Freeport Falcons Winter Sports Preview

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Junior JT Pound is a top returner for Freeport’s boys’ basketball team this winter. File photos.

Coach: Tyler Tracy (second year)

2021-22 record: 9-9 (Lost, 55-54, to Biddeford in Class A South preliminary round)

Top returning players: Connor Slocum (Senior), JT Pound (Junior)

Pivotal games: Dec. 9 GRAY-NG, Dec. 19 BRUNSWICK, Jan. 3 GREELY, Jan. 14 @ Yarmouth, Jan. 16 CAPE ELIZABETH, Jan. 20 @ York, Jan. 24 YARMOUTH, Jan. 26 @ Cape Elizabeth, Jan. 28 SPRUCE MOUNTAIN, Jan. 31 @ Gray-NG, Feb. 6 @ Greely

Coach’s comment: “We graduated a lot. We’re very young, but it’s a good group. They’re working hard and they want to win. If we can control the pace of games and make teams grind it out on defense and make our shots, I think we’ll be fine. We’ll be physical and scrappy. We just need to get the ball in the hole. We have a tough schedule, but I think we’ll surprise some teams. We hope to get into the playoffs. We could be the most improved team between now and the end of the year.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: The Falcons had a tough playoff loss last season, then had to say goodbye to multiple multi-year contributors. This year’s squad will face a difficult learning curve, but Freeport will be a very different team by February and could be dangerous.

Pound and Slocum are top returners. Pound (6 points and 8 boards per game last season) is a top rebounder and will play forward. Slocum (5.0 ppg) can shoot and will be a guard. Sophomore Conner Smith, who was injured a year ago, will run the point and look to score as well. Junior Max Maneikis will also see time at point guard and senior Logan Schulz also hopes to contribute in the backcourt. Senior Aidan Heath, who just quarterbacked the football team to a strong season, and junior Max Maneikis are forwards to watch.

The Falcons will need some time to get up to speed, but they have players ready to step in and make major contributions. Look for Tracy and his staff (which includes former Yarmouth assistant Barry Conant) to turn this squad into a team no one will want to face with the season hanging in the balance.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Senior Angel Pillsbury is a veteran leader for Freeport’s young girls’ basketball team this winter.

Coach: Seth Farrington (fifth year, 41-28 overall record)

2021-22 record: 6-12 (Lost, 40-34, to Biddeford in Class A South preliminary round)

Top returning players: Angel Pillsbury (Senior), Mia Levesque (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Dec. 9 @ Gray-NG, Dec. 19 @ Brunswick, Jan. 3 @ Greely, Jan. 10 MT. ARARAT, Jan. 14 YARMOUTH, Jan. 20 YORK, Jan. 24 @ Yarmouth, Jan. 28 @ Spruce Mountain, Jan. 31 GRAY-NG, Feb. 6 GREELY

Coach’s comment: “We’re a young team, but we show flashes of being really competitive. We have three freshmen and four sophomores who will see a lot of varsity minutes. We just need to find consistency on both ends of the floor. We have to focus on fundamentals and get better every day. We want to play our best basketball in February and if we do that, we could be a tough out.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport’s girls’ basketball team hopes to follow in the footsteps of the field hockey team, which utilized its promising youth (several of the same kids, in fact) to make a stunning run all the way to the state final. These Falcons’ goals are more modest, they’d love a winning season and a playoff berth, but the upside is high. There will be some growing pains, however.

Guards Levesque and Pillsbury have experience. Pillsbury will also be a scorer and a top defender. Levesque will play the point. Sophomore forwards Maddie Cormier and Izzy Orlando and sophomore guard Sydney Gelhar also saw time last season. Two freshmen could step right in and make an immediate impact. Emily Groves is a star of the future and her future might be now. She’ll be a tough matchup in the post. Lilliana Larochelle will add depth at the guard position.

How quickly Freeport can come of age will determine just how far it goes. The Falcons believe they can hold their own against a tough schedule and compete in Class A South. After falling just short of the Expo last season, this group might just turn some heads by season’s end.

