Portland Bulldogs Spring Sports Preview

BASEBALL

Reegan Buck was a difference maker as a freshman. Now, as a sophomore, Buck will look to lead Portland’s baseball team deep into the playoffs. File photos

Coach: Mike Rutherford (19th year, 258-100 overall record, one state championship)

2021 record: 6-12 (Lost, 1-0, in 10-innings, to Cheverus in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Ryan Becker (Senior), Grant Crosby (Senior), Aidan DiMillo (Senior), Jimmy Gignac (Senior), Nathan Isajar (Senior), Colby Winship (Senior), Henry Bibeau (Junior), Andrew Brewer (Junior), Liam Fay-LeBlanc (Junior), Reegan Buck (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 22 @ Marshwood, April 28 FALMOUTH, May 3 SOUTH PORTLAND, May 10 SCARBOROUGH, May 26 @ Gorham, May 28 THORNTON ACADEMY, May 31 CHEVERUS

Coach’s comment: “We have a bunch of guys back. All of our field players got quality time last year. We don’t have dominating pitching, but we can run and we can score. Beating Scarborough last year (in the playoffs) gave us a boost of confidence. We just need to play good defense and get solid pitching. Our league is very pitching-heavy. We’re not in the South Portland, Scarborough, TA or Falmouth tier, but I think we’re next. We’ll contend. Portland kids don’t have any trouble believing in themselves. I wouldn’t want to face us in the playoffs.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland epitomized saving its best for last a year ago, needing to beat Deering in a play-in game, then shocking second-ranked Scarborough in the preliminary round before taking Cheverus to 10-innings in a thrilling quarterfinal before finally being eliminated. While the loss of ace pitcher Danny Tocci and all-star hitter Bennett Berg hurts, the Bulldogs have enough returning pieces to believe they’ll again make noise well into June.

This year’s top pitcher will be Winship, who also plays first base. DiMillo, Fay-LeBlanc and junior Sam Payne will also see a lot of innings. Becker and Gignac will share time behind the plate. The infield is seasoned with Crosby at first base, Isajar at second, Bibeau (.388 average, 14 runs batted in last spring) at short and senior Mason Rang, a transfer from Pennsylvania, at third. Buck and Brewer have speed in the outfield. They’re joined by DiMillo, when he’s not pitching, and senior Carter Page. Senior Andrew Legere is the designated hitter.

Portland will be able to contend all season with its pitching and defense and should return to a winning record. The great unknown is how effectively the Bulldogs can hit some of the top pitchers in the league. If Portland can score runs consistently, it will be able to beat anyone. This time, the playoff run could last even longer.

SOFTBALL

Junior Sadie Armstrong looks to pitch and hit Portland’s softball team to victory this spring.

Coach: Jason McLeod (first year)

2021 record: 8-10 (Lost, 12-0, in five-innings, to Thornton Academy in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Hallie Chase (Senior), Vanessa Connolly (Senior), Jordan King (Senior), Sadie Armstrong (Junior), Hannah Hawkes (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 27 GORHAM, May 16 @ South Portland, May 19 SCARBOROUGH, May 23 THORNTON ACADEMY, May 25 @ Biddeford, May 27 WINDHAM, May 31 @ Cheverus

Coach’s comment: “We’re looking good. We’ve done well in our scrimmages. It’s a great group that’s working hard. On paper, we’re a middle-of-the-road team, but if we keep getting better, we’ll compete. We’ll be in the mix if we make routine plays and hit top pitching. We just hope to get better every day.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland won a playoff game a year ago and has even higher aspirations this season. The Bulldogs are coached by Jason McLeod, the school’s football coach, who assisted Robbie Ferrante last spring (Ferrante is working his way back to health and is hoping to spend some time on the sidelines later this spring). With some talented athletes on the roster, optimism reigns.

