Freeport Falcons Fall Athletes of the Year

LIZALYN BOUDREAU, Sophomore – Field hockey

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* All-state
* WMC all-star, first-team
* Playmaker award winner

Boudreau doesn’t score a lot of goals, but Freeport’s field hockey team would be lost without her. That’s because she does almost everything else. That was plain to see for teammates, coaches, fans and media alike this season as Boudreau was always in the middle of the action for a team that went on to make history.

Boudreau started playing field hockey at the age of five, but only after some initial hesitation.

“I was at Coach (Marcia) Wood’s clinic for little kids and I was scared,” Boudreau said. “At first, I refused to get out of the car. But I eventually went and I liked it. I really enjoy the team aspect of field hockey. It’s so fun putting in the work and getting to reap what you put into it.”

Boudreau was a second-team league all-star as a freshman, playing an integral role on a Falcons squad which came of age faster than anyone expected, making it all the way to the Class B state final before losing by a goal to Lawrence.

“I knew we’d be good, but I didn’t expect to get to states right off the bat,” Boudreau said.

This fall, Freeport was the favorite and while there were some bumps in the road, Boudreau and her teammates wound up atop the heap. While most of the attention was at one goal end or another, what Boudreau was able to accomplish between the circles was breathtaking, be it demonstrating great stickhandling or stymieing opposition forays. Even if she wasn’t credited with an assist on a Falcons’ goal, rest assured that Boudreau played a role in it.

“I just go to the ball and try my best and let my teammates do what they’re good at,” said Boudreau, who is soft-spoken off the field, but tenacious in the heat of battle. “Some people are surprised when they see me play and say, ‘Wow, you’re so aggressive.'”

Boudreau did score twice and added five assists, rattling the cage in wins over Greely in the regular season and Greely again in the quarterfinals, and setting up teammates twice in a win over Fryeburg. Boudreau had the initial shot that Sophie Bradford rebounded home to beat Yarmouth in the regional final, then helped kill off a mindboggling 23 Cony penalty corner opportunities in a 2-0 state game victory, the first in Freeport annals.

“Our defense, we’re incredibly supportive of each other,” said Boudreau. “Every time there’s a corner called against us, we hype each other up. I’m so incredibly proud of my teammates and all of our hard work. It was really fun to be the first Freeport team to win a championship.”

Boudreau is also a top-notch sprinter in track, but field hockey is her top sport (she’d like to play in college) and luckily for the Falcons, she’ll have two more seasons to excel.

Lizalyn Boudreau, Freeport’s Fall Athlete of the Year, truly did it all this season and the end result was a championship celebration.

Coach Marcia Wood’s comment: “Lizalyn never gives up on the ball and is relentless to get it back if she does lose it. She’s quiet, but a force on the field. On offensive corners, she is either the shooter or setting up the shooter and on defensive corners, she trails Sydney (Gelhar), breaking up many plays. Lizalyn is the one bringing the ball up the field and distributing it into the circle for the attack. She’s the calm defender clearing the ball out of the circle. She has the ability to weave through defenders up the field effortlessly.”

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Prior winners:

• 2022 Piper Williams (field hockey)
* 2021 Kyla Havey (field hockey)
* 2020 Ally Randall (field hockey)
• 2019 Catriona Gould (soccer)
• 2018 Alexa Koenig (field hockey)
• 2017 Lily Horne (cross country)
• 2016 Alexa Koenig (field hockey)
• 2015 Morgan Karnes (field hockey)
• 2014 Abby Smith (field hockey)
• 2013 Livvy Dimick (soccer)
• 2012 Jocelyn Davee (soccer)
• 2011 Kayla Thurlow (field hockey)
• 2010 Lauren Easler (cross country)
• 2009 Hannah Schuchert (field hockey)
• 2008 Molly Susla (cross country)
• 2007 Hannah Schuchert (field hockey)
• 2006 Molly Susla (cross country)
• 2005 Kelsey Nichols (cross country)
• 2004 Lucy Garrec (cross country)
• 2003 Dani O’Rourke-Suchoff (cross country)
• 2002 Michelle Peters (field hockey)
• 2001 Amy Morejon (soccer)

ELI SPAULDING, Senior – Golf

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• Class B individual state champion
* Cheverie Award winner (top player in WMC)
• WMC all-star, first-team

Simply put, Spaulding is the finest golfer in the history of the Freeport golf program. By as wide a margin as Tiger Woods’ victory at the 1997 Masters.