BOYS’ HOCKEY (co-op with South Portland and Waynflete)

Coach: Joe Robinson (16th year, 134-134-12 overall record)

2021-22 record: 13-7-1 (Lost, 5-4, in 2-OTs, to Scarborough in Class A state semifinals)

Top returning players: Jasper Curtis (Senior), Richie Gilboy (Senior), Roan Hopkins (Senior), Joey Soucy (Senior), Ben Stanley (Senior), Hewitt Sykes (Senior), Ian Wright (Senior), Tobey Lappin (Junior)

Pivotal games: Dec. 13 @ Falmouth, Dec. 15 LEWISTON, Dec. 21 @ Thornton Academy, Jan. 5 FALMOUTH, Jan. 19 SCARBOROUGH, Jan. 25 @ Lewiston, Jan. 28 THORNTON ACADEMY, Feb. 2 EDWARD LITTLE, Feb. 21 @ Scarborough

Coach’s comment: “We are a really talented squad with the potential to spread out the scoring throughout the lines. We are very strong defensively with two solid offensive lines. We’ll look to take it game-by-game and look forward to being in the tournament.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: The South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete co-op team came agonizingly close to its first trip to the state final before losing in double-overtime in the semifinals. The squad then graduated Travis Roy Award winner Cullen Adams, but SP/Freeport/Waynflete is loaded again and could finish what last year’s team started.

Defensively, Gilboy, a first-team all-star last winter, sets the tone, along with Soucy and Wright, in front of Curtis, who returns in goal. Hopkins, Lappin, Stanley and Sykes will all contribute to the offensive attack. Junior Jack McArthur played on the junior varsity team last season and will be heard from as well. The team’s balanced scoring will work to its favor.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete has proved it belongs with the big boys in Class A. Now, the squad just has to take that final step. The likes of Edward Little, Falmouth, Scarborough and Thornton Academy won’t make it easy, but SP/Freeport/Waynflete has the necessary ingredients to play into March and this time, take that final step.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Yarmouth)

Coach: David Intraversato (fourth year, 21-25 overall record)

2021-22 record: 6-9 (Lost, 4-0, to Mt. Ararat in North Region quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Sadie Carnes (Senior), Chloe White (Senior), Amanda Panciocco (Junior), Rosie Panenka (Junior), Sophie Smith (Junior)

Pivotal games: Dec. 30 CAPE ELIZABETH, Jan. 4 @ Cheverus, Jan. 23 @ Winslow, Jan. 28 CHEVERUS, Jan. 30 MT. ARARAT

Coach’s comment: “We hope to be the top team in the North. Our core of juniors and seniors have been together for a couple years and we’re returning the same group as a year ago with some strong freshmen players. Our defense is deep. We hope to limit shots to give our new goalie the ability to make the easy saves. Coming into the preseason we had eight real good defenders. We are still evaluating players and trying some of the defenders at forward which helps us come to play every game with three good lines. Not many teams in the league have rolled out three lines of talented players over the past few years. This year, we will.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth/Freeport is poised to put together a memorable season. The squad opened with a decisive 10-4 victory over St. Dom’s, then defeated talented Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland, 7-3, and has designs on going all the way. That’s a realistic goal.

The offense is led by All-Conference players from a year ago Panenka (15 goals, 10 assists last winter), Carnes (9 goals and 9 assists) and Panciocco (9 points as a defender). Carnes had a hat trick in the season opener, while Panenka added three points. Smith (6 goals, 5 assists last year and three goals in the second game this winter), White (2 goals, 1 assist in the first game), junior Isabelle Peters (three assists on Opening Night), sophomore Emma White (2 goals, 1 assist in game one) and freshman Celia Zinman are other players to watch. Panciocco and White anchor the defense with help from junior Ella ZurMuhlen and freshman Adelaide Strout. Senior Ava Gervais will start in goal. Freshman Elle Grondin will be the backup.

Yarmouth/Freeport has the pieces in place to post the best mark in program history and get to a game where trophies are given out. There’s good reason for all the excitement around this program this winter.

INDOOR TRACK

Junior Enoch Boudreau, shown during the outdoor track season, is the reigning Class B indoor pole vault state champion and hopes to defend his crown this winter.

Coach: Ginger Ivanov (third year)

2021-22 results: Boys’ 10th @ Class B state meet; Girls’ 7th @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Alex Graver (Senior), Ben Grimm (Senior), Henry Horne (Senior), Enoch Boudreau (Junior), Reece Perry (Junior), Will Spaulding (Junior)

(Girls) Avery Baker-Schlendering (Senior), Lucy Bradford (Senior), Caroline Carter (Junior), Esther Penny (Sophomore), Lucy Riggs (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We have a strong, well-rounded team with many returning athletes competing in distance, sprints, pole vault, jumps and throws. These strong attributes will help the team go far at the Western Maine Championship and at the state meet. With a strong finish last year, we are poised to surprise the competition with an array of talent across the board. We look forward to a competitive, successful and fun season filled with hard work and determination.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport has an abundance of talented athletes and will be a factor throughout the season, into the postseason.

The boys return Boudreau, who is the reigning Class B pole vault champion. He looks to repeat and is joined by Perry (who was fifth a year ago). Graver, the soccer standout, will throw the shot put and will be a top sprinter. Horne, Freeport’s Fall Athlete of the Year, is a top distance threat (he was fourth in the mile last season) and also jumps. Grimm and Spaulding add depth in the longer races. Newcomers to watch include sophomore distance runner Sam Morris and freshman sprinter Israel Ditanduka.

