BASEBALL

Coach: Mike Owens (12th year, 145-59 overall record, one state title)

2022 record: 16-4 (Lost, 8-1, to eventual state champion Thornton Academy in Class A South Final)

Top returning players: Richie Gilboy (Senior), Andrew Heffernan (Senior), Nolan Hobbs (Senior), Johnny Poole (Senior)

Pivotal games: April 21 @ Westbrook, May 2 @ Falmouth, May 6 @ Thornton Academy, May 11 @ Cheverus, May 20 @ Portland, May 25 GORHAM, May 27 SCARBOROUGH

Coach’s comment: “We’re trying to replace our entire outfield with kids who aren’t outfielders or have no experience. We definitely have good arms and our infield is solid. We’ll be in games with our pitching. We need to play good defense and hit. We should be much better in June than we are now. If everything falls into place, a realistic goal is to contend for a state championship.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland won Class A in 2021 and nearly got back to the state game last spring before losing in the regional final. This season, the Red Riots are the favorites in the minds of most and while there are championship pieces in place, there are also holes to fill.

South Portland is fortunate to boast a pair of aces in Heffernan and Hobbs. A year ago, Heffernan won the Edson Hadlock Award as the league’s best pitcher and was named Spring Athlete of the Year after a sensational season which saw him go 6-2 with an 0.65 earned run average, allowing just 32 hits and five earned runs in 53.7 innings, walking only five while fanning 58. Hobbs (7-1, 1.38 ERA) was a second-team all-star a year ago and also gives the opposition nightmares. Senior Nick Swain and freshman Hudson Iacuessa will also contribute on the mound. Gilboy (who was a second-team all-star last season, hitting .410) will catch and also play third, with Swain filling in behind the plate from time to time. Hobbs is at first base when he doesn’t pitch, while Heffernan plays third base when he’s not throwing. Poole, a second-team all-star last season after hitting .338 and stealing 20 bases, returns at shortstop and is one of the top infielders around. Sophomore Easton Healey will play second base. The outfield consists of Iacuessa, senior Maccoy Murphy and senior Jaelen Jackson, who hasn’t played baseball in high school. South Portland’s Fall and Winter Athlete of the Year is looking to cap an unforgettable school year by contributing on the diamond and he figures to make good things happen defensively and on the basepaths.

The Red Riots still have to contend with the likes of Thornton Academy and Falmouth, as well as several other teams capable of beating anyone on a given afternoon. South Portland’s pitching will carry it far, but the Red Riots will still need to generate consistent offense to wind up where they want to go. The bar has been set very high and the title expectations are realistic. If everything comes together, it could be a banner season for this group.

SOFTBALL

Coach: Drew DiMauro (first year)

2022 record: 8-9 (Lost, 5-0, to eventual state champion Biddeford in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Madison Cole (Senior), Grace Wallace (Senior), Delaney Whitten (Senior), Haley Ball (Junior), Andrea DiMauro (Junior), Phoebe Dodge (Junior), Ella Nickerson (Junior), Baylie Littlefield (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 21 PORTLAND, May 1 BIDDEFORD, May 3 @ Portland, May 8 @ Kennebunk, May 15 WINDHAM, May 17 THORNTON ACADEMY, May 19 @ Scarborough, May 25 @ Gorham

Coach’s comment: “The girls have jelled really well in a short period of time. You wouldn’t know which girls go to which school. It’s an even balance of kids on varsity. We’ll be competitive. We’re focused on hosting a playoff game at Wainwright.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland has teamed up with Westbrook this spring and the combination could spell trouble for the rest of Class A South. The squad will be coached this spring by DiMauro, who has previously coached at the Little League and travel level. He inherits a program ready to make some noise.

Nickerson is a returning first-team league all-star and was South Portland’s Spring Athlete of the Year a year ago. Nickerson hit .446 and slugged .738, delivering 25 hits in 61 at-bats, including three doubles, seven triples and a home run. She drove in 18 runs and only struck out six times. She’ll pace the offense again and will be a top outfielder. Ball, who attends Westbrook and hit .388 last season, will be in centerfield (she was a second-teamer last spring), and Dodge will also be in the outfield. Andrea DiMauro (.326 last year) and Littlefield will both have an opportunity to pitch. Cole (Westbrook, who was honorable mention in 2022) and Whitten, a top hitter (.353 last year), will be behind the plate. Wallace (Westbrook, .413 last season), along with freshmen Emma Boulette and Rachel DiMauro (who could make plenty of noise with her bat), will hold down the infield.

