Thornton Academy; and a save in a regular season-ending win over Cheverus.

In the playoffs, Bibeau had two hits and a run scored in a come-from-behind preliminary round win over Noble, then had two hits and two RBI in a close loss to Falmouth in the quarterfinals.

Henry Bibeau

Bibeau was recognized as a first-team all-star for his skill set.

Henry Bibeau, Portland’s Spring Athlete of the Year, is only going to get better and that is great news for the Bulldogs and tough news indeed for the opposition.

Coach Mike Rutherford’s comment: “Henry is pretty quiet, but he leads by example. He plays baseball year-round and wants to play at the college level. Coming into Portland, Henry was a catcher, but he had to be moved to shortstop because he was the best athlete. Every day he got better at shortstop. No one worked any harder than him at practice. Henry works just as hard in the classroom and because of that, he is being recruited by NESCAC and Ivy League schools. Henry is one of the top kids I have coached in my career and with him coming back next year, the team should be a playoff contender again.”

Previous winners:

• 2021 Brendan Mailloux (tennis)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Donnie Tocci (baseball)
• 2018 Aaron Hoekstra (lacrosse)
• 2017 Jake Knop (baseball)
• 2016 Dan Marzilli (baseball)
• 2015 Ryan Ruhlin (baseball)
• 2014 Jonathan Bobe (track)
• 2013 Caleb Fraser (baseball)
• 2012 Ryan Jurgelevich (lacrosse)
• 2011 Ryan Jurgelevich (lacrosse)
• 2010 Caleb Kenney (lacrosse)
• 2009 K.R. Jurgelevich (lacrosse)
• 2008 Brian Furey (baseball)
• 2007 Sam McAdam (lacrosse)
• 2006 Joe Fessenden (baseball)
• 2005 Peter Sengelmann (lacrosse)
• 2004 Jake Schuit (lacrosse)

SADIE ARMSTRONG, Junior – Softball

Contributed / Cindy Russell

• SMAA All-Conference, second-team

Sadie Armstrong

Armstrong has been synonymous with softball excellence from a young age and this spring, she made Class A South sit up and take notice due to her booming bat and powerful right arm as she helped the Bulldogs to a successful campaign.

Armstrong who turned heads as a pitcher long before high school, missed out on her freshman season due to COVID, then was an honorable mention all-star last spring.

This season, Armstrong crushed the ball to the tune of a .568 average with 25 hits, including five home runs, and 20 RBI. She had a dazzling .643 on-base percentage.

Armstrong was special on the mound too, striking out 90 batters in 90 innings pitched while going 10-5 with a 2.35 earned run average.

Highlights included three hits, an RBI and a win on the mound in a season-opening victory over Bonny Eagle; seven strikeouts in three innings, plus a home run launched, in a win over Deering; a three-run homer and nine Ks in a victory over Gorham; a home run and three RBI in a come-from-behind win over Marshwood; two hits in a loss to Kennebunk; a home run in a loss to Noble; three hits and two RBI in a victory over South Portland; two hits in a win over Thornton Academy; a one-hitter with nine strikeouts in a win over Westbrook; and 12 strikeouts in a victory over Cheverus.

In the playoffs, Armstrong threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts and hit a pair of doubles in a preliminary round victory over Bonny Eagle, then was the hard-luck loser when the Bulldogs fell by a run to Kennebunk in the quarterfinals.

Armstrong is spending the summer playing travel softball for a nationally ranked team out of New Jersey. She’s also top-ranked student who hopes to play softball in college.

First, Sadie Armstrong, Portland’s Spring Athlete of the Year, has one more season to show what she can do at the high school level and it promises to be memorable.

Coach Jason McLeod’s comment: “Sadie was our catalyst this season by way of her work ethic, academic excellence and performance on the playing field. Offensively, she hit for power and contact while leading our team in almost every statistical category. Teams consistently pitched around her, giving her few opportunities to hit strikes, yet she found ways to get on base and hit for average. Last year, in her first varsity season, she put a lot of pressure on herself. This season, she did an excellent job of playing loose and pressure-free. We truly saw a lot of development in the entire roster this season and Sadie was an example of how we wanted our team to play. We’re really proud of her and look forward to what the future holds in store.”

Previous winners:

• 2021 Samira Doiron (lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Annika More (lacrosse)
• 2018 Lauren Paradise (tennis)
• 2017 Jess Brown (softball)
• 2016 Jess Brown (softball)
• 2015 Margot Andreasen (tennis)
• 2014 Annette Denekas (tennis)
• 2013 Annette Denekas (tennis)
• 2012 Drew Barry (lacrosse)
• 2011 Drew Barry (lacrosse)
• 2010 Mary Moran (tennis)
• 2009 Maggie Swann (tennis)
• 2008 Liz Mosley (lacrosse)
• 2007 Jasmine Powell (track)
• 2006 Katie Hutchins (softball)
• 2005 Kelly Flaherty (lacrosse)
• 2004 Lily Anderson (lacrosse)

Sports editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.