On the girls’ side, Riggs is a top returning sprinter. She placed fourth in the 55 and sixth in the 200 last season as a freshman. Freshman Lizalyn Boudreau will also be a force in the short races. Bradford is a top hurdler. Carter and Penny compete in the longer races. They’re joined by freshmen Lilah Hall (who also jumps) and Lana DiRusso.

SWIMMING

Coach: Tom Green (second year)

2021-22 results: Boys’ 7th @ Class B state meet; Girls’ 18th @ Class B state meet

Swimmers to watch:

(Boys) Collin Lamb (Junior)

(Girls) Audrey Brogan (Junior), Ava Coward (Junior), Zoe Perilla (Junior), Pearl Peterson (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “In only our second season as an independent team, we look to improve from last year. The team is small, but the boys double their number from four last year to eight this year. The girls have stayed about the same with eight swimmers, four returning from last season. I have a fun, hardworking, coachable group, so I expect to see a lot of improvement over the course of the season.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: After a solid debut season as a stand-alone team, Freeport will be in contention again this winter.

The boys return Lamb, who came in ninth in the 100 butterfly and 13th in the 50 freestyle last season. Sophomore Gavin Boccanfuso (backstroke and freestyle) and freshmen Spencer Drew (butterfly and freestyle) and Jackson Salve (breaststroke and freestyle) arrive to add depth.

On the girls’ side, Brogan will lead the way. She’ll take part in the freestyle and breaststroke. Coward (breaststroke and freestyle), Perilla (backstroke and freestyle) and Peterson (freestyle and butterfly) are other veterans. Junior Jeanne Looten-Caceres (freestyle and breaststroke) and freshmen Lila Abbott (freestyle) and Maddie Kryzak (breaststroke and freestyle) are key newcomers.

ALPINE SKIING

Coach: Phil Wagner (second year)

2021-22 record: Class A state champions; Girls’ 2nd @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Jack Gilbert (Senior), Bobby Strong (Senior)

(Girls) Luci Bourgeois (Junior), Rosie St. Cyr (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “We graduated out both captains from last year’s squad, which certainly hurts. They were great skiers and just great kids overall and their loss certainly left a sizable hole to fill, but we’ve got a pretty solid group and I think we’ll field solid teams for sure. We haven’t been on the snow yet, so it’s hard to judge what you’ve got with the new kids, but if some of the new faces are able to contribute like last year’s group we should be in the hunt again and if we get a little lucky, then who knows.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport dominated the slopes a year ago and will be make a run at the top of the heap again.

The boys’ squad returns Strong, who was seventh in the slalom and 13th in the giant slalom last winter, and Gilbert, who placed 13th in the slalom. Ben Barrett, Elias Burrill, Alexander Gilbert and Ansel Goode will play key roles as well as the Falcons seek more hardware.

On the girls’ side, St. Cyr is coming off a season which saw her place eighth in the GS. She’ll be one of the state’s elite skiers again. Bourgeois came in 17th in the slalom last winter and looks to move up. Alex Scott and freshman Silvi Strong round out a solid squad.

NORDIC SKIING

Coach: Jessica Marion (first year)

2021-22 record: Boys’ 2nd @ Class B state meet; Girls’ 7th @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Oliver Beardsley-Stites (Senior), Al Dawson (Senior), Henry Horne (Senior), Will Morris (Senior), Alden Rice (Senior), Teo Sterverlynk-Horne (Junior), Porter Towne (Junior)

(Girls) Jillian Wight (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “It has been really fun to see the evolution of our current upperclassmen and they are showing strong leadership and team commitment. I’m really excited to see our numbers grow for female skiers, after a year or two of having few girls. I think they will really begin to work together to train and push one another once we get on snow. The team is motivated to beat Yarmouth. We’ve always had a bit of a friendly rivalry with their very large and strong team. At this point in the season, they are letting this goal be a strong positive motivator for extra bounding interval laps and pushup reps.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport, which is a co-op with Brunswick, welcomes a new coach in Marion and looks to remain among the top teams in Class B this winter.

The boys return Steverlynk-Horne, who placed sixth in the classic and eighth in the freestyle a year ago, and Dawson, who placed eighth in the classic and ninth in the freestyle. Beardsley-Stites, Horne, Morris, Rice and Towne are other veterans.

On the girls’ side, Wight leads the way. She came in fourth in the freestyle and fifth in the classic a year ago. The team is bolstered by freshmen Clio Eames, Nora Eames, Reed Proscia and Laurel Wight.