BOYS’ SOCCER

Coach: Brandon Salway (27th year, 229-102-36 overall record, four state championships)

2014 results: 12-2-2 (Lost, 4-1, to eventual state champion Maranacook in Western C semifinals) 

Top returners: Abel Alemayo (Senior), Milo Belleau (Senior), Cullen Bollinger (Senior), Willy Burdick (Senior), Cooper Chap (Senior), Christian Kabongo (Senior), Aaron Lee (Senior), Ahmed Mohamed (Senior), Jack Weston (Senior), Jack Meahl (Junior), Ilyas Abdi (Sophomore), Christian Brooks (Sophomore), Max Winson (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 15 @ Falmouth, Sept. 21 @ NYA, Sept. 25 YARMOUTH, Oct. 2 @ Kennebunk, Oct. 6 H SACOPEE, Oct. 10 NYA, Oct. 13 @ Sacopee, Oct. 17 GRAY-NG, Oct. 20 FREEPORT

Coach’s comment: “I have 15 returners, but we graduated about 75 percent of our goals from last year with Harry (Baker-Connick) and Clancy (Mitchell) leaving. We’ll score goals as a team, but we have to develop a couple guys to be dangerous up top. We’re solid in the back. I’d put Milo up against any goalie around. We face the most challenging schedule we’ve had in my 27 years. It will force us to get better. Our record may not reflect how good we are at the end of the season. We’ll be in the mix. It’s a very hungry group. No one is left from the championship team in 2011. These guys want to get over the hump.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete had another terrific campaign in 2014, producing double digit victories for the fifth time in six seasons, but the Flyers fell short of the Gold Ball. This season, Waynflete is looking to go all the way and there is a lot of talent to work with.

The Flyers’ biggest question mark is on offense. The departure of reigning Fall Male Athlete of the Year and Class C Player of the Year Harry Baker-Connick and his partner in tickling the twine, Clancy Mitchell, a first-team all-star a year ago, means that several players who haven’t scored much in the past will have to step up. Mohamed has the most goals among returning players. Salway also hopes that Alemayo, Bollinger and Kabongo will come through on a regular basis. Abdi, Brooks, Weston and senior Tommy Silk, who played as a freshman and sophomore, then played golf as a junior before returning to the pitch, could also help the cause. Defensively, Waynflete will be solid. For starters, Belleau (a first-team league all-star last autumn) is every bit as terrific a keeper as Salway proclaims. He had 10 shutouts in 16 games in 2014. He’s aided by standouts Burdick (a first-team league all-star and all-region selection a year ago, who will take the Flyers’ free kicks) and Lee. Chap, Meahl and Winson will also help hold the opposition at bay.

Waynflete has the pieces in place to make a run at a Class C title, especially now that two-time champion Maranacook is back in Class B, but it won’t come easily, as rival North Yarmouth Academy has a very formidable squad as well and teams like Hall-Dale, Sacopee Valley and St. Dom’s are also potentially strong. If the Flyers get consistent offense, they could go all the way for the first time in four years. 

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Todd Dominski (seventh year, 73-18-12 overall record, two state championships)

2014 results: 10-2-5 (Lost, 1-0, to eventual state champion Sacopee Valley in Western C semifinals) 

Top returners: Esme Benson (Senior), Arianna Giguere (Senior), Christian Rowe (Senior), Marijke Rowse (Senior), Isabel Canning (Junior), Elizabeth Lualdi (Junior), Beata Vest (Junior), Amelia Bertaska (Sophomore), Ava Farrar (Sophomore), Lydia Giguere (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 15 FALMOUTH, Sept. 22 NYA, Oct. 2 KENNEBUNK, Oct. 6 @ Sacopee, Oct. 10 @ NYA, Oct. 14 SACOPEE

