The 2011 high school sports season still has five days to go before all the state championships are awarded.

But certain individuals have stood out all spring in each of the eight sports. And they’ve been noticed, selected as the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram Most Valuable Players in their respective sports.

They will be honored, along with the MVPs of the fall and winter sports, at the newspaper’s All-Sports Awards Ceremony on Sunday, with two athletes – one male, one female – being named Athlete of the Year.

Here’s a quick look at the eight athletes chosen as the best in their sport this spring.

BASEBALL: Scott Heath, senior, Westbrook. When healthy Heath is arguably the best pitcher in the state. He had a 5-0 record and hadn’t given up a run in 32 innings when he hurt his arm pitching in the regular season finale against Cheverus. He gave up 11 hits, all singles. Heath, who will next play at the University of Maine, was a strong hitter, batting .378 with a team-high 22 RBI.

 

SOFTBALL: Alexis Bogdanovich, senior, South Portland. Whether it was in the pitching circle or at the plate, Bogdanovich was at the heart of the unbeaten Red Riots’ success. South Portland will play in the regional finals on Wednesday. During the regular season, she went 10-0 with a 0.10 ERA and 111 strikeouts, with just four walks in 69 innings pitched. She also batted .577 with two home runs and 23 RBI. She was also a member of the Riots’ varsity soccer team for four years. Bogdanovich will play softball at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., next.

 

BOYS’ LACROSSE: Mitch Tapley, junior, Falmouth. Tapley scored a team-high 34 goals and had a team-high 23 assists in 12 regular-season games to help the Yachtsmen become the top seed in the Western Class B tournament. The Yactsmen will play in the regional finals on Wednesday. This spring, Tapley was honored as an All-American. A three-year starter, he has 62 goals and 51 assists.

 

GIRLS’ LACROSSE: Mia Rapolla, senior, Gorham. Rapolla was the state’s leading scorer as a junior but put together a more complete season this year. She was one of the state’s best girls’ basketball players as well and finished fifth in the Class A cross country championships. Rapolla has accepted a scholarship to continue playing lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts.

She had 88 goals and 13 assists and 35 draws.

 

BOYS’ OUTDOOR TRACK: Jack Terwilliger, senior, Cheverus. Terwilliger was one of the state’s top distance runners the last two years.

This spring he won the 800 (1:59.03), 1,600 (4:17.04) and 3,200 (9:39.06) in the Class A state meet. In the winter, he won the mile and 2-mile races in the Class A state meet.

 

GIRLS’ OUTDOOR TRACK: Carley O’Brien, senior, Traip Academy. O’Brien had a hand in 38 points to help the Traip Academy girls’ track team win its first Class C state championship since 1994. O’Brien won two events – the 100 hurdles and the long jump. She finished second in the triple jump and ran a leg of the Rangers’ state championship 400 relay.

O’Brien also won Class B indoor championships in the 55 hurdles.

 

BOYS’ TENNIS: Patrick Ordway, sophomore, Waynflete School. After losing the state singles’ championship as a freshman, Ordway came back to win it as a sophomore, beating two of his top rivals in the semifinals and finals.

After losing the first set in the final, he rallied to win the second set, then broke a 3-3 tie in the third set by winning three consecutive games.

 

GIRLS’ TENNIS: Maria Varano, junior, Kennebunk. Playing high school tennis for the first time, Varano completed a fulfilling season by winning the state singles championship.

Ranked ninth in USTA New England, she didn’t lose a set all year.

 

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at: mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: mikelowepph