Boys’ team:

Kyle Goodrich, Freeport baseball

Goodrich inherited the helm of his alma mater and led it through a challenging region all the way to the state final.

Freeport’s baseball team proved to be the best team in Class B South and for helping the Falcons make it to the big stage, Kyle Goodrich gets The Forecaster’s nod as our Northern edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a boys’ team.

Goodrich played baseball at Freeport and graduated in 2004. He spent six seasons as the junior varsity coach and this spring, replaced Bill Ridge, who had led the Falcons into contention and to the 2016 state game, as the head man.

Freeport had its share of top foes in Class B South, but managed to go 13-3, a program-best, finishing on a five-game win streak. As the No. 3 seed in the tournament, the Falcons handled defending regional champion Wells in the quarterfinals, upset Greely in the semifinals, then defeated York in the regional final to make it to the state final for just the second time.

There, Freeport couldn’t solve Ellsworth, losing, 2-0.

“The boys took us on a fantastic ride this year,” said Goodrich, who also teaches at Freeport Middle School. “They sacrificed all their personal goals for the overall goal of the team. They made memories that will last a lifetime and built relationships that they will have forever. The success and experience gain this year will bring the baseball culture to a new level, which hopefully results in us making another deep playoff run.”

Kyle Goodrich our Northern edition boys’ team Spring Coach of the Year, is a Falcon through and through and he has his team poised to keep the good times rolling.

Previous winners:

2018 Jay Harper (Freeport tennis)

2017 Marc Halsted (Yarmouth baseball)

2016 Bill Ridge (Freeport baseball)

2015 Derek Soule (Greely baseball)

2014 Geoff Arris (Freeport lacrosse)

2013 David Pearl (Yarmouth lacrosse)

2012 Kevin Winship (Falmouth baseball)

2011 Bob McCully (Falmouth tennis)

2010 Marc Halsted (Yarmouth baseball)

2009 Mike LeBel (Falmouth lacrosse)

2008 Casey Abbott (Greely lacrosse)

2007 Derek Soule (Greely baseball)

2006 Chris Carpentier (Freeport lacrosse)

2005 Chris Mazzurco (NYA track)

2004 Craig Curry (Yarmouth lacrosse)

2003 Bruce Poliquin (NYA baseball)

2002 Hank Ogilby (Freeport baseball)

Girls’ team:

Dorothy Holt, Yarmouth lacrosse

Yarmouth’s perennially strong girls’ lacrosse team was at a crossroads at the start of the 2019 season, as several key players had graduated and the Clippers weren’t sure how they’d fill the holes.

But when mid-June rolled around, Yarmouth found itself in the Class B state final for the seventh consecutive season.

This is a program that doesn’t rebuild, but reloads and coaching continuity is a huge component in the Clippers’ success.

Dorothy Holt has been on the job for 14 years and this season was one of her finest, as she built a title contender, one which fell just seconds shy of a title and in light of Holt’s efforts, The Forecaster is naming her our Northern edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.

Holt also was honored in 2006.

Holt replaced Julia Littlefield as just the second coach in Yarmouth history way back in 2005 and by the next year, had the Clippers atop Class B, where they would reign again in 2007. Yarmouth won another title in 2011, then repeated in 2014 and 2015. After losing in the state game in 2016, 2017 and 2018, it appeared that 2019 might see the Clippers fall short of the big stage, but it wasn’t to be.

Holt quickly figured out which veterans to play where and which newcomers could provide the biggest spark and if it weren’t for a one-goal loss to defending Class A South champion Massabesic, Yarmouth would have gone undefeated in the regular season. In the process, Holt coached against (and beat) both of her daughters: Maggie at NYA and Ellie at Greely.

The Clippers then handled Mt. Ararat and Biddeford to get back to the state final, but for the second year in a row, Yarmouth couldn’t close out Cape Elizabeth and dropped a painful triple-overtime decision, 12-11.

“The girls gave their all and left it on the field,” Holt said, following the state game. “That’s what a coach wants and I’m proud of them. I feel blessed. It’s hard work to get back here and this team worked hard. The younger kids got experience and were led by awesome senior leadership.”

Senior Abi Thornton, one of the Clippers’ top players this season, said that Holt does a great job getting her charges to improve over the course of the year.

“Coach pushes us really hard, but it always makes us better,” Thornton said.

Holt now has 174 victories and has led the Clippers to at least the regional final in all 14 of her seasons.

Dorothy Holt, our Northern edition girls’ team Spring Coach of the Year, isn’t done making the most of every player on her roster and winning games. Lots of games. It’s only a matter of time until another championship comes her way as well.

Previous winners:

2018 Ashley Pullen (Falmouth lacrosse)

2017 Bill Goodspeed (Falmouth tennis)

2016 Rob Hale (Greely softball)

2015 Amy Ashley (Yarmouth softball)

2014 Ben Caswell (Greely tennis)

2013 Sandra Stone (Falmouth tennis)

2012 Karin Kurry (Freeport lacrosse)

2011 Sara Dimick (Greely lacrosse)

2010 Julia Sterling (NYA lacrosse)

2009 Sandra Stone (Falmouth tennis)

2008 Julia Littlefield (NYA lacrosse)

2007 Robin Haley (Falmouth lacrosse)

2006 Dorothy Holt (Yarmouth lacrosse)

2005 Sandra Stone (Falmouth tennis)

2004 Ann Harradon (Yarmouth tennis)

2003 Julia Seely (NYA tennis)

2002 Julia Littlefield (Yarmouth lacrosse)

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

 

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