Male:

TYLER BUTLER, Senior-Tennis

• SMAA all-star, first-team, singles

Butler was the man in the spotlight for a Deering team which was perfect for most of the 2014 season, as he capped his high school career in fine form.

Butler started playing tennis at a young age, but didn’t become serious about it until his sophomore season. After playing baseball in middle school and not playing a spring sport as a freshman, he returned to the court as a sophomore to join his brother, Jesse, on a team which made it all the way to the Western Class A Final, with Tyler Butler playing doubles.

Butler, who also played golf for Deering, moved into the first singles position as a junior and stayed there as a senior. He held his own against some of the best players in the Southwestern Maine Activities Association during the regular season and made it to the Round of 32 at the state singles tournament.

After going undefeated in the regular season, the Rams were the top seed for the Western A playoffs and behind Butler’s wins at first singles, Deering blanked Cheverus and handled Thornton Academy to reach the regional final. The road ended there, courtesy new-to-the-Class-A-playoffs Falmouth, but the Rams certainly has a superb season.

As did Butler, who only lost to Ogden Timpson of Scarborough, Victor Menezes of Thornton Academy and Falmouth’s Justin Brogan.

“We had our first undefeated season in a long time,” Butler said. “I knew we’d be strong. I knew I’d have tough matches.”

Butler calls himself a fierce competitor, something you’d never guess by talking to him off the court.

“I’m mild-mannered, but intense when I play,” Butler said. “I’ve broken rackets. I can usually control it, but it just shows my desire to win.”

Butler helped his tennis coach, Regina Morton, teach eighth grade history at Lyman Moore Middle School, something which will serve him well as he plans to study history and political science at Wheaton College, where he hopes to play tennis next year.

If he gets an opportunity, look out. This fierce competitor, who always seems to rise to the occasion, will make his presence felt. Tyler Butler, Deering’s Spring Male Athlete of the Year, came late to the Rams, but was nearly unbeatable when it mattered most.

Coach Regina Morton’s comment: “Tyler was the heart and soul of our program. He was a leader whose presence was felt with not many words but by his actions and his behind-the-scenes efforts to make sure every aspect of our program had what it needed at all time. I’m not sure if his teammates realized just how much thought, energy and effort he went into making this our best season in all of my coaching years, not only in terms of record, but also in terms of team camaraderie, improvement and overall enjoyment and fun. Tyler is the type of player who would know what needed to be done before I asked him. He was always three steps ahead of me. He made my job extremely easy. Having Tyler on the team was more like having a player/assistant coach, who could manage to stay professional and well above his age of 17. Our program will not only miss his talent, as he will be receiving our top performance award, but also his work ethic and willingness to go above and beyond in all ways.”

Previous winners:

2013 Jared Bell (track)

2012 Karl Rickett (lacrosse)

2011 Carleton Allen (lacrosse)

2010 Sam Balzano (baseball)

2009 Regan Flaherty (baseball)

2008 Taylor Candage (baseball)

2007 Matt Watson (baseball)

2006 Adam Rothbart (lacrosse)

2005 Neall Oliver (tennis)

2004 Ryan Reid (baseball)

Female:

ALEXIS ELOWITCH, Senior-Track

• SMAA all-star, second-team, javelin

Elowitch is best known as a soccer star, earning Deering Fall Female Athlete of the Year honors in both 2012 and 2013, but she’s shown she’s pretty talented throwing various shaped items in track and field as well.

Elowitch started track in middle school, but as a freshman served as the catcher on the softball team. She came back to track as a sophomore and placed third in the javelin. As a junior, she placed fourth in the javelin and fifth in the shot put. After committing to Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, Elowitch finished her high school career in style.

Elowitch, who also competed in indoor track for four seasons at Deering, consistently threw well during the season and was solid in the postseason, placing second in the javelin (111 feet, 2 inches) and fourth in the shot put (34-00.75) at the Southwesterns meet, then coming in runner-up in the state meet in the javelin (110-11), while also finishing sixth in the shot put (33-11).

“It was a great way to end track,” Elowitch said. “I worked hard in track. I wanted to do well because of my competitive edge. Track has helped me with soccer.”

Elowitch, who was a member of Student Senate and National Honor Society at Deering, will play soccer at Saint Anselm.

Considering track was her second sport, Alexis Elowitch, Deering’s Spring Female Athlete of the Year, certainly made her mark. She won’t only go down as one of the school’s best-ever soccer talents, but proved to be a thrower to remember as well.

Coach Kevin Campbell’s comment: “Alexis is very coachable. She wants to be the best and is willing to learn new things and accept constructive criticism to achieve that goal. She freely shares what she has learned with her teammates. All-around athletes like Alexis don’t show up in a coach’s life too often. It was a pleasure to coach her.”

Previous winners:

2013 Rashad Zagon (track)

2012 Veronica Mitchell (lacrosse/track)

2011 Jen Lynch (softball)

2010 Julie Pallozzi (lacrosse)

2009 Melissa Bell (softball)

2008 Lesley Warn (softball)

2007 Chelsea Johnson (lacrosse)

2006 Kate Bustin (softball)

2005 Lesley Warn (softball)

2004 Gina Axelson (softball)

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