Coach’s comment: “This is the healthiest we’ve been in any of my preseasons. We have a lot of kids returning, but we graduated a few big name players. We have one of our hardest schedules to date. That will let us see where we’re at. If we put in the time and effort and play as a team, we can do pretty well. We have to make sure we stay healthy. If we work hard, we’ll have a good showing in October and maybe November. We have the talent to do it.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: After winning a pair of championships in dramatic fashion, the Flyers finally met their match last year in the semifinals when they were bested by eventual champion Sacopee Valley. While Waynflete had to bid adieu to four-year standout goalkeeper Julianna Harwood and sparkplug Helen Gray-Bauer, several talented players, many of whom have played multiple seasons, are back on the pitch and they’re hungry to get the program back to the top.

Offensively, the Flyers have many scoring options. Arianna Giguere (a first-team league all-star in 2014) is healthy and ready to lead the way. She’s always at her best in the biggest games. Speaking of clutch goal scorers, Benson (who had the winner in overtime in the 2013 state game) is playing more of a defensive role this season, but could step up if needed. Farrar had a strong freshman season and will be the offensive mix, as will Bertaska, Lydia Giguere, Lualdi, Rowse and Vest. The defense features Benson, Bertaska, Canning (a first-team all-star last season), Lydia Giguere, Rowe, Rowse, senior Alwyn Ecker and sophomore Claire DuBois. Junior Ali Pope, who played in the field last autumn, replaces Harwood in goal and is showing great promise. 

Waynflete, which hasn’t missed the playoffs since 1991, figures to again be a top threat in Southern Class C. If Pope can duplicate Harwood’s postseason excellence and the Flyers can find clutch scoring, they’ll be in the hunt for more hardware.

FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Stacey Sevelowitz (first year)

2014 results: 4-10-1 (Lost, 3-0, to Telstar in Western C preliminary round) 

Top returners: Kiera MacWhinnie (Junior), Randall Seder (Junior), Semhar Yehdego (Junior), Stella Lynch (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 8 SACOPEE, Sept. 10 NYA, Sept. 24 @ Sacopee, Sept. 28 @ NYA, Oct. 2 @ Greely, Oct. 8 LAKE REGION

Coach’s comment: “Our strength is in our numbers. Because we’ve combined two teams, we now have options for who will play in games. We’ve seen a lot of real talent during preseason. The girls are working hard and are already getting to know each other and are bonding as a team. My hope for the season is that we’re competitive in our league, that we communicate a lot and we learn and grow together. We’re working on building trust and with that trust, we can become a strong opponent for any team we play.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete has joined with McAuley this fall for a co-op team known as the CMW (Catherine McAuley Waynflete) Flying Lions, a squad which will compete in Class B. Sevelowitz, who assisted the Flyers the past three years and previously coached at Brunswick High School and Berwick Academy, takes over the new entity and has some talent to work with, as CMW will play most of Waynflete’s traditional foes and should be able to hold its own.

Top returners for the Flyers include Yehdego at forward, midfielder Seder, defender Lynch and MacWhinnie in goal (she’ll likely share time with McAuley’s Samantha Witkowski). Seder and Yehdego could help propel the offense. Freshmen midfielders Ruth Connelly and Caroline Routh could step right in and make an impact. 

After taking part in the postseason four of the past five years, the Waynflete members of CMW will look to help produce another winning campaign. It won’t come easily and it might take this team awhile to jell, but expect steady improvement as the season moves along.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coach: Brian “Ziggy” Gillespie (11th year, three state championships)

2014 results:
(Boys) 7th @ Class C state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class C state meet (regional champions)

Top returners:
(Boys) Peter Michalakes (Senior), Joshua Lodish (Junior), Wilson Moore (Junior), PD Silk (Junior)
(Girls) Gail Johnson (Senior), Ellie Chidsey (Junior), Sophia Mayone (Junior), Leeza Kopaeva (Sophomore), Abby Pipkin (Sophomore), Ava Thomas (Sophomore)

Top foes: Maine Coast Waldorf School, NYA

Coach’s comment: “The boys’ goals are to compete for runner-up at regionals and a top five finish at states. We have great depth for a young team. It’s a fun, tough group of kids. They believe we can compete. I look forward to watching their progress to their goals.