Portland returns Armstrong on the hill. She’ll also see time at first base and can crush the ball, leading the team in hitting last season en route to honorable mention all-star recognition. Hawks, another honorable mention all-star last spring, will pitch, play middle infield and will be the leadoff hitter. Sophomore Ainsley McCrum will also get a chance to see some time on the hill, or play first base. She’s projected to wield a big bat as well. Senior Gabby Daniels steps in behind the plate and could be a top hitter. Senior captains Chase (outfield), Connolly (outfield) and King (third base) are other key contributors.

This is a team on the cusp of moving up the standings. If the Bulldogs can gain some early confidence, they’ll be awfully tough to beat late in the season. Don’t be surprised if Portland winds up being one of the league’s surprise success stories.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Coach: Mike DiFusco (ninth year, 53-51 overall record)

2021 record: 8-5 (Lost, 8-3, to Windham in Class A North quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Carlos Braceras (Senior), Herbie Bryant (Senior), Ben Littel (Junior), Harry Rubin (Junior)

Pivotal games: April 20 @ Deering, April 22 CHEVERUS, April 27 @ Thornton Academy, May 4 GORHAM, May 11 FALMOUTH, May 18 @ South Portland, May 21 SCARBOROUGH, May 28 @ Windham

Coach’s comment: “We’ve got a great group of kids with experience and talent coming back, along with a lot of new faces in the program this year. Our goal will be, like always, to challenge them to get better every day in practice and be a confident and competitive team that’s playing their best lacrosse by season’s end.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland is coming off another successful season, even if it came to a sooner-than-hoped-for conclusion. This year’s squad should be right near the top of Class A North again.

The defense should be strong behind Braceras (who will take faceoffs) and Bryant. Sophomore Clyde Spencer will be in goal this season. On offense, Littel and Rubin have experience. Some intriguing additions help the cause. Junior Brady Toher is coming off a strong basketball season. He’ll be a middie, who will take some faceoffs. Freshman middie Louis Thurston hopes to make a name for himself as well.

The Bulldogs should show steady improvement in the weeks to come. Class A North is not for the faint of heart, but Portland will battle night-in, night-out. By June, the Bulldogs will be a tenacious obstacle for anyone hoping to advance in the playoffs.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Coach: Beth Broderick (fifth year, 31-23 overall record)

2021 record: 6-7 (Lost, 9-6, to Lewiston in Class A North quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Taysia Blazejewski (Senior), Chelsea Dana (Senior), Addy Farmer (Senior), Bobbie Sue Villani (Senior), Ruby Wolff (Senior), Lauren Gerber (Junior), Lilah Green (Junior), Emily Seavey (Junior), Eliza Stein (Junior), Gabby Harrigan (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 21 @ Windham, April 26 MASSABESIC, May 7 @ Waynflete, May 13 DEERING, May 18 @ Cheverus, May 20 @ Scarborough, May 27 KENNEBUNK, June 2 @ Falmouth

Coach’s comment: “This is the largest group we’ve ever had. I hope we’re coming back hungry. We still feel like a young team because of the COVID year. I like our energy. Every game we play is a chance to learn with an open tournament. Our schedule will help us get ready for June. We’ll be prepared to compete.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland believes it can become one of the top contenders in Class A North this spring and the rest of the region better pay attention.

The Bulldogs have a new goalie this season in junior Caitlin Huynh, who backed up all-star Samira Doiron last season. She’ll be aided by a veteran defensive unit which includes Blazejewski, Farmer, Villani and Wolff. Seavey takes the draws and is a midfielder, along with Dana, who was an honorable mention all-star last season. Junior Elizabeth Littel would have played a huge role this season, but she’s sidelined for the year with a knee injury. Portland will instead rely on Gerber, Green, Harrigan and Stein to pace the attack.

The Bulldogs have a very difficult schedule, but they’ll use it an opportunity to grow and learn. By June, Portland will have the pieces in place to be a very dangerous playoff foe and could make a run.

