Local High School spring sports officially began on April 19. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the Gorham Varsity teams and athletes for the spring season of 2022.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Gorham will look to rebound after a playoff exit last year to eventual State Champion Cape Elizabeth.
Coach Jones explains, “The Rams boast a strong defense led by last year’s starting Goalie Ian Connors and Juniors Bode Coleman and Hayden Battaglia. Senior Ian Moss provides leadership to a group that will be hard to beat this year.”
Captains of the team, Brady Sawyer and Connor Callahan will lead the charge at midfield where Junior Jacob Lehmann will unquestionably have an impact with the captains.
“The attack has big shoes to fill with the departure of All-State Captain Ben Tukey, but Captain Hunter Pelletier (46 gp, 19 assists, 39 Gb/g) has risen to the challenge. He will bring together a talented group including senior Jacob Graham” Jones adds.
Coach Jones shares, “The Rams have a tough schedule this year, but the renewal of old rivalries, that were temporarily shelved due to COVID, should provide the motivation needed for a deep run into the playoffs.”
With challenging games throughout, Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth should provide early tests, while a mid-season matchup with Scarborough and the finale vs. Windham will have the Rams battle-tested for the playoffs.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Gorham Coach Meredith Bickford shares, “Gorham Girls Lacrosse is looking forward to a great season ahead.”
The team has eight returning Seniors, (Morgan Chapman, Mary DeWitt, Allie Light, Allie Myles, Jill Morrell, Anna Provost, and Emma Stevens) including Mary DeWitt who experienced a season-ending injury last spring, and newcomer, Courtney Rent.
Bickford adds, “Our returning sophomore and junior class are going to make Gorham a team to beat this year.”
Team numbers are great throughout the program and coach Bickford is enthusiastic about where the program is headed overall. This year’s Captains, Kate Dupuis and DeWitt will lead the team, and welcome new JV Coach Sarah Dolley to the program.
BOYS’ BASEBALL
The GHS Boys’ baseball program returns 8 of the starting 9 including all pitchers.
The pitchers are led by seniors, Kyle Skolfield 2nd Team All SMAA 1.15 ERA, 24.1 IP, 36 K, 8 BB, .148 Opp BA (USM next year), and Colin McDonald, 1st Team All SMAA 1.835 ERA, 34.1 IP, 45 K, 16 BB, .195 Opp BA (Bridgton next year, UMaine ’23).
The Returning position players include senior Caleb Hendrix OF, 1st All SMAA .375 Avg (Framingham State next year), senior Colin McDonald 1B, .436 Avg, and junior Quinn Dillon 2B, 1st Team All SMAA .400 Avg.
Team Captains are seniors Kyle Skolfield, Landon Bickford, Dan McKeage, and Caleb Hendrix who will look to lead in close games.
Coach Nadeau said, “Gorham prospects will be dependent on the health of our pitching.”
Kyle Skolfield is returning from torn ACL and MCL during Gorham’s first football game this past fall. Colin McDonald is recovering well from off-season elbow discomfort. Pitching depth will come from senior Landon Bickford and the development of freshman Wyatt Nadeau. Ben Shields is a crafty specialty reliever who will present difficult matchups for the league’s stronger left handed hitters.
Cody Sellick, Caleb Hendrix, Kyle Skolfield, Landon Bickford and Brady Wintle provide excellent depth with speed and offensive skills in the outfield.
The infield will be led by captain Dan McKeage and returning 1st Team All-Conference 2B Quinn Dillon who will be guiding a talented group of freshmen in Mason Finck (3B), Josh Polchies (SS), and Wyatt Nadeau (1B).
Coach Nadeau adds, “Cole (CJ) Whitehead is ready to have a breakout sophomore year handling most of the catching duties for a talented pitching staff. Quentin Riiska and Sean Boylen are excellent offensive players who can each play several positions.”
The SMAA league will be strongly led by South Portland, Thornton Academy, Falmouth, and Sanford among the teams expected to be top tier in the league.
With healthy pitching and experience, Gorham should be competitive on any given night. With new lights installed, GHS will be bringing night baseball back to Gorham this spring with night games scheduled for May 12, 16, 23, 26, and 27. All night games will begin at 7 p.m.
GIRLS’ SOFTBALL
The team ended 12-6 overall last year, losing in the second round of the playoffs to #1 seed Marshwood in a very close game 5 – 4.
Coach McGouldrick shares, “I expect us to be a couple of games better this year and be right in the mix in Class A South.”
Windham, Biddeford, and Scarborough will be very tough. The coach predicts his team to be one of the top 4 teams in the SMAA and should challenge every team on any given day.
Coach McGouldrick adds, “We were a very young team last year starting six freshmen and sophomores in most games. We return nine Varsity players from last year’s roster. There are some outstanding young players in the league, but you can’t match our roster 1 – 9. Some of our role players would be Varsity starters at other schools. We have three outstanding pitchers (senior Riley Grant and sophomores Amber Bretton and Kyleigh Mack) who I have complete confidence in throwing against anyone.”