“We have 22 girls this fall and return six of our top seven from a team that won regionals and was second in the state. We’re very excited about the season and our future. The team goal is to win regionals for the third year in a row and the Class C state championship. The state meet will be very close between George Stevens Academy, Orono and Waynflete.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Both Waynflete cross country teams will be in the thick of things from start to finish this fall.

The boys look to move up from last year’s state meet showing. The top returner is Moore, who was 13th at the Class C meet last season. Captain Michalakes (56th), Silk (58th) and Lodish (78th also return). They’re joined by sophomore John Veroneau, who ran for Cheverus a year ago, to make up a formidable pack. Cam Thompson (the other captain), Max Bongiorno and Jacob Woods are the other seniors. Several younger runners will look to earn their spot. This is a team that could be very strong by late October.

On the girls’ side, a big roster features a good mix of veterans and several underclassmen. The top returner is Chidsey, a tri-captain who was fifth at last year’s state meet, then was named a second-team league all-star. Other returning scorers include tri-captains Mayone (20th) and Johnson (22nd), along with Pipkin (25th). Kopaeva (52nd) and Thomas (75th) look to move up. They’re joined by two transfers from Cheverus, senior Anne Veroneau, who ran for Waynflete as a freshman (she was 73rd at last year’s Class A state meet), and sophomore Callie Banksmith. Waynflete should be very strong in the regular season, then could be the best team in the region and in all of Class C if it stays healthy and runs its best when it matters most.

GOLF

Coach: David Neilan (11th year)

2014 results: 4-3 (no postseason)

Top returners: Chris Bergeron (Senior), Will Lewis (Senior), Will Nelligan (Senior)

Top foes: NYA, OOB

Coach’s comment: “We have about 10 people signed up to play and several of them are freshmen and I believe brand new to the sport, so it will be interesting to see if they progress to the point where they will be able to play competitively. The three seniors all have the potential to do quite well. My hope for the season is that we’ll be competitive in many of our matches and as always, I strive to increase interest in the program.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete had one of its best seasons to date in 2014 and hopes to contend again this fall. 

Nelligan is the top returner. He was named All-Conference a year ago. Lewis has a strong long game. Bergeron is also experienced. Freshman Liam Feeney is showing promise in the early going. 

The Flyers look to again be competitive throughout and should again win some regular season matches. They hope to make a run at the conference qualifier and to send a few players to the individual state match. This program continues to get stronger.

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

Senior Abel Alemayo is a veteran who can put the ball in the net.

Sophomore Christian Brooks will play a bigger role in the weeks to come.

Senior Christian Kabongo will be heard from all over the field.

Senior Aaron Lee has made a name for himself bottling up some of the top offensive threats in the league.

Senior Ahmed Mohamed is another talented returner.

Max Winson is another key returning sophomore who should continue to make a name for himself.

It seems like just yesterday that Arianna Giguere was scoring key goals as a freshman. Now a senior, Giguere hopes to lead Waynflete back to the pinnacle this fall.

Junior Isabel Canning enters her third season as one of the key cogs in the Flyers machine.

Ava Farrar’s play turned heads as a freshman. She’ll be in the scoring mix again this fall.

Sophomore Lydia Giguere hopes to build on her strong freshman campaign.

Wilson Moore was 12th at last year’s state meet and will make a run at the top 10 this season.

Junior Ellie Chidsey had the fifth-best score at last year’s Class C state meet.

Senior Gail Johnson is a key returning veteran.

Sophie Mayone placed 18th at the state meet a year ago.

Will Nelligan returns for Waynflete’s golf team.

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Senior Willy Burdick and his teammates figure to have a lot to get excited about in the weeks to come as the Flyers make a run at a Class C title.

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