Tighe

Hartel

Male:

ANDREW HARTEL, Senior-Basketball

* WMC Class A/B All-Conference, second-team

* WMC Senior All-Star

* Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star

* Captain

Hartel was the biggest player on the floor and he had the biggest impact in leading the Capers from the depths of a 2-5 start to the brink of a state championship.

Hartel came easily to basketball at a young age, due to his size and members of his family having played the sport, and he soon became an aficionado of the game.

“I love competing and basketball is just different from other sports,” Hartel said. “Competition motivates me. Even if I’m just in my driveway playing with friends. Working hard makes me feel good.”

Hartel, who also played quarterback in football and is a defenseman in lacrosse, was a presence in basketball throughout high school, but he took it to a new level this winter.

Hartel got easy baskets, cleaned the glass and was imposing on defense for a squad which struggled for the first half of the season, before catching fire and making a run to the Class B state final.

Hartel scored 321 points, grabbed 216 rebounds, had 41 assists, 29 steals and 16 blocked shots. He was at his best in the biggest games, scoring 23 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in a quarterfinal round victory over Freeport, finishing with 16 points in a semifinal round win over Maranacook, tallying 15 points, including the go-ahead hoop in the final minute, and grabbing 10 boards in a scintillating one-point win over Wells in the regional final, then capping his career with 18 points, 15 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots before fouling out in a double-overtime loss to Caribou in the state final.

“We left it all on the floor,” Hartel said. “It was great to make it that far and the state game was a great atmosphere. It was fun having a season like that. It was one of the closest teams I’ve been on. The roller-coaster ride brought us together.”

Hartel is also a member of Cape Elizabeth’s TV Club. He hopes to play at the next level and is weighing a post-grad year or going on to college next year. 

Andrew Hartel, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Male Athlete of the Year, saved his best for last and his ability to stand tallest in the biggest games is what set him apart.

Coach Jim Ray’s comment: “Andrew is trouble for just about everybody. We were able to make perimeter shots because with Andrew down low, other teams had to pick their poison. Without Andrew’s presence and contributions this year, we probably wouldn’t have made the tournament. He was a major key to our tournament success.”

Previous winners:

2017-18 Finn Bowe (basketball)

2016-17 Quinn Hewitt (basketball)

2015-16 Devon Lathrop (Alpine skiing)

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:

OLIVIA TIGHE, Senior-Swimming

* Female Swimmer of the Year

* Female Performer of the Class B state meet

* Female Performer of the Southwesterns meet

* Class B state champion, 100 freestyle

* Class B state champion, 200 freestyle

* Class B state champion, 200 free relay

* Class B state champion, 400 free relay

* State record-holder, 100 freestyle

* State record-holder, 200 freestyle

* All-State, 100 freestyle

* All-State, 200 freestyle

* All-State, 200 free relay

* All-State, 400 free relay

* Southwestern Maine All-Conference, 100 free

* Southwestern Maine All-Conference, 200 free

* Southwestern Maine All-Conference, medley relay

* Southwestern Maine All-Conference, 400 free relay

* Captain

Tighe will graduate as one of the finest swimmers in Maine annals after capping her high school career with another series of first-place finishes and record times.

Tighe was also chosen Cape Elizabeth’s Female Athlete of the Year as a sophomore and junior, becoming the first Caper to be honored three times.

Tighe started swimming in the second grade with the Coastal Maine Aquatics club team and has turned heads in the pool ever since.

As a freshman, Tighe debuted by winning the Class B state title in the 200 freestyle and coming in second in the 500 free. As a sophomore, she was named Female Athlete of the Class B state meet after winning the 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and helping the 400 free relay team set a new state record. She won Female Athlete of the Class B state meet again as a junior, setting  a new state record of 50.23 seconds in winning the 100 free and capturing the 500 free as well in 5 minutes, 3.21 seconds, 26 seconds faster than the runner-up swimmer. Tighe then anchored a record-setting 200 free relay team and helped the 400 free relay squad to a first-place finish as well.

This winter was more of the same. At Southwesterns, Tighe won the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and was part of a medley relay champion. Then, as Cape Elizabeth won the Class B state title for the third year in a row, Tighe set a new state record in winning the 200 free (1:50.21), finished first in the 100 free (50.79), anchored a record-setting champion 200 free relay team and was part of a record-setting champion 400 free relay team to boot.

Tighe departs as the state record-holder in the 200 free and 100 free and is part of the state record-holding 200 medley relay team, 200 free relay team and 400 free relay squad.

“I wanted to have a great last season,” said Tighe, who was a captain as a junior and senior. “I had fun representing Cape Elizabeth and my state. We all played a role. Swimming at Cape Elizabeth helped me grow as a leader and a person.”

Tighe will swim next year at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She plans to compete in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle and figures to make an immediate impact.

Olivia Tighe, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Female Athlete of the Year, will go down in program and state lore as one of the finest swimmers we’ve ever seen and that was just the beginning of her story.

Coach Ben Raymond’s comment: “I can’t begin to explain how much Olivia has meant to the team over her four-year career. It has been a very incredible career with tons of records and awards. She helped the team win every meet with the exception of the state meet her freshman year. What goes unnoticed by all those outside of the program is the young lady she is. Olivia is a joy to have on deck. She works with her teammates, she takes an interest in their swimming and helps them to become better swimmers. She is a coach’s dream. The effort she puts in has really helped us be so successful. Having Olivia is like having another coach. She had what must be considered to be one of the best careers in Maine high school swimming history. Her impact will be felt long after she’s gone.”

Previous winners:

2017-18 Olivia Tighe (swimming)

2016-17 Olivia Tighe (swimming)

2015-16 Maddie Bowe (basketball)

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.

Sidebar Elements

---

Hartel

Tighe