South Portland/Westbrook isn’t on the short list of Class A South favorites, but perhaps it should be. This team will hit the cover off the ball. If it gets consistent pitching and defense, the sky’s the limit and the first year as a co-op could be a memorable one indeed.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Coach: Dan Hanley (third year, 13-15 overall record)

2022 record 11-3 (Lost, 13-9, to Thornton Academy in Class A South semifinals)

Top returning players: Brady Angell (Senior), Brady Demers (Senior), Jack Dreifus (Senior), Drew Folley (Senior), Ben Kieu (Senior), Lucas Mehlhorn (Senior), Finn O’Donnell (Senior), Beckett Mehlhorn (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 18 @ Thornton Academy, April 29 SOUTH PORTLAND, May 6 @ Waynflete, May 13 FALMOUTH, May 26 CAPE ELIZABETH

Coach’s comment: “I’ve been anticipating the season since the last one ended. We’ve taken a lot of lessons from the last couple years. We only graduated five from last year. We have 12 seniors and a lot of experience. Ben will keep us in a lot of games. Our goal is to win a state championship. We feel we can compete with the top teams.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland made a quantum leap up the standings last spring, got to the regional semifinals and Hanley was our choice for Coach of the Year. With a lot of familiar names returning, the Red Riots believe that they’re equipped to end Cape Elizabeth’s title reign.

Kieu is as good as any goalie in the state. He’ll play at Hampton University in Virginia a year from now, but first, he hopes to build on his terrific junior campaign and lead South Portland to great things. Defensively, Angell (who will play at the University of New England) and O’Donnell (who is bound for Maine Maritime) will help lock down the opposition. O’Donnell will also see time taking faceoffs, as will senior Joey Soucy and junior Nic Gagne. Midfielders to watch include Folley, Lucas Mehlhorn, junior Tobey Lappin, sophomore Ian House and junior Jamen Senter. Up top, look for Demers, Dreifus and Beckett Mehlhorn to be top scoring threats.

South Portland started with a 10-6 loss at Cape Elizabeth in the opener, despite four goals from Demers and 15 saves from Kieu. The slate won’t get any easier. The Red Riots won’t sneak up on anyone this year and will have to rise to the occasion as the opposition will always be up for the challenge of playing them. With the weapons this team boasts on offense, combined with a strong defense and Kieu as the last resort, South Portland has reason for confidence. The Red Riots should be one of the last teams standing.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Coach: Colleen Fleming (third year, 10-15 overall record)

2022 record 6-7 (Lost, 13-7, to Biddeford in Class A South preliminary round)

Top returning players: Rain Jordan (Senior), Jenna Trafford (Senior), Maddie Fitzherbert (Junior), Emily Keefe (Junior), Lauren Steady (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: April 25 CHEVERUS, April 28 YORK, May 5 @ Thornton Academy, May 20 GORHAM

Coach’s comment: “We’re coming into this season with a lot of hope and determination. In athletics, and life for that matter, there are so many unpredictables and things that happen that you can’t control. Our teams focus this season is to work on the things that we can control, such as our work ethic, resilience and our team camaraderie. Our goal is to walk away from each game with no regrets, heads held high, knowing that we left it all out there on the field.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland has some top returners all over the field and will add some promising newcomers this spring as they look to make a move up the Class A ladder.

Fitzherbert was an SMAA first-team all-star in 2022. She’ll be a top defender and will help mold new freshmen Amelia Burton-Fowler and Stella Henderson. Trafford returns in goal. The midfield is strong with Keefe, an honorable mention all-star last spring, and Steady leading the way. Sophomore Amelia Saunders is also in the mix. Keefe, Saunders, Steady and sophomore Abigail Thayer will all have opportunities to win draws. Jordan is a top scoring threat up top.

The Red Riots, who dropped a hard-fought 9-8 decision at Lake Region in Saturday’s opener, are going to evolve into a tough opponent, one that no one will want to have to contend with in the postseason.

OUTDOOR TRACK

Coaches:

(Boys) Dave Kahill (15th year)
(Girls) Matt Toothaker (second year)

2021 results:

(Boys) 8th @ Class A state meet
(Girls) no score @ Class A state meet

Top returning athletes:

(Boys) Kyle Hartford (Senior), Josh Lamour (Senior), Jack Nickerson (Senior), Jack Smart (Senior), Max Kladov (Junior), Patrick Heffernan (Sophomore), Alexandy Pierre (Sophomore), Arnaud Sioho (Sophomore)

(Girls) Anna Brown (Senior), Lily Henriksen (Senior), Ava Smart (Senior), Sam Clyde (Junior), Christie Cole (Junior), Cassandra Porter (Junior), Iris Young (Junior)

Coach Kahill’s comment: “With 70 athletes on the team, we hope to continue to grow the program through our upperclass leadership. Luckily, we have 14 hardworking, positive and talented seniors who model essential focus, respectfulness, skill and hard work on a daily basis at practice. Our jumpers and race walkers are very talented and have potential to be competitive again at the state level. Our throwers, hurdlers, sprinters and distance runners have championship meet experience and are looking for breakthroughs. Our success throughout the season will rely on developing depth and new talent and the team has potential to place in the top five in the championship meets.”

