On Friday, The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram will honor the state’s best high school athletes at our annual banquet. A player of the year for each sport will be honored and we’ll name our male and female Athletes of the Year. What makes this year so special is that it’s the 25th year of honoring Maine’s best, so we will be catching up with all our Athletes of the Year since the first banquet in 1988. Today, we honor the winners from 2007.

KELSEY WILSON, GORHAM

IN HIGH SCHOOL: Wilson was the girls’ soccer Player of the Year, and an All-America selection. She scored 35 goals her senior year and led Gorham to a third straight Class A title. She finished with 85 career goals. Wilson also starred in basketball and tennis.

SINCE HIGH SCHOOL: Wilson was a soccer standout at UMaine, serving as captain as a senior. She led the team in goals and points as the Black Bears made it to the American East final. She earned her degree in biological engineering with a pre-med minor. She is applying to medical school. She has been an assistant coach for the UMaine women’s soccer team.

WHAT IT MEANT TO WIN: “I feel the award is more of a team accomplishment. I was just the lucky one who got the award. “

JARED TURCOTTE, LEWISTON

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IN HIGH SCHOOL: Turcotte was named the Player of the Year for football. He won the Fitzpatrick Trophy and was named Maine’s Gatorade player of the year. He was a hard-running tailback who made Lewiston one of the top teams in Eastern Class A.

SINCE HIGH SCHOOL: Turcotte went to UMaine on a football scholarship, and in 2008 started at fullback and led the team in rushing as the Black Bears made the NCAA playoffs. He missed the following season with injuries and returned for the 2010 season, but played just over half the year before injuries sidelined him again. He decided not to return in 2011. Turcotte earned his degree in kinesiology, is married and has a daughter.

WHAT IT MEANT TO WIN: “It was a great honor. I was a team player first and the reason I won it was because of the team. I was the guy who got the carries and got my name in the newspaper probably more than I should have.”

 


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