BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Yarmouth’s boys’ basketball team won the Class B state title in epic, come-from-behind fashion a year ago. With a new look and a new coach, the Clippers hope to make a repeat run this winter. File photos
Coach: Ilungo Mutombo (first year)
2021-22 record: 20-3 (Defeated Ellsworth, 59-52, in overtime, to win Class B state title)
Top returning players: Nate Hagedorn (Senior), Liam Hickey (Senior), Spencer LaBrecque (Senior), Stevie Walsh (Senior), Justin Dawes (Junior), Matt Gautreau (Junior), Evan Hamm (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 9 @ York, Dec. 29 @ Westbrook, Jan. 7 @ Greely, Jan. 10 @ Leavitt, Jan. 17 BRUNSWICK, Jan. 20 SPRUCE MOUNTAIN, Jan. 26 GRAY-NG, Jan. 28 GREELY, Jan. 31 CAPE ELIZABETH
Coach’s comment: “I’m very blessed to have these guys. They’re hard workers with a winner’s mentality. They play for each other and want to compete. That’s the Yarmouth way. The seniors are great leaders and the juniors are hungry. The question is can we take what we have and build on it? We’re working on the three ‘Cs,’ communication, consistency and commitment. We have a tough schedule again. That will get us ready for the postseason. We’re going to work like we never won a thing.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth is coming off a magical season, capturing just the third Gold Ball in program history and the first in a decade. Nothing came easily for the Clippers, but led by the wizardry of Peter Psyhogeos (now playing at Bates College) and Matt Waeldner and aided by the legendary shot-making of Stevie “Wonder” Walsh, Yarmouth overcame injuries, illness and deficits to go all the way. This year’s team has a vastly different look as not only have Psyhogeos, Waeldner and others graduated, but Jonas Allen stepped down as coach following the season and has been replaced by Mutombo, his assistant of two years. Mutombo played at Gorham High and for Central Maine Community College and previously coached at Edward Little and Lewiston, so he’s had some fabulous mentors. Now, he’s eager to take the helm of the Clipper ship and while there are holes to be filled, this team’s upside is very high.
Senior Stevie Walsh has enjoyed his share of moments in the limelight for the Clippers, none more than when he hit a late 3-pointer to tie the state final. This season, Walsh is a veteran leader.
Walsh came up huge last year in a regional final victory over Medomak Valley, then made the biggest shot in program history, a late 3-pointer to cap an improbable comeback to tie Ellsworth in the state final before Yarmouth went on to win it. This winter, Walsh, who just played an integral role in the boys’ soccer team’s latest title, will be called upon to play an even bigger role as captain. He’ll be a shooting guard and should be a top scorer. Gautreau takes over at point guard. He’s a three-sport athlete who gives his all every time he takes the floor. Sophomores Torrey Rogers and Bobby Wolff will also see time in the backcourt. Hamm (who will be called upon to score) and Hickey, a captain, can play guard or forward. In the post, Dawes, Hagedorn, LaBrecque (Yarmouth’s Fall Athlete of the Year for his dominance on a state champion football team) and junior Jack Janczuk are players to watch. Junior Jonny Fulton will play a bigger role this season at forward.
Yarmouth will be the hunted this year and a brutal schedule will offer no reprieve, but these proud Clippers intend to defend their crown. It won’t come easily, but Yarmouth should wind up among the top teams in Class B South yet again.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Junior Cate King will be in the middle of the action this winter for Yarmouth’s promising girls’ basketball team.
Coach: Tom Panozzo (first year)
2021-22 record: 13-5 (Lost, 53-42, to York in Class B South quarterfinals)
Top returning players: Nori Schneider (Senior), Lauren Keaney (Junior), Cate King (Junior), Neena Panozzo (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 9 YORK, Dec. 20 @ Mt. Ararat, Jan. 7 @ Greely, Jan. 14 @ Freeport, Jan. 17 @ Brunswick, Jan. 20 @ Spruce Mountain, Jan. 24 FREEPORT, Jan. 28 GREELY
Coach’s comment: “We’re excited to get going. This team works really well together. We want to be a tight unit. We have more size than we’ve had in the past. We want to play fast, get up the court and play good defense. We play a lot of games against Class A teams and that will get us ready for the tournament. We’re shooting for the playoffs.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth has been a top Class B South contender in recent seasons and that should continue this year, even after losing several key players to graduation and being without Ava Feeley, the soccer star, who is not playing this winter. The Clippers welcome a new coach in Panozzo, who spent four years as David Cousins’ assistant. He has also coached at the youth level. He has a team that’s hungry to compete.
