FINN CAXTON-SMITH, Senior – Football

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• Class B North, first-team

Caxton-Smith is well known for his speed in track and for being a dangerous threat at wide receiver in football and this fall, he let everyone know that he was pretty special with the ball in his hand at quarterback as well and Caxton-Smith’s heroics running and throwing led the Navigators all the way to the Class B North Final.

Caxton-Smith came into the season as a receiver/running back for Falmouth and he would make an impact in those roles, but ultimately, due to injury, he moved under center and excelled.

Caxton-Smith opened the season with 101 yards and two touchdown runs on 10 carries in a win over Cheverus. He had 57 yards and caught three passes for 25 yards and a TD in a loss to Cape Elizabeth, then took over at quarterback for a week four contest against Messalonskee, replacing an injured Peyton Mitchell in the first quarter, rushing for 120 yards and three TDs in a 39-8 victory.

“Some of the plays, I had no idea what to do on,” Caxton-Smith said. “I’m lucky for my teammates. They helped me through it.”

Caxton-Smith then accounted for 178 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Brewer, had 79 yards and four TDs in a win over Brunswick and ran for 127 yards and three scores and passed for 102 yards in a season-opening overtime loss to Cony.

Falmouth then embarked on a playoff run, downing Gardiner, 27-21, as Caxton-Smith ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns and completed 10-of-14 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. The Navigators then avenged a previous loss to by upsetting Cony, 35-28, in the semifinals, as Caxton-Smith ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Falmouth took an early lead against eventual state champion Skowhegan before losing, 28-20, in the Class B North Final. Caxton-Smith threw for 153 yards and a touchdown.

“Finn accepted the role as our starting QB and this is a perfect insight into a player who will do whatever the team needs in order to compete,” said Falmouth coach John Fitzsimmons. “He didn’t just take on the role, he excelled in it. Our team went 5-3, including two wins in the playoffs, and in those eight games, our offense averaged 26 points per game.

“Finn’s success is based on his off-the-charts football IQ, which has allowed him to make split-second decisions regarding what receiver will be open against various pass coverages and running our RPO (run-pass option) style offense. Because of his intellect and knowledge of football, we have given him more responsibility in directing the offense.”

Caxton-Smith rushed for 964 yards, averaging seven yards per carry, and he passed for 600 yards with a 56 percent completion rate. Caxton-Smith also punted and was a top defensive back. He truly did it all.

Finn Caxton-Smith, Falmouth’s Fall Athlete of the Year, now turns his attention back to being one of the state’s premier sprinters in indoor and outdoor track (he holds the school record in the 100 meters), but his final year on the gridiron will long be hailed.

Coach John Fitzsimmons’ comment: “Finn is an excellent student and gifted athlete. His peers and coaches respect Finn for how he conducts himself on and off the field. Finn always is supportive of his teammates and is the first to cheer the defense or special teams for having a good series. It is unusual to find an athlete who receives such acclaim and yet remains humble and attributes his success to his teammates. Finn is a serious student and his academic performance reflects his commitment to his studies.”

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Prior winners:
• 2021 Mason Farr (soccer)
* 2020 Ben Greene (cross country)
• 2019 Gus Ford (soccer)
• 2018 Riley Reed (football)
• 2017 Jack Bryant (football)
• 2016 Jeremiah Sands (cross country)
• 2015 Connor Aube (football)
• 2014 Bryce Murdick (cross country)
• 2013 Joe Lesniak (golf)
• 2012 J.P. White (soccer)
• 2011 Andrew Murry (soccer)
• 2010 Tim Follo (cross country)
• 2009 Gabe Hoffman-Johnson (soccer)
• 2008 Gabe Hoffman-Johnson (soccer)
• 2007 Jack Wyman (golf)
• 2006 Nick Ford (football)
• 2005 Adam Packard (golf)
• 2004 Connor Hollowell (soccer)
• 2003 Jimmy Velas (soccer)
• 2002 Brandon Bonsey (cross country)
• 2001 Brian Giggey (golf)

VALERIE RAND, Junior– Field hockey

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• All-State
* SMAA first-team

Rand played at a high level all season and her strong performance all over the field helped the Navigators reach the postseason again.

Rand, a midfielder, stepped into a starring role this fall and while her final statistics were modest (four goals, three assists), she was critical to Falmouth’s success, controlling play in the midfield, inserting the ball on penalty corners and inspiring confidence along the way.

The Navigators were just 4-5 at one juncture this season, but went 3-1-1 down the stretch and in the preliminary round of the Class A South playoffs, out-lasted Marshwood in penalty corners to advance. Falmouth was no match for defending state champion Cheverus in the quarterfinals, but the season culminated with a winning record and Rand’s performance was a big reason why. It didn’t go unnoticed either, as Rand was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams.

What will she do for an encore? Valerie Rand, Falmouth’s Fall Athlete of the Year, figures to keep raising the bar and the Navigators will benefit from her skill and leadership yet again next season.

Coach Robin Haley’s comment: “Valerie has a high field hockey IQ and knows when and where to distribute the ball. She was often setting up her teammates or working the ball down the midfield to get us in position to score. Defensively, she does a great job of channeling her opponent to slow the ball down or go in for the quick steal. Valerie does the work that doesn’t always make it into the scorebook. One of the many things that I appreciate about Valerie is her leadership on the field. She sees things on the field and can make adjustments on the fly. She has a competitive edge that is so fun to watch on the field. As a team, we talk about leaving everything out on the field, win or lose. Valerie does that every time.”

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Prior winners:
• 2021 Jordan Wolf (soccer)
* 2020 Sofie Matson (cross country)
• 2019 Sofie Matson (cross country)
• 2018 Liberty Ladd (field hockey)
• 2017 Sofie Matson (cross country)
• 2016 Malaika Pasch (cross country)
• 2015 Sydney Bell (field hockey)
• 2014 Elle Fitzgerald (field hockey)
• 2013 Riley Burfeind (volleyball)
• 2012 Cassie Darrow (soccer)
• 2011 Caitlin Bucksbaum (soccer)
• 2010 Kate Sparks (volleyball)
• 2009 Emma Wilberg (volleyball)
• 2008 Nicole Foley (field hockey)
• 2007 Maddie Grygiel (cross country)
• 2006 Emily Bowden (field hockey)
• 2005 Riley Haddock (field hockey)
• 2004 Riley Haddock (field hockey)
• 2003 Hannah Millick (field hockey)
• 2002 Ali Hollowell (field hockey)
• 2001 Whitney Huse (soccer)

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