Scarborough Red Storm Winter Athletes of the Year

JACK PILLSBURY, Senior – Swimming

• Class A state champion, 200 individual medley
• Class A state champion, 100 breaststroke
• Class A Performer of the Meet
• North Division Southwesterns Swimmer of the Year
• All-state, 200 IM
• All-state, 100 breaststroke
• All-Conference
• All-Academic

Pillsbury

Scarborough’s boys’ swim program went where it’s never before gone, to the top spot in Class A, and Pillsbury led them there in a dominant season capped by sensational showings on the biggest stage.

Pillsbury served notice in a season-opening meet versus South Portland that he intended to be the premier distance swimmer around by taking first place in both the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle. He was also triumphant in the 100 butterfly, 200 free and 100 backstroke during the course of the season.

At Southwesterns, Pillsbury won the IM in 1 minute, 59.02 seconds and the 100 breaststroke (1:00.51) while also helping the Red Storm’s medley relay team to a first-place finish.

Then, at the Class A state meet, where Scarborough ascended to the pinnacle for the first time, Pillsbury won the IM in 2:00.12 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.07. Additionally, Pillsbury was part of a champion 200 freestyle relay team as well as a runner-up medley relay squad. For his brilliance, Pillsbury was named the Performer of the Class A state meet.

Everyone dreams of a senior season which includes individual greatness and team glory. Jack Pillsbury ensured that dream became a reality this winter in Scarborough.

Coach Eric French’s comment: “Jack is a great kid who works really hard day in and day out. He’s a pleasure to have on the team. He takes the younger kids and really helps them learn some of the basics, which helps the coaching staff because the kids can see a visual of what we are talking to them about. He helped us out a lot this season with scoring big points. I can pretty much guarantee that whatever I put him in he will have a really good shot at winning. He’s been a year-round swimmer sense a young kid, so all his hard work that he’s put in he’s finally able to reap the rewards. A quote that I got from an old coach years ago said, ‘No deposit, no return,’ and (Jack) is a prime example of somebody who has put the time and deposited those checks, and then on the biggest stage for high school swimming he was able to make the withdrawals.”

Previous winners:

• 2020-21 Peter O’Brien (hockey)
• 2019-20 Jarett Flaker (track)
• 2018-19 Addison Boisvert (wrestling)
• 2017-18 Jarett Flaker (track)
• 2016-17 Sam Rusak (track)
• 2015-16 Matt Caron (hockey)
• 2014-15 Ben Bragg (hockey)
• 2014-15 Ben Bragg (hockey)
• 2013-14 Jake Gross (hockey)
• 2012-13 Jerry Gravel (swimming)
• 2011-12 Alec James (track)
• 2010-11 Mike Cyr (wrestling)
• 2009-10 Robby Gravel (swimming)
• 2008-09 Brad Nakanishi (track)
• 2007-08 Chris Hughes (basketball)
• 2006-07 Brent Mayo (hockey)
• 2005-06 Doug Endrizzi (swimming)
• 2004-05 Andrew Rogers (swimming)
• 2003-04 Mike Walker (basketball)
• 2002-03 Ryan Colpitts (basketball)
• 2001-02 Sean Flaherty (swimming)

ARIELLA (AJ) SWETT, Senior – Hockey

File photo

• Becky Schaffer Award finalist
• All-State
• Senior all-star
• All-Academic
• Captain

Swett

If there was any lingering doubt that Swett was the state’s premier girls’ hockey goalie, she dispelled them with a flourish this winter, leading Scarborough through a challenging playoff field all the way to the state final, while becoming a finalist for the most prestigious award.

Swett started playing goalie at the age of 10.

“I said I wanted to try (playing goalie and) the first time I tried it, I loved it,” Swett said. “I told my coach, I’m doing this for good.”

She’s been a star in a Red Storm uniform since her sophomore year.

That season, she had a goals-against-average of 0.49 and a save percentage of 96.4. The Red Storm made it to the South Region Final before losing in overtime to Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete. Swett’s junior campaign was derailed by COVID, but she did manage to post three shutouts, stopping 94.5% of the shots she faced while being named Scarborough’s Athlete of the Year.

This winter, Swett had a regular season save percentage of .950 and a 1.20 goals-against average, along with five shutouts.

She was even better in the playoffs, as Scarborough rose from the No. 3 seed to regional champion. In the regional tournament, Swett stopped 68 of 69 shots she faced as the Red Storm beat Biddeford in the quarterfinals, outlasted Cheverus in a triple-overtime epic in the semifinals, then downed No. 1 Cape/SP/Waynflete in the regional final.

Swett would make 24 more saves in a state game loss to Lewiston and was a finalist for the Becky Schaffer Award, which is given to the state’s top girls’ senior player.

Swett also excels in softball and she’s about to embark on her final season as the centerfielder for the Red Storm. She will attend and play softball at Simmons College in Boston next year.

She’ll leave a big void when she departs. AJ Swett was one of a kind in goal and she simply got better the bigger the stakes.

Coach Taylor Fowler’s comment: “AJ has been huge for us. She’s our rock back there. It makes it easier to take a deep breath to know if she’s on her angle and has sight of the puck, she’ll stop it. She keeps us in the games we need to win, and without her, we wouldn’t be winning these games. Some goalies get down when they get scored on, but she bounces back and doesn’t let it bother her. She gave us a chance to win every game.”

Previous winners

• 2020-21 AJ Swett (hockey)
• 2019-20 Morgan Porter (swimming)
• 2018-19 Josie Couture (basketball)
• 2017-18 Hannah Griffin (swimming)
• 2016-17 Sophie Glidden (basketball)
• 2015-16 Sami Shoebottom (hockey)
• 2014-15 Sami Shoebottom (hockey)
• 2013-14 Ashley Briggs (basketball)
• 2012-13 Devan Kane (hockey)
• 2011-12 Emily Tolman (track)
• 2010-11 Emilia Scheemaker (track)
• 2009-10 Laura Flewelling (swimming)
• 2008-09 Reegan Brackett (basketball)
• 2007-08 Nicole Harmon (swimming)
• 2006-07 Kaitlynn Saldanha (track)
• 2005-06 Erica Jesseman (track)
• 2004-05 Jenn Flaherty (swimming)
• 2003-04 Sarah Mills (hockey)
• 2002-03 Jenn Flaherty (swimming)
• 2001-02 Mandi Rapisardi (basketball)