Junior Neena Panozzo is another scrappy player to watch this winter for the Clippers.
Yarmouth is guard-heavy, with Keaney, Schneider and Neena Panozzo returning and senior Delia MacDonald stepping into a shooting guard role. Junior Maya Hagerty will run the point. King (9 rebounds per game) showed flashes of excellence last year and can score and rebound as a forward. Freshman Grace Keaney figures to step right in and make an impact in the post.
The Clippers will thrive as a cohesive unit and should show steady improvement in the weeks to come. A tough schedule might keep this squad from approaching last year’s win-loss mark, but if Yarmouth develops as hoped, it will be a very tough out in February.
BOYS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Cheverus)
Senior Ethan St. Pierre is one of several key returning veterans for the Cheverus/Yarmouth boys’ hockey team, which has designs on winning the Class B state title this winter.
Coach: Dave St. Pierre (12th year, 110-86-10 overall record)
2021-22 record: 13-6 (Lost, 4-3, in five-OTs, to eventual champion Brunswick in Class B South semifinals)
Top returning players: Ryan Franceschi (Senior), Neal McQuarrie (Senior), Ben Moll (Senior), Jaden Morin (Senior), Truman Peters (Senior), Ethan St. Pierre (Senior), Andrew Cheever (Junior), Brian Connolly (Junior), Ian O’Connor (Junior), David Swift (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 17 CAPE ELIZABETH, Dec. 21 @ Brunswick, Jan. 7 LEAVITT, Jan. 12 SCARBOROUGH, Jan. 26 GREELY, Feb. 1 BRUNSWICK, Feb. 4 @ Greely, Feb. 8 @ Leavitt, Feb. 15 @ Edward Little, Feb. 22 @ Cape Elizabeth
Coach’s comment: “Our preseason was promising. We have good numbers this year. Being a co-op was a good choice. The kids have jelled well. We’re not quite as talented top to bottom as last year, but we’re deep. Our senior class will lead the way. We came really close last year. I liked our chances if we could have gotten past Brunswick. This year, hopefully we’ll stay healthy and be in a good spot. Our league is always tough.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Cheverus/Yarmouth nearly was the team winning Class B a season ago, but it fell in a five-overtime marathon to Brunswick, which went on to capture its first title. Cheverus/Yarmouth is on the short list of contenders again this winter as it features strong players all over the ice.
Senior Truman Peters will be a top scoring threat for Cheverus/Yarmouth.
Offensively, Connolly was a second-team all-star last winter and he’ll be part of the top line, along with Cheever (honorable mention last season) and sophomore Quinn McCoy. Franceschi, Moll and Peters will be top scoring threats as well. The defense features veterans St. Pierre and Swift, along with Morin and O’Connor. Sophomore Johnny Weinrich and freshman Colby Carnes are new contributors to watch. McQuarrie, who made the All-Rookie team a year ago, is back between the pipes.
Cheverus/Yarmouth will find out quickly where it stands, as it takes on Cape Elizabeth and Brunswick prior to Christmas. Greely still looms as a threat as well and there are several other teams on the rise. Class B South will a battle from start to finish, but this team has what it takes to contend with everyone and if all goes well, wind up the last team standing.
GIRLS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Freeport)
Junior Sophie Smith will be a top player for a Yarmouth/Freeport girls’ hockey team which has high hopes this winter.
