MALE:

TATE GALE, Senior-Football

* SMAA second-team, offensive line

An integral member of a team that restored the Bulldogs to the upper echelon of Western Class A, Gale’s resume goes far beyond the gridiron.

Gale grew up in Portland and started playing football at the age of 8. He became a Bulldog as a sophomore and has done a little of everything on the field, playing fullback, guard and linebacker.

This season, under a new coach, Gale and his teammates won six games, including one in the postseason for the first time since 2005. While Gale wasn’t at a skill position which garnered the headlines, his ability to control the opposition on both sides of the ball turned heads.

“I was happy with the season,” Gale said. “It was great to have a turnaround. Sometimes it takes a few years with a new coach, but the seniors bought in.”

Gale feels he isn’t the biggest or fastest athlete, so he relied on other attributes to succeed.

“I spent a lot of time in the weight room,” Gale said. “I love the mental aspect of the game and being physically tough.”

Gale also throws the shot put in indoor and outdoor track. Then there’s his non-athletic interests, which include student government, Key Club (he’s the co-President) and Jazz band, where he plays the piano. Gale has applied early decision to an Ivy League school, the University of Pennsylvania. He’s also considering Michigan and the University of Chicago. Gale is entertaining studying economics or international relations.

Clearly, his future is bright and we haven’t heard the last of him. Tate Gale, Portland’s Fall Male Athlete of the Year, has been the ideal student-athlete and had a senior season to hail.

Coach Jim Hartman’s comment: “Tate’s smarter than most of us, number one. He’s very mature. He’s very strong. He’s in the weight room every day. He’s a leader. I’m really glad we had him.”

Prior winners:

2011: Tim Rovnak (Soccer)

2010: Fazal Nabi (Soccer)

2009: Fazal Nabi (Soccer)

2008: Fazal Nabi (Soccer)

2007: Matt Methot (Cross country)

2006: Chris Treister (Football)

2005: Josh Wang (Cross country)

2004: Ayalew Taye (Cross country)

FEMALE:

LEANNE REICHERT, Senior-Field hockey

• SMAA All-Star, first team

• SMAA All-Academic team

• Captain

While the Portland field hockey team wasn’t able to repeat its amazing success of a year ago, the Bulldogs battled throughout and were led by a tenacious talent and top school citizen in Reichert, one who wowed the opposing coaches in the league.

Reichert grew up in Portland and started playing field hockey in middle school. She came to the varsity team as a sophomore and as a junior, contributed to a squad which made it to the regional final for the first time.

This fall, Reichert, a wing, and her teammates, won three games and missed the playoffs, but battled every time out and got better as the season improved. Reichert’s skill set was evident all over the field and while she wasn’t a top scorer, she was a clear choice for a conference all-star.

“I’m very competitive and am always trying to improve,” Reichert said.

Reichert is used to being in the middle of the action in other sports as well. She plays goalie on the hockey team in the winter and has been the catcher in softball, although she plans to move to shortstop this spring.

Reichert is very active outside of athletics as well. She’s the secretary of the Key Club, is a member of the Executive Board, the co-President of Students Against Destructive Decisions and is a peer mediation leader. She hopes to play field hockey and softball in college and is looking at the University of Southern Maine, among other schools.

Her legacy will be one of athletic excellence, hard work and leadership. Leanne Reichert, Portland’s Fall Female Athlete of the Year, has a very bright future.

Coach Beth Arsenault’s comment: “There is much good to say about Leanne, but for us as a program, I think her personality, character, and leadership transcended her talent and that is saying a lot as she is an incredibly gifted athlete. One of Leanne’s greatest traits is her work ethic. She truly transformed herself from an athlete who played field hockey to a field hockey player and for those who know the sport, there is a distinction. She could’ve just rested on her laurels and showed up each August and used her considerable talents and still would’ve been one of the better players. Instead, she worked incredibly hard in the offseason to reach a level of fitness and skill that allowed her to become a league all-star. One of my favorite observations of Leanne is that she took her role as captain very seriously without taking herself too seriously and that was perhaps her greatest gift to us. She has a very engaging personality and has managed to find the balance between playing with a relentless intensity on the field and a being a fun-loving and uninhibited leader off the field. I will obviously miss Leanne’s presence on the field, but that will pale in comparison to how much I will miss her on the sidelines and on the practice field.”

Prior winners:

2011: Raechel Allen (Field hockey)

2010r: Effie Drew (Field hockey)

2009: Sophia Nappi (Soccer)

2008: Casey Monaghan (Soccer)

2007: Nicole Place (Soccer)

2006: Cilla Knox (Soccer)

2005: Molly Radis (Soccer)

2004: Brianna Shepard (Field hockey)

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Gale

Reichert