FRANK MORANG, Senior – Track
File photos
• New England champion, long jump
• Class A state champion, long jump
• Class A state champion, triple jump
• SMAA all-star, first-team, long jump
• SMAA all-star, first-team, triple jump
• SMAA all-star, third-team, 100
• Captain
Frank Morang
Morang followed up a transcendent indoor season by jumping his way to the front of the pack in Class A this spring, winning a pair of state titles and bowing out in style.
Morang made an immediate impact as a freshman, placing third at the Class A indoor state meet in the long jump, as well as third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump outdoors. As a sophomore, Morang was runner-up in both jumping events indoors, then lost out on his sophomore outdoor season and had an abbreviated, postseason-free junior indoor campaign due to COVID. He returned with a vengeance last spring, winning the Class A long jump and triple jump, then he captured the long jump and was runner-up in the triple jump back in February indoors (when he was named Cheverus’ Winter Athlete of the Year).
This spring, Morang, a two-year captain, continued to dominate and was at his very best in the biggest meets.
Prior to the season, Morang laid out his goals in an interview with the Portland Press Herald.
“I’d like to be more consistent,” Morang said. “It’s important to be consistent and I was last year. I’d like to get back to jumping 23 (feet) in the long jump and in the triple jump, to break 45.”
Morang set personal and school records in the long jump (23 feet, 8 inches) and the 100-meter (10.83 seconds). He already holds the school mark in the triple jump (43-9.75). Morang won the Class A state title in both the long jump (22-10.25) and triple jump (43-3.25) and was runner-up in the 100 (11.16). Then, if that wasn’t impressive enough, he won the long jump at the New England championship meet (23-5.5).
Morang plans to compete in track next year at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Frank Morang, Cheverus’ Spring Athlete of the Year, has etched his name into the legacy of Cheverus track and field excellence. His exploits will be hailed for many years to come.
Coach John Wilkinson’s comment: “Frank led by example, which was a combination of day-to-day practice effort, quiet leadership and big meet performances. He had an outstanding senior season. He was well liked and looked up to by his teammates. He made everyone around him a better athlete. He will be missed next year. I’m looking forward to seeing great things from him over the next four years.”
Previous winners:
• 2021 Sam Clark (baseball)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Jack Mullen (baseball)
• 2018 Griffin Watson (baseball)
• 2017 Jared Brooks (baseball)
• 2016 Frank Curran (lacrosse)
• 2015 Jake Dixon (track)
• 2014 Isaac Yeobah (track)
• 2013 Thomas Lawson (lacrosse)
• 2012 Louie DiStasio (baseball)
• 2011 Nic Lops (baseball)
• 2010 Jack Terwilliger (track)
• 2009 Mick DiStasio (baseball)
• 2008 Topher Pochebit (lacrosse)
• 2007 Todd Keneborus (baseball)
• 2006 Michael Antoniou (lacrosse)
• 2005 Ben Michaud (track)
• 2004 Ben Michaud (track)
RILEY O’MARA, Senior – Lacrosse
• SMAA all-star, first-team
• Captain
Simply put, O’Mara was on the short list of the state’s finest girls’ lacrosse players, and not only did she lead Cheverus to an impressive bounce-back season, she set the stage for even more accomplishment down the road.
O’Mara, an attack, who also took a lot of draws, made the SMAA All-Rookie team as a freshman and then, after missing out on her sophomore campaign due to COVID, was a team captain as a junior and a senior.
Not only that, she scored goals with abandon, 48 in 2021 and 74 this spring. O’Mara also had 35 assists this year alone and won 91 draw controls as a junior and 86 this season.
The Stags won just twice in 2021, but roared back this spring, going 8-4 in the regular season, then winning at Oxford Hills (14-10) in the Class A North quarterfinals before bowing out with a 20-10 loss at Yarmouth in the semifinal round.
Highlights included four goals in a season-opening loss to Marshwood, five goals in a win at Gorham, five goals in an overtime loss to Windham, six goals and an assist in the playoff win at Oxford Hills and three goals, two assists and 13 ground balls in the playoff loss to Yarmouth.
Riley O’Mara
O’Mara plans on playing lacrosse at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, a Division I program, next year.
Riley O’Mara, Cheverus’ Spring Athlete of the Year, did whatever it took to make her team successful and left teammates and foes alike in awe of her skills.
Coach Sarah Varney’s comment: “Riley has made an incredible impact on the lacrosse program at Cheverus. Expectations and level of play have been raised because of her elite level. She’s an extremely humble player that is loved by her teammates because she always wants the best for them. She takes the time to explain lacrosse knowledge on and off the field, setting her teammates up for success, and always fills them with confidence. Riley is unstoppable on the draw controls, she has worked tirelessly on her ability to control the ball with one hand on her stick. This is a skill that sets her apart from her high school peers. With one hand on her stick, she will intercept passes, snatch balls out of the air on the draw and single-handedly snipe balls from a scrum on the ground and hustle down the field. She earned her nickname, ‘Rip it Riley’ because of how she dodges and dances around her opponents and consistently rips her shots in the back of the net. We will miss Riley tremendously next year and are so thankful for her commitment to help define what it means to play lacrosse at Cheverus. We look forward to watching her continued success playing Division 1 lacrosse.”
Previous winners:
• 2021 Victoria Bossong (track)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Zoe Mazur (lacrosse)
• 2018 Victoria Bossong (track)
• 2017 Emma Gallant (track)
• 2016 Emily Turner (track)
• 2015 Abby Biegel (lacrosse)
• 2014 Brittany Bell (softball)
• 2013 Alex Logan (lacrosse)
• 2012 Meredith Willard (lacrosse)
• 2011 Paige Lucas (lacrosse)
• 2010 Theresa Hendrix (softball)
• 2009 Theresa Hendrix (softball)
• 2008 Theresa Hendrix (softball)
• 2007 Dana Proscia (lacrosse)
• 2006 Dana Proscia (lacrosse)
• 2005 Meaghan Morris (track)
• 2004 Kate McLaughlin (track)
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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