Griffin

Lagerquist

Male:

REECE LAGERQUIST, Senior—Lacrosse

• SMAA all-star, first-team

• Senior All-Star

Lagerquist was a seasoned veteran and leader for a rebuilding squad who, more often than not, completely shut down the opposition’s best player.

Lagerquist started playing lacrosse in the fourth grade and quickly grew to love the sport.

“Lacrosse is just fun,” Lagerquist said. “I love how fast it is and that you can be aggressive. I’m very competitive and I like being a part of a team and getting to excel as part of a group.

“I liked playing both midfield and defense when I was young, but when they told me I could use a six-foot pole and hit people, I was convinced to play defense.”

Lagerquist started playing travel lacrosse in middle school and joined the Scarborough varsity team as a freshman, where he made a quick impact.

“The seniors helped me a lot my freshman year with the mental side of the sport,” Lagerquist said.

As a sophomore, Lagerquist was a first-team league all-star on a state championship team. He made the all-star team again as a junior as the Red Storm lost in overtime in the state final to Brunswick.

Lagerquist had a memorable senior year, playing a key role in Scarborough’s first Class A football state title and serving as a starter on a boys’ basketball team which got to the state game for the first time.

After graduation and a coaching change, Scarborough lacrosse had a different look this spring and while the Red Storm missed the playoffs with a 3-9 record, Lagerquist remained one of the state’s elite defenders, however, causing 15 turnovers, scooping up 40 ground balls and incurring only eight penalty minutes. Lagerquist also scored two goals and had an assist.

Lagerquist plans to attend Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts for a post-graduate year, then will play lacrosse at Dartmouth College.

Reece Lagerquist, Scarborough’s Spring Male Athlete of the Year, wasn’t just physically imposing. He was a cerebral player who saved his best for the biggest games and his place in the lore of one of the state’s most storied programs is secure.

Coach Zach Barrett’s comment: “Reece was our shutdown defender when the other team had a stud. He played the wing on faceoffs and even played some offense for us on both man-up and even strength. Because he was so athletic and talented, other teams paid so much attention to him on offense that it created opportunities for other guys to score.”

Previous winners:

2017 Sam Neugebauer (lacrosse)

2016 Sam Rusak (track)

2015 Nate Howard (lacrosse)

2014 Ben Greenberg (baseball)

2013 John Wheeler (lacrosse)

2012 Ben Wessel (baseball)

2011 Ben Wessel (baseball)

2010 Nick Neugebauer (lacrosse)

2009 Chris Bernard (baseball)

2008 Ryan Hunt (lacrosse)

2007 Phil Lambert (lacrosse)

2006 Bryan Macphie (lacrosse)

2005 David Hamilton (lacrosse)

2004 David Hamilton (lacrosse)

2003 Adam Mumm (track)

2002 Keith Corey (track)

Female:

CHLOE GRIFFIN, Senior-Softball

• Miss Maine Softball 

• SMAA all-star, first-team

• SMAA All-Academic

• Senior All-Star

Griffin was brilliant with the ball in her hand on the mound, or with a bat in her hand on offense, especially in key moments, as she helped the Red Storm make history this spring.

Griffin was destined to play softball for Scarborough as her uncle, Tom Griffin, is the program’s longtime coach/dynasty builder.

“Softball has always been my top sport,” Chloe Griffin said. “It kind of runs in the family. The girls on the team make it so much fun. Spring is our favorite time of year.”

Griffin began pitching at the age of eight and she made the Red Storm varsity as a freshman. She was a second-team league all-star her first year, made a strong impact with her bat and in the outfield as a sophomore and as a junior, was a first-team all-star, helping Scarborough win the Class A state title.

This spring, all eyes were on her as she replaced Lilly Volk as the team’s ace and she welcomed the challenge.

“I wanted it,” Griffin said. “I wasn’t afraid. Wearing a Scarborough uniform always adds pressure. I just go into a zone when I’m pitching.”

Griffin was absolutely brilliant on the hill, going 14-0 with a 0.91 earned run average, fanning 108 batters. She also had a .974 fielding percentage.

Those numbers were enough to earn Griffin her many awards, but she was just as excellent at the plate, hitting .446 with nine doubles, four home runs, 25 runs scored and 28 RBI.

Highlights included a four-inning no-hitter and home run in a season-opening win over Deering, three hits, including a homer, in a victory over Maine Girls’ Academy/Falmouth, a three-hit shutout, with nine strikeouts, in a win over Massabesic, two doubles in a victory over Sanford, a two-hitter with 14 Ks and a home run in a win over Portland, 10 strikeouts and a two-run home run in a victory over South Portland, an RBI single and stolen base in a three-hit win over Thornton Academy, a two-hit shutout with 12Ks against Windham and two doubles in a victory over Bonny Eagle. 

And that was just the regular season.

Griffin was equally dazzling in the postseason, where she produced her biggest moments.

Griffin threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts in a quarterfinal round victory over Portland, fanned 11 in a semifinal round win over Massabesic, allowed just one run in nine stressful innings in the regional final against Thornton Academy before singling home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth and in a state game win over Oxford Hills, Griffin threw a six-hit shutout with six strikeouts, doubled home two runs and scored the run that ended the contest, giving Scarborough its first championship in an even-numbered year and its first back-to-back championship.

“We had fun with the pressure this year,” Griffin said. “We made sure we all stayed loose. We wanted the fairy tale ending.”

Following the season, Griffin was named Miss Maine Softball.

Griffin, who also played two years of soccer at Scarborough, plays softball year-round with the Thunder travel team. She a member of student council, National Honor Society, Key Club and Interact and was also the school’s morning announcer. Griffin will next pitch for Southern New Hampshire University, where she plans to study business.

Chloe Griffin, Scarborough’s Spring Female Athlete of the Year, not only had a senior year to remember, her contributions to the Red Storm’s nonpareil program will long be celebrated.

Coach Tom Griffin’s comment: “Words cannot describe how valuable Chloe was to the team this year. She was the heart of the team and had 100 percent support from her teammates. Her focus, enthusiasm and work ethic set an example for every girl in our program. Chloe expected nothing but her best effort every day and that can be contagious. I’m very proud of her accomplishments on the field, but more important, I’m proud of the person she is outside of the game of softball. She’s one special young lady.”

Previous winners:

2017 Lilly Volk (softball)

2016 Maggie Murphy (softball)

2015 Megan Nathanson (tennis)

2014 Alyssa Williamson (softball)

2013 Marisa O’Toole (softball)

2012 Nicole Kirk (track)

2011 Nicole Kirk (track)

2010 Heather Carrier (softball)

2009 Ellie Morin (lacrosse)

2008 Melissa Dellatorre (softball)

2007 Kelsey Griffin (softball)

2006 Lauren Hagerman (lacrosse)

2005 Camille Jania (tennis)

2004 Sarah Marchilli (softball)

2003 Chelsey Ledue (track)

2002 Jen Williams (softball)

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

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Reece Lagerquist

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