Boys’ team:

Mike D’Andrea, Scarborough baseball

File photo

Scarborough’s baseball team wasn’t on anyone’s short list of title favorites when the 2019 season dawned, but when June rolled around, there the Red Storm were, shocking the world and winning the Class A championship.

In retrospect, it shouldn’t have come as that much of a surprise, considering that the state’s premier coach, Mike D’Andrea, was pushing the buttons.

After leading Deering to multiple titles, D’Andrea won his first (and most improbable) crown at Scarborough and for putting together such a surprise champion, The Forecaster is naming Mike D’Andrea our Southern edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a boys’ team.

D’Andrea was also honored in 2016 with Scarborough, as well as 2004, 2007 and 2008 with Deering baseball and 2004 for leading Deering’s girls’ basketball team to its first championship.

D’Andrea was one of the great Maine athletes of the late 20th century, starring in football, basketball and baseball at Portland High and later in baseball at the University of Maine. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves organization for four years as well.

D’Andrea has had enormous success in the coaching ranks, turning Deering’s girls’ basketball program, which long took a backseat to rival Portland, into a two-time champion under his tutelage, and the Deering baseball team into a seven-time champion. D’Andrea also coached the Deering-populated Nova Seafoods American Legion squad to the 2004 national championship.

D’Andrea took over the Scarborough position in 2016 and led the Red Storm to the semifinals that season. Scarborough made the quarterfinals the following year, but won just six games in 2018.

This spring, however, the Red Storm returned to form in a big way, thanks to superb pitching from Nick Thompson and Jack Clark, as well as timely hitting, but even when the playoffs began, with Scarborough seeded third, there weren’t many believers. The Red Storm eliminated Cheverus in the quarterfinals, Falmouth in the semifinals, then outlasted top-ranked South Portland in an 11-inning thriller in the regional final. Facing heavily favored, undefeated Oxford Hills in the Class A state final, Scarborough let a two-run seventh inning lead slip away, but won the game, 3-2, on Thompson’s home run in the eighth to cap a memorable run.

“It was a resilient group,” D’Andrea said, following the state game. “They found a way to win all year.”

“Coach means so much to our program,” said Thompson. “He tells us so many little things.”

D’Andrea, who also teaches physical education at Deering, is the owner of the Edge Academy, a premier baseball and softball training facility in Portland.

What ultimately defines Mike D’Andrea, our Southern edition boys’ team Spring Coach of the Year, the most is triumph. Expected or unexpected, he gets the most out of his players season after season and this past campaign might have been his piece de resistance.

Previous winners:

2018 Mike Owens (South Portland baseball)

2017 Ben Raymond (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2016 Mike D’Andrea (Scarborough baseball)

2015 Mike Owens (South Portland baseball)

2014 Tom Fiorini (South Portland lacrosse)

2013 Andy Strout (Cape Elizabeth tennis)

2012 Chris Hayward (Cape Elizabeth baseball)

2011 Craig MacDonald (Scarborough tennis)

2010 Ben Raymond (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2009 Jim Cronin (Scarborough baseball)

2008 Joe Hezlep (Scarborough lacrosse)

2007 Craig McDonald (Scarborough tennis)

2006 Tobey Farrington (Scarborough lacrosse)

2005 Dave Weatherbie (Cape Elizabeth track)

2004 Todd Day (Cape Elizabeth baseball)

2003 Ben Raymond (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2002 Andy Strout (Cape Elizabeth tennis)

Girls’ team:

Lincoln MacIsaac, Scarborough tennis

Someone had to eventually end the long title run and match win streak of Falmouth girls’ tennis team and that someone proved to be the Scarborough Red Storm on June 6.

In the Class A South Final, the Red Storm beat the Yachtsmen, 3-2, ending Falmouth’s 187-match win streak and punching their ticket to the state match in the process. While Scarborough eventually fell short against Lewiston, it provided to be an indelible memory.

The Red Storm have been very successful for many years, thanks in large part to the effort of coach Lincoln MacIsaac and after this year’s heroics, The Forecaster is naming Lincoln MacIsaac our Southern edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.

MacIsaac first began coaching Scarborough in 2008 and won 45 matches in four seasons, leading the Red Storm to the 2011 Class A state final, which they lost to Lewiston. After serving as an assistant to Steve Eddy for five years, MacIsaac returned to the head role in 2016 (with Eddy staying on as a volunteer coach) and produced an undefeated team, at least in the regular season (Scarborough lost to Falmouth in the regional final). After semifinal round losses in 2017 (to Thornton Academy) and 2018 (to Falmouth), the Red Storm took the next step this spring.

Scarborough lost, 4-1, to Falmouth in its opener, then won its next 11 matches. After beating Kennebunk and Cheverus in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Red Storm finally solved the Yachtsmen, making waves throughout the local tennis world. While Scarborough fell, 5-0, to Lewiston in the state match, it was an unforgettable season nonetheless.

“My girls worked hard all season and did what they needed to do,” said MacIsaac, who also teaches English at the high school. “We got to play tennis on the last day of the season, which is always goal for us. I am very proud of them.”

Lincoln MacIsaac, our Southern edition girls’ team Spring Coach of the Year, produced a squad that stole headlines and nearly won a state title. Don’t be surprised if those trends continue as long as he’s at the helm.

Previous winners:

2018 Alex Spark (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2017 Tom Griffin (Scarborough softball)

2016 Sarah Boeckel (Cape Elizabeth tennis)

2015 Leslie Dyer (South Portland lacrosse)

2014 Jeff Perkins (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2013 Tom Griffin (Scarborough softball)

2012 Jeff Perkins (Cape Elizabeth lacrosse)

2011 Marcia Wood (Scarborough lacrosse)

2010 Ralph Aceto (South Portland softball)

2009 Ralph Aceto (South Portland softball)

2008 Tom Griffin (Scarborough softball)

2007 Tom Griffin (Scarborough softball)

2006 Joe Henrikson (Cape Elizabeth softball)

2005 Jim Hartman (South Portland softball)

2004 Susan Ray (Cape Elizabeth tennis)

2003 Tom Griffin (Scarborough softball)

2002 Jack DiBiase (South Portland softball)

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

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