Coach continues, “Our batting order is very deep, but it starts with sophomore Amber Bretton who batted .569 with 29 hits, 34 RBI including multi-home run games. I expect a huge, break-out year from senior Anya Nagle both at the plate and playing first base for us.”
“Sophomore Sophia Diphillipo will be the field general behind the plate and will bat in the 4-hole. Senior Ambrosia Moore has worked incredibly hard in the offseason, and you can see her efforts paying off in the pre-season. Makayla Quintal is an incredibly smooth middle infielder who is one of the most fundamentally sound middle infielders I have coached,” he adds.
The rest of the roster is versatile, and it allows Coach McGouldrick to mix and match in any given game and get positive results.
McGouldrick emphasizes, “More important than the talent this group has, is the incredible chemistry and work ethic. The group is a joy to coach. No team will work harder and have more fun at the same time. Regardless of our win/loss record at the end of the year, it is going to be a great year.”
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Girls’ Tennis Coach Nicole Bergeron shared, “We went from a five-player team last year to eighteen players this year.”
Most of the new players on the tennis team are underclassmen who are new to the sport of tennis. They bring experience, coordination, and drive from playing other sports into the mix.
Bergeron adds, “Those who have had experience on the team as a group of five are adjusting well to a new dynamic that a larger team inevitably brings. I’m very encouraged by everyone’s play.”
This year’s captains are seniors Abby Emerson, Ainsley Christianson, and Clara Schvets.
Coach Bergeron shares, “Emerson returns from a personal undefeated season. Her biggest challenge is going to be Olivia Cutone from Kennebunk.” Emerson will go far in the state singles tournament without question, probably making it to the quarterfinals or semifinals depending on where she is placed on the seed chart.
Christianson returns with 9 wins, and Schvets is returning with a strong performance despite missing a season.
BOYS’ TENNIS
The Boys’ Tennis Team ended last season with a close loss to Cheverus in the first round of the playoffs.
Coach Aaron Landry shares, “All three of our singles players are returning. As it is early in the year the ladder has not been finalized but senior co-captain Will Boylen, junior Kevin Luo, and junior Patrick Cyr will compete.”
At doubles, senior co-captain Alden Dimick, and seniors Asa Farley and Kyle Landry look to start the season strong.
Looking to break into the lineup and play a role are freshmen Owen Spera, Jacob Shvets, Aidan Devers, and Patrick Downey.
GIRLS’ OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Coach John Caterina, coming off a highly successful winter season and last year’s spring State Class A runner-up, shares in detail what to expect of the T&F team this spring.
The Gorham Girls’ Outdoor Track & Field Team returns a strong group of senior athletes from last spring’s state Class A runner-up and expects to be in contention for top Class A team and individual honors again this season.
Caterina shares, “The team is led by a group of five very talented senior captains: Alyvia Caruso, Sydney Connolly, Emma Green, Elisabeth Loranger, and Maddie Michaud.”
Caruso is the defending state champion in the 100 hurdles and scored in the LJ and 300 hurdles last year.
Connolly scored in both the 100 and 200 and anchored the state champion 4 X 100 relay.
Green is defending state champion in the HJ and ran the third leg in the 4 X 100 relay.
Loranger finished 3rd last spring in the 400 and ran key legs in the 4 X 800 and 4 X 400 relays.
Michaud ran in both the champion 4 X 100 relay and the 4th place 4 X 400 relay last spring and will be one of the top sprinters in the SMAA.
Other key members of this spring’s team include juniors Rachel Cummings (distance), Grace Johnson (distance), Mayla Wilson (HJ/PV), and Sadie Fiore (HJ/PV); sophomores Rita Cummings (distance), Ella Downing (distance), Meryk Lewellen (TJ), and Aislyn McLean (distance).
“The addition of freshmen Ashley Connolly (sprints) and Lindy Moreland, as well as several other newcomers, will all play a key role in Gorham’s success this upcoming season,” Caterina adds.
BOYS’ OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Last Year’s Results: 5th at Class A State Championship
Coach Jason Tanguay gives a synopsis of the spring outlook. The Gorham Boys’ Outdoor Track & Field team has a strong group of seniors, including captains Calvin Cummings, Andrew Farr, Evan Russo, Tommy Sallinen, and Asa Wareham.
Cummings is an All-New England Cross Country runner who also scored in both the one and two-mile at the indoor state championship.
Farr is the state champion in the 200 and state record holder in the 400 this past winter and was named Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
Russo is one of the top returning pole vaulters.
Sallinen is a top runner in relays.
Wareham is a top returner in the javelin.
Coach Tanguay shares, “the key contributors to the spring team include juniors Lucien Beardsley (racewalk), Braeden Johnson (throws); sophomores Nolan Feyler (hurdles and jumps), Aidan Lee (hurdles and jumps), Dylan Phillips (javelin). There are many other newcomers to the team that will be contributors to our success as a team.”