Coach Toothaker’s comment: “Our team had a really great indoor season, finishing third overall in our conference, our highest placing in a decade. We hope to continue our indoor successes in the outdoor setting. We’re definitely looking to move up in the standings. Nearly doubling in size this season, we have solid numbers going into this year, close to half of the team coming from the freshman class. Continued improvement as a team and building a sense of camaraderie, respect and competitiveness are the main goals this season. We have a strong team that is ready to make some moves in the very near future.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland’s program boasts a lot of athletes and as a result, the Red Riots expect to be a force from start to finish this season.

The boys’ squad returns three top racewalkers, Pierre (fourth last season), Heffernan (sixth) and senior Jacob Jones. Hartford and Nickerson have experience in the distance races. Sophomore Evan Small and freshmen Brody Hamel and Michael Lawlor will also be heard from. The middle-distance features Smart and juniors Chase Porter and Richard Vangu. Sioho can also score in the sprints and hurdles. He’s joined in the hurdles by Vangu and junior Che-Hao Saito and newcomers Matt Berry and Caleb Ramsell. Other sprinters of note include seniors David Botelho and Harrison Jones,  sophomores Gedeao Buanza and Enoque De Dieu and freshmen Berry and Ramsell. On the field side, the top returner is Sioho, who was seventh in the triple jump last season. Other jumpers to watch include De Dieu, Jones, Lamour, Porter, Ramsell, Saito, Smart and sophomore Tyler Bryant. The throwing contingent features Bryant, Lamour, senior Ryan Gibbons and junior Henry Risch. Kladov, Lamour and senior Griffin Smart hope to score in the pole vault. The Red Riots will battle the likes of perennial powerhouse Scarborough, as well as Bonny Eagle and Portland during the regular season, then the sky is the limit at the championship meets.

On the girls’ side, South Portland looks to not only score at states this season, but surge up the standings. Clyde, Cole and Smart are veteran sprinters. Sophomore Brooke Lawton and freshmen Ellie Bisson, Ella Christensen and Mayla Costa (who also competes in the hurdles) join them. Brown, Clyde, Henriksen, Lawton, Young and freshman Audrey LeBleu all threaten to score in the middle-distance events. Freshman Elsa Henriksen is the top threat to score in the distance races. On the field side, Clyde and Young are top returning jumpers. They’re joined by Bisson, Christensen and LeBleu. Porter and sophomore Makayla Edwards-Burwell will be threats in the throws. The Red Riots are chasing the likes of Gorham, Portland and Scarborough this year. They’re going to hold their own against those foes and make a name for themselves state-wide before all is said and done.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Coach: Tom Hyland (14th year)

2022 record: 10-4 (Lost, 3-2, to Cheverus in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning player: Micah Yarlott (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We graduated six out of seven from our starting lineup. We had a very successful season last year and this year looks to be equally successful. We’re young. No seniors on the roster. We have the potential of having two sophomores and a freshman playing singles. We hope to contend as we do every year. We understand the competitive landscape and we are ready for the challenge. We have a great group of young men who are a pleasure to coach.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Last spring, South Portland posted its first 10-win season in 29 years, then said goodbye to just about everyone who made it happen. This time around, the Red Riots’ cupboard isn’t bare, the faces and names are just unfamiliar.

Yarlott moves into the top singles spot after playing second singles a year ago. Sophomore Elliot Wortheimer will likely be in the No. 2 singles spot. At press time, juniors Eli Fatalko and Sam Scott, sophomore Jeremy Jacoby-Roberts and freshman Jonah Cooke were vying for the third singles position. Juniors Sam Bryant and Brady Hulsey will be part of the doubles mix.

South Portland might not post as glowing a record this spring as it did last season, but this is a team that everyone will have to take seriously. The Red Riots could be primed to make some noise when the postseason arrives and their future is very bright.

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Coach: Elizabeth Scifres (23rd year)

2022 record 5-8 (Lost, 5-0, to Gorham in Class A South preliminary round)

Top returning players: Ana McDonald (Senior), Abbie Morin (Senior), Madeline Churchill (Junior), Kaitlyn Foster (Junior), Ryan Richambault (Junior), Maggie Truman (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “We had to build back from scratch two years ago, coming out of COVID lockdowns with no sports. This team has largely been together since then and there is a wonderful sense of camaraderie and togetherness which is difficult to come by in tennis. The girls have re-established traditions and expectations. They know what it takes to win matches. This team is going to be competitive.  Many of them put work in during the offseason, which is key. They are stronger, smarter and ready to work for it. Our goal is to push ourselves to go further into the postseason than previously and to continue our tradition of outstanding sportsmanship and spirit of the game.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: South Portland has made the playoffs every year this century, but hasn’t been able to get out of the preliminary round since 2011. This could be the spring that changes, as the Red Riots return several key contributors.

Richmbault will be in the first singles spot, Foster is at No. 2 singles and Churchill will play third singles. Morin and Truman will likely make up the top doubles team. McDonald will also be at doubles. Grace Kelly, Lilla Pickett, Anna Rauscher and Madolyn Roy are newcomers who will also battle for playing time.

South Portland hopes its experience carries it a long way. This year’s squad is ready to save its best for last.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. 

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