Coach: David Intraversato (fourth year, 21-25 overall record)
2021-22 record: 6-9 (Lost, 4-0, to Mt. Ararat in North Region quarterfinals)
Top returning players: Sadie Carnes (Senior), Chloe White (Senior), Amanda Panciocco (Junior), Rosie Panenka (Junior), Sophie Smith (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 30 CAPE ELIZABETH, Jan. 4 @ Cheverus, Jan. 23 @ Winslow, Jan. 28 CHEVERUS, Jan. 30 MT. ARARAT
Coach’s comment: “We hope to be the top team in the North. Our core of juniors and seniors have been together for a couple years and we’re returning the same group as a year ago with some strong freshmen players. Our defense is deep. We hope to limit shots to give our new goalie the ability to make the easy saves. Coming into the preseason we had eight real good defenders. We are still evaluating players and trying some of the defenders at forward which helps us come to play every game with three good lines. Not many teams in the league have rolled out three lines of talented players over the past few years. This year, we will.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth/Freeport is poised to put together a memorable season. The squad opened with a decisive 10-4 victory over St. Dom’s, then defeated talented Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland, 7-3, and has designs on going all the way. That’s a realistic goal.
The offense is led by All-Conference players from a year ago Panenka (15 goals, 10 assists last winter), Carnes (9 goals and 9 assists) and Panciocco (9 points as a defender). Carnes had a hat trick in the season opener, while Panenka added three points. Smith (6 goals, 5 assists last year and three goals in the second game this winter), White (2 goals, 1 assist in the first game), junior Isabelle Peters (three assists on Opening Night), sophomore Emma White (2 goals, 1 assist in game one) and freshman Celia Zinman are other players to watch. Panciocco and White anchor the defense with help from junior Ella ZurMuhlen and freshman Adelaide Strout. Senior Ava Gervais will start in goal. Freshman Elle Grondin will be the backup.
Yarmouth/Freeport has the pieces in place to post the best mark in program history and get to a game where trophies are given out. There’s good reason for all the excitement around this program this winter.
INDOOR TRACK
Coach: Sarah Carrigan (fifth year)
2021-22 results: Boys’ 5th @ Class B state meet; Girls’ tie-23rd @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Josh Leinwand (Senior), Wes Merrill (Senior), Sam Lowenstein (Junior)
(Girls) Emma Butsch (Senior), Rachel Groves (Senior), Evie King (Senior), Eliza Grimnes (Junior), Celia Wood (Junior), Tessa Dougherty (Sophomore), Julia Lawwill (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “We are down a coach, but have some awesome captains. We are hoping to gain strength, speed and build community. Go Clippers.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth will be a factor in the regular season and in February.
The boys are coming off a solid campaign and return Merrill, who placed fifth in the 200 and seventh in the 55 at last year’s state meet. He’ll be a top sprinter, along with Lowenstein. Leinwand is a top distance threat. Several newcomers will factor into the mix. That group includes senior sprinter Harry Dougherty and senior distance runner Isaac Pendleton (both are outdoor track veterans) and freshman distance runner Noah Tippie.
On the girls’ side, King and Dougherty were part of a 4×200 relay team that scored at last year’s state meet. They’ll be top sprinters, along with Groves, Lawwill, sophomore Taylor Oranellas and freshman Abby Noble. The distance contingent features Grimnes and Wood (Oranellas can run longer races too). King will compete in the jumps and Butsch is a top shot put thrower.
SWIMMING
Coach: Dave Cox (fifth year)
2021-22 results: Boys’ 12th @ Class B state meet; Girls’ 6th @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Gabe Merrill (Senior), David Dealaman (Junior), Matt Dressel (Sophomore), Adam Strobel (Sophomore)
(Girls) Daisy Brewer (Senior), Sarah Dressel (Senior), Lyla Kitchens (Senior), Sierra Hunt (Sophomore), Ali Miller (Sophomore), Kate Tenhoor (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “The defending South Southwestern girls’ champions, first time in Yarmouth’s history, will be competitive despite graduating 10 seniors and six-time school record holder Alex Ericson transferring to St. Andrew’s School in Florida. Led by captains Daisy Brewer and Sarah Dressel, and a strong sophomore class, this hard-working group looks to remain near the top of regionals and states. The boys have a enthusiastic group of mostly underclassmen. With Rob Hale and Greely allowing access to their pool, we have high hopes for this group developing into a top team at regionals and shooting for a top ten finish at states.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth’s swim program is in very good shape and is optimistic about its chances this winter.