OUTDOOR TRACK

Boys’ Coach: Mony Hang (second year)
Girls’ Coach: Frank Myatt (first year)

2021 results:

Boys: no score @ Class A state meet
Girls: Tie-23rd @ Class A state meet

Top returning athletes:

(Boys) Sam Esposito (Senior), Grant Haron (Senior), George Theall (Senior), Benjamin DiYenno (Junior), Miles Fischer (Junior), Nicholas Paterniti (Junior), Lynch Thompson (Junior), Nathan Blades (Sophomore), Myles Hang (Sophomore), Jason Hargesheimer (Sophomore), Benjamin Prestes (Sophomore)

(Girls) Ana Napijalo (Senior), Tenley Flint (Junior), Iman Alaari (Sophomore), Inas Alaari (Sophomore), Ruby Jenkins-Henry (Sophomore)

Coach Hang’s comment: “We have over 50 runners this season. This is the biggest roster we’ve had since the 1980s. There are a lot of new and young runners with the potential to make an immediate impact this season. We are loaded with distance, sprinters and field events. We have a very bright future and winning a state title within the next couple of years is very realistic.”

Coach Myatt’s comment: “Our numbers are better than they have been. We have some good, young talent and enough depth to be competitive. We hope to create a big-time program going forward. We want to be the best team in the city.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: The Portland track program is on the rise, both in numbers and talent, and the future is very bright.

The boys’ squad has some top-notch distance runners in Theall, DiYenno, Fischer, Paterniti, Thompson and Hargesheimer. In the sprints, Haron returns and is joined by newcomers Kennedy Charles and Morris Tifiano, who have made their presence felt in other sports this school year. Hang will help the team in the 110 hurdles. Blades and Prestes are coming off a personal bests during the indoor season that will make their presence felt as well in the distance and middle-distance events. On the field side, Hang and Esposito will compete in the throws. Top jumpers include Hargesheimer, Kennedy, Thompson and Tifiano.

The girls are on the rise as well under Myatt, who coached previously at Deering and moved over to Portland to coach cross country and girls’ indoor and outdoor track. This year’s team will be strong in the jumps behind its lone senior, Napijalo, as well as junior Jada Stevenson, who comes back to Portland, where she spent her freshman season, from Deering. Iman Alaari, Jenkins-Henry and freshmen Anneleise Collin, Ciera Lacwec and Baleria Yugu are other jumpers to watch. Inas Alaari could be a top thrower. On the track, the sprint contingent features Iman Alaari, Collin, Jenkins-Henry, Lacwec and Yugu. Collin will look to score in the hurdles. There’s some promise in the distance events with Flint, junior Greta Holmes and freshmen Ava Chadbourne and Samantha Moore.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Coach: Caleb Richard (first year)

2021 record: 12-2 (Lost, 3-0, to Thornton Academy in Class A South semifinals)

Top returning players: Dominic Walls (Senior), Kosta Nedelijkovic (Junior), Aidan Perez (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “I know I have strong players and I am excited to see what they can accomplish. These boys are competitive and will not give up until the end.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland has reached the semifinals or better in five of the past six seasons and the Bulldogs hope to remain a top contender in 2022 under new coach Richard, who played for Thornton Academy and is an instructor at Apex Racket and Fitness in Portland.

Portland features Walls as the top returner. He was a second-team league all-star in 2021. Nedelijkovic and Perez will make up the first doubles team. Freshmen William Guerin and Lucas Perez could step right in and make an immediate impact.

The Bulldogs are accustomed to being among the top teams in Class A South. This year’s team has some holes to fill, but should show steady improvement in the weeks to come.

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Coach: Maria Smart (first year)

2021 record: 6-8 (Lost, 4-1, to Falmouth in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning player: Jenna Lederer (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “My hope for this team is to continue to grow. I have a lot of new players who are really wanting to do more. By the end of the season, I hope to make them love the game as much as I do.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Portland is used to being competitive in Class A South and that trend should continue this spring under its new coach, who is a teaching pro at Apex Racket and Fitness.

Lederer will play first singles. She was an all-star a year ago and will hold her own against the league’s best. After that, the Bulldogs are figuring out who best fits where and once that happens, they will show steady improvement and be a tough out in the playoffs.