Spaulding wrapped up his high school career in style this fall, winning a third consecutive Class B individual state title, and he led the Falcons team to big things as well.

Spaulding got into golf at the age of five but for many years also competed in other sports like skiing, soccer and cross country running. He began to get seriously into golf when he began playing junior tournaments at the age of 11 and by the time he arrived in high school, his focus on was on the links exclusively.

“I knew I was good at golf and I enjoyed it more than anything else,” Spaulding said.

Spaulding made an immediate splash in high school, helping Freeport win its first championship, shooting an 81 at the Class B state match, which tied him for the fifth-best individual score. He followed that up by capturing the Maine Junior Open.

Spaulding then came right out and proved he was no flash in the pan, capturing the individual Class B state title as a sophomore with a score of 68, easily the best round in the state, regardless of class, and he was also named Freeport’s Fall Athlete of the Year before repeating as Maine Junior Open champion.

“Freshman year, I really focused on golf and sophomore year, I realized I could go somewhere with it,” Spaulding said.

As a junior, Spaulding repeated as Class B individual champion with a round of 72, then went on to capture the New England crown for good measure.

To say the bar was set high this fall would be a major understatement, but Spaulding met the expectations and pressure head-on with more dominance.

Spaulding was unmatched in the regular season, posting an average nine-hole score of 32 and will graduate having never lost a regular season match. At the Western Manie Conference qualifier, he came in first with a score of 72. Then, at states, he shot a 70 to make it three consecutive championships. Spaulding also tied for second at New Englands.

Spaulding won the Cheverie Award, as the conference’s top player, as a sophomore, junior and senior.

“I’m very happy with my season,” Spaulding said. “It felt good to see the hard work pay off. When I played my first Maine Amateur when I was 14, I was so nervous, but I’ve built up getting used to pressure. A three-peat doesn’t happen a lot. I just built off my momentum from this summer.”

Spaulding is looking forward to playing in New England tournaments over the summer, then he will play next year for Loyola University of Maryland.

“I wanted to go to school on the East Coast,” said Spaulding, who plans to study business. “I really like the coach, the campus, the group of guys on the team.”

Big things await at the next level, but his legend is secure locally. Eli Spaulding, Freeport’s Fall Athlete of the Year, was a high school champion for the ages and will be impossible to replace.

Coach Jason Ouellette’s comment: “Eli has been instrumental in the success and growth of the Freeport golf team. His kind of talent comes along once in a generation. He took players under his wing this season, which was crucial in helping us finish second as a team. I’ve been lucky enough to watch him do some amazing things on the golf course the past few years and this year was no different. As much as he wanted to be successful as an individual, he really wanted us to be successful as a team. I’m happy for him that we were able to have such a memorable season this fall.”

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Prior winners:

• 2022 Henry Horne (cross country)
* 2021 Eli Spaulding (golf)
* 2020 Matt Kempf (golf)
• 2019 Gabe Wagner (soccer)
• 2018 Shea Wagner (soccer)
• 2017 Ethan Sclar (golf)
• 2016 Josh Burke (football)
• 2015 Chandler Vincent (cross country)
• 2014 Chandler Vincent (cross country)
• 2013 Ben MacMillan (football)
• 2012 Dan Burke (football)
• 2011 Jack Dawe (soccer)
• 2010 James Purdy (football)
• 2009 Miguel Beckles (football)
• 2008 Cody Bartlett (soccer)
• 2007 Jon Klages (football)
• 2006 Luke Charest (soccer)
• 2005 Elliott Townsend (soccer)
• 2004 Jeff Smith (soccer)
• 2003 Josh Zolla (cross country)
• 2002 Chris Vigliotta (soccer)
• 2001 Scott Newell (golf)