The girls made history a year ago and are back for more. Brewer, Dressel, Hunt and Miller were all part of scoring relay teams last season. This winter, Brewer, a captain, swims the butterfly and distance freestyle, while Dressel, another captain, competes in the backstroke and fly. They’re veteran leaders, along with Kitchens, who takes part in the sprint freestyle and breaststroke. Hunt (sprint freestyle and backstroke) and Miller (sprint freestyle and butterfly) are part of a strong young ensemble, which also features Kitchens (breaststroke, individual medley), Tenhoor (backstroke, freestyle) and freshman Olive Maynard (freestyle, backstroke).
The boys’ team is up-and-coming. Dealaman (breaststroke, sprint freestyle), Dressel (backstroke, IM), Merrill (distance freestyle, fly) and Strobel (sprint freestyle) have experience. They’re joined by sophomore Olivier Garcia De Reynal (freestyle, breaststroke) and freshman Antonio Velazquez (breaststroke, sprint freestyle) to make up a team that hopes to contend.
ALPINE SKIING
Coach: Sean Marsh (second year)
2021-22 results: Boys’ 3rd @ Class B state meet; Girls’ Class B state champions
Top returners:
(Boys) Killian Marsh (Senior), Tyler Moore (Junior)
(Girls) Brooke Boone (Junior), Madeliene Jones (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “The Yarmouth Alpine race team has always been a group of athletes that compete really hard and also have a great time and approach racing together as a family. The team is already doing a lot of weight room and dryland training and holding pizza/ski tuning parties to welcome the new racers and reconnect with existing teammates. The enthusiasm, excitement and anticipation for this season is tremendous. This team is really tight and eager to get out there and shred. Most of the racers from last season are returning and I expect we will see strong results during the season, at Western Maine Conference championships and state championships. Its going to be really fun season.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth always has fun on the snow and the Clippers are poised to make another run at bringing home some hardware.
The girls’ squad returns a standout in Boone, who won the giant slalom state title and was runner-up in the slalom a year ago. Jones (28th) is also back and looks to move up.
On the boys’ side, Marsh is back after placing fifth in the GS and eighth in the slalom. Moore (ninth in the GS, 13th in the slalom) is right there with him.
NORDIC SKIING
Coach: Dana Hatton (first year)
2021-22 results: Boys’ Class B state champion; Girls’ 3rd @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Stuart Baybutt (Senior), Ben Flowerdew (Senior), Owen Redfield (Senior), Aksel Yeo (Senior), Cornelius (Welsh (Senior)
(Girls) Sonja Bell (Junior), Laila Brewer (Sophomore), Chloe Bibula (Sophomore), Paige Brewer (Sophomore), Maya Faulstich (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “The boys’ team is looking to win again at states. Many of our top male skiers are seniors this year, all with hopes of having a strong final season. I think our top male returners will be in the top 10 all season, if they keep training as hard as they are and stay healthy. We are still building on our girls’ side. With only two seniors, we have a young team. That’s not to say they aren’t going to do well. A lot of our skiers did cross country running or soccer in the fall and have a solid endurance base. I have strong feelings that come racing season they will surprise themselves. Overall, we have a very hardworking and enthusiastic team. We can’t wait to get on snow as soon as it flies and start making our mark in the race results.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth had a terrific season a year ago and is starting from a strong position this winter, as Hatton, a one-time Cape Elizabeth standout, takes over as coach (program founder and skiing legend Bob Morse is helping out as well) and inherits a lot of talent.
The Clippers boys look to repeat in Class B and will be led by Redfield (who won the freestyle and placed 12th in the classic back in February). Yeo (third in the classic, sixth in the freestyle), Welsh (fourth in the classic, seventh in the freestyle), Baybutt (15th in the classic) and Flowerdew (18th in the freestyle) all have had success in big meets as well. Keep an eye on sophomores Mateo Coury and Hugh O’Donnell, as well as freshmen Alexander Gordon and Joe Maynard.
On the girls’ side, Paige Brewer is the top returner. She was 10th in both the classic and freestyle a year ago. Faulstich (10th in the freestyle, 16th in the classic), Bell (12th in the freestyle, 14th in the classic), Laila Brewer (17th in the freestyle and 25th in the classic) and Bibula (18th in the classic and 21st in the freestyle) will also be factors. Adding depth are senior Josephine Nicholas, junior Fiona Bergen and sophomore Leah Muentener.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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