RODGERS CROWLEY, Senior – Soccer
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• Class D Player of the Year
* WMC Class C/D all-star
• Class D South regional all-star
* WMC All-Academic
* Senior All-Star
Crowley scored some timely goals and was a matchup nightmare for an NYA team which overcame a slow start to the season and made a spirited run to the Class D state title.
Crowley, who studied abroad in 2021, scored 11 goals this fall and assisted on four others.
Crowley announced he’d arrived in the third game, a 4-1 win at Wells, when he scored all four Panthers’ goals. Crowley also had a goal and an assist in a victory over Sacopee Valley and scored the winning goal in the second overtime to beat Gray-New Gloucester.
Crowley then was the focal point of the opposition during NYA’s title run, which saw the Rangers knock off Richmond, Greenville, Islesboro and finally Madawaska to capture the Gold Ball for the first time since 2018.
The Panthers are champions once more and the steady play of Rodgers Crowley, NYA’s Fall Athlete of the Year, is a big reason why.
Coach Branden Noltkamper’s comment: “After taking a year off to study abroad in Spain, Rodgers came into his senior season looking to end his high school career on a positive note. Rodgers’ success on the field is a reflection of his work ethic in training and the standard he holds himself to. He makes everyone around him better and is someone his teammates look to in tough situations. The program is so incredibly thankful and proud to have a player with so many outstanding qualities on and off the field representing North Yarmouth Academy.”
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Prior winners:
• 2021 Michael Belleau (soccer)
* 2020 Chris Hamblett (cross country)
• 2019 Chris Hamblett (cross country)
• 2018 Xander Kostelnik (soccer)
• 2017 Ryan Baker (soccer)
• 2016 Jeremy Thelven (soccer)
• 2015 Thomas Pitts (soccer)
• 2014 D.J. Nicholas (soccer)
• 2013 Jackson Cohan-Smith (soccer)
• 2012 Matt Malcom (cross country)
• 2011 Cam Regan (cross country)
• 2010 Cam Regan (cross country)
• 2009 Tim Millett (golf)
• 2008 Henry Sterling (soccer)
• 2007 Taylor Gorman (soccer)
• 2006 James Sterling (golf)
• 2005 Sean Lynch (soccer)
• 2004 Nathaniel Bishop (soccer)
• 2003 Luke Welch (soccer)
• 2002 Sam Crocker (cross country)
• 2001 Colin Minte (soccer)
ANGEL HUNTSMAN, Senior – Soccer
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• All-American
* All-New England
* All-State
* Class D South regional all-star
• Class D Player of the Year
* WMC Class C/D all-star
* Senior All-Star
• Team MVP
* Captain
Huntsman has been so dominant during her high school athletic career that you might as well rename this award in her honor.
Huntsman, who also won NYA’s Fall Athlete of the Year award in 2021 and the Winter Athlete of the Year honor in 2021 and 2022, capped her soccer career this autumn with yet another transcendent effort, one which lifted the Panthers to arguably the finest campaign in program annals.
After seeing time as a freshman on a Class D state champion in 2019, then playing an abbreviated schedule due to COVID in 2020, Huntsman found the net on 33 occasions as a junior and also had 10 assists as the Panthers rolled to the Gold Ball.
This fall, Huntsman scored 28 more goals and added nine assists as NYA went 18-0 for the first time and earned arguably the biggest regular season victory in its history along the way.
Highlights including two goals in a win at St. Dom’s, two more in a victory over Traip Academy, a goal and an assist in the Panthers’ first-ever win over Yarmouth (the eventual Class B champion), two goals and an assist in a victory over Sacopee Valley, three goals in a win over Gray-New Gloucester and two goals and an assist in a second victory over St. Dom’s,
And that was just in the regular season. In the playoffs, Huntsman had four goals in a quarterfinal round victory over St. Dom’s, three more in the semifinals against St. Dom’s, one goal in a regional final win over Richmond, then, in a state final domination of Penobscot Valley, Huntsman capped her sensational career with four more goals, all in the first half, as NYA made it four consecutive championships.
“It’s been a dream,” said Huntsman. “I couldn’t imagine a better team, a better coach and I’m grateful how we ended it. It didn’t matter who we played, whether it was Yarmouth, whether it was Penobscot. We’re champions because we play with intensity no matter who we play against.”
Huntsman wound up with 77 goals in her career (she likely would have hit 100 if it weren’t for the COVID-shortened season) and added 38 assists.
Huntsman is also an elite point guard for a very strong NYA girls’ basketball team and she has played both softball and lacrosse (winning a championship last year) in the spring. Next year, Huntsman will play basketball at Bates College in Lewiston.
The Panthers have had their share of great soccer players and teams, but this current run has been something else entirely and it’s safe to say that Angel Huntsman, NYA’s Fall Athlete of the Year, has made much of it happen while being an absolute joy to watch.
Coach Ricky Doyon’s comment: “Angel is a player that every coach wants on their team. What’s unique about Angel is she works to keep her teammates involved in the game. She is so coachable and always gives 100 percent. She hates losing and will dig deep to get a positive result. She doesn’t need to be in the limelight, but the way she plays, she shines and stands out. Angel is a pure athlete. There’s not more I can say when it comes to her athleticism. She excels at any sport she plays. Her passion and competitiveness are second to none. I know basketball is Angel’s number one sport, but she can most certainly play soccer at almost any college she wants. As a soccer coach, I would love to see her play collegiate soccer, but I can’t wait to watch Angel play basketball at Bates College. I expect she will make a name for herself there as well. In fact, Angel will be very successful in life. When she sets a goal, she usually accomplishes it. I’ve been blessed to have coached Angel all four years playing soccer at NYA. We learned from each other, and I love this young lady for who she is and how she portrays herself. She sends contagious positive vibes.”
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Prior winners:
• 2021 Angel Huntsman (soccer)
* 2020 Naomi Reischmann (soccer)
• 2019 Serena Mower (soccer)
• 2018 Serena Mower (soccer)
• 2017 Jordan Ackerman (volleyball)
• 2016 Savannah Shaw (field hockey)
• 2015 Linnea Hull (field hockey)
• 2014 Elizabeth Coughlin (field hockey)
• 2013 Kayla Rose (field hockey)
• 2012 Jen Brown (field hockey)
• 2011 Katherine Millett (field hockey)
• 2010 Katherine Millett (field hockey)
• 2009 Courtney Dumont (soccer)
• 2008 Nicole Fuller (field hockey)
• 2007 Allie Tocci (field hockey)
• 2006 Alex Mack (soccer)
• 2005 Zoe Filliter (cross country)
• 2004 Elizabeth Werley-Prieto (field hockey)
• 2003 Abby Hamilton (field hockey)
• 2002 Rachael Blanchard (cross country)
• 2001 Kelsey Wilcox (soccer)
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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