Lathrop

Lathrop

Bowe

Bowe

Male:

DEVON LATHROP, Freshman-Alpine skiing

* Class A state champion, giant slalom

* Western Maine Conference all-star

Lathrop burst on to the scene as a freshman this winter, accomplished some exciting things and suggested that even more greatness is in store down the road.

Lathrop started skiing at the age of three and said that he started taking the sport seriously around the age of 10. He certainly had a freshman season to remember, even if he didn’t start as well as he hoped.

“The regular season was a little rough,” Lathrop said. “It was a different vibe from racing with USSA.”

Lathrop hinted that he would be a force to be reckoned with when he came in fourth in the giant slalom at the Western Maine Conference Alpine championships.

He was even better at the Class B state meet, winning the giant slalom in 1 minute, 37.72 seconds and placing fifth in the slalom.

“I didn’t really take states too seriously,” Lathrop said. “I didn’t realize how important that meet was, but I learned it was a big deal.”

Lathrop went on to post the second-best Maine time at the Eastern championships.

“I like to go fast and I like to be on top,” Lathrop said.

Lathrop also plays soccer and lacrosse at Cape Elizabeth, surfs and mountain bikes. He knows he can still get better and is working to gain weight and spend additional time training to be even more formidable as a sophomore.

That’s a scary thought for the rest of the state. If Devon Lathrop, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Male Athlete of the Year, improves from his freshman season, he might just win a pair of state titles next winter.

Coach Jeff Davis’ comment: “Devon is very focused in practice. Watching him, you can tell he takes every run seriously and tries to improve each time. He puts in a lot of time practicing and at the gym on his own. He’s very humble and quiet. Overall, he’s a great role model of someone who is very successful, yet continues to strive to get better.”

Previous winners:

2014-15 Ethan Murphy (basketball)

2013-14 Eddie Galvin (basketball)

2012-13 Evan Long (swimming)

2011-12 Nick Breed (hockey)

2010-11 Theo Bowe (basketball)

2009-10 Conor Maloney (basketball)

2008-09 Alex Bowe (basketball)

2007-08 Tommy Ray (basketball)

2006-07 Graham Egan (Nordic skiing)

2005-06 Kevin Harrison (track)

2004-05 Dan Rautenberg (hockey)

2003-04 Ben Weimont (track)

2002-03 Luke Holden (hockey)

2001-02 Tom Alberi (swimming)

Female:

MADDIE BOWE, Senior-Basketball

* Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star

* All-State, All-Academic team

* WMC Bob Butler Award finalist

* WMC All-Conference, Class A first-team

* WMC All-Academic team

* WMC Senior All-Star

* Team MVP

* Captain

Bowe did everything for the Capers this season, leading them back to the playoffs and capping her career in breathtaking style.

Bowe and her siblings have long been known for leading Cape Elizabeth’s basketball teams to excellence. Maddie started playing at a young age and until high school, it was her top sport. In high school, Bowe fell in love with volleyball and played a major role in the Capers’ run to a state title her junior year. She was also named Cape Elizabeth’s Fall Female Athlete of the Year after a superb senior season.

On the basketball court, however, Bowe saved her best for last in an all-star-caliber senior season. The Capers reached the regional final in 2015, but graduation and injuries caused a lot of uncertainty and inconsistency this winter. Enter Bowe, who did it all.

Bowe led her team in almost every statistical category, scoring 278 points (nearly 16 per game), grabbing 159 rebounds (nearly 9 per game), making 21 3-pointers and also collecting 42 steals, 38 assists and 21 blocked shots. She finished fourth in the league in scoring and third in rebounding.

Highlights included 13 points against Greely, 21 versus Morse, 17 against Fryeburg Academy, 25 in a win over Biddeford and 13 in a loss to Westbrook.

And that was just before the new year.

The 2016 portion of the schedule was just as productive, as Bowe scored 20 points in a win at Poland, 31 in a loss to eventual undefeated Class A champion York, 22 in a pivotal win over Yarmouth and 17 in a victory at Biddeford.

Cape Elizabeth suffered a tough preliminary round loss to Westbrook, but Bowe bowed out with a team-high 13 points and will graduate with the ninth-highest points total in program history (617). She’s also fourth all-time in made 3-pointers (55). 

“It was a big change from last year, but the accumulation of playing all those years came together,” Bowe said. “It was special for the seniors. It’s a long, hard season. You only get those who really care about (basketball). We had a great team. There’s just something special about basketball for me.”

Bowe also plays tennis in the spring and that will likely spell the end of her athletic career, as she doesn’t plan to play a sport in college.

Her impact in high school won’t ever be forgotten. Maddie Bowe, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Female Athlete of the Year, put her team on her back this season and her heroic effort didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Coach Chris Casterella’s comment: “Maddie played a huge role for us all season. She had to play out of position at point guard and she played 32 minutes per game. She was often guarded by our opponent’s best defender and she was our best shooter, playmaker, scorer, rebounder and one of our best defenders. She did it all. Her heart is huge and it showed all season long. Despite her success on the floor, she’s one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached. She was first to pick up a fallen teammate and constantly talked to the younger girls, trying to help them navigate the varsity level. She’s one of the hardest workers on our team. She has incredible self-discipline and a huge desire to succeed. She’s extremely competitive and that made her so fun to coach. She’s a coach’s dream. She’s a very special player and person and it’s been an honor to coach her. She has been a constant the past four years, so it’ll be very weird and sad to not have her in the gym next season.”

Previous winners:

2014-15 Hannah Sawyer (basketball)

2013-14 Sydney Wight (swimming)

2012-13 Marlo Dell’Aquila (basketball)

2011-12 Hannah Homans (swimming)

2010-11 Emily Donovan (basketball)

2009-10 Emily Attwood (Nordic skiing)

2008-09 Marita Stressenger (track)

2007-08 Nora Daly (swimming)

2006-07 Nora Daly (swimming)

2005-06 Kinsey Tarbell (swimming)

2004-05 Kate Barton (Nordic skiing)

2003-04 Taylor McFarlane (swimming)

2002-03 Taylor McFarlane (swimming)

2001-02 Whitney Rockwell (swimming)

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

Copy the Story Link