DAVID STEINBRICK, Senior – Swimming

Steinbrick had a senior season for the ages, leading the Capers to more hardware and etching his name into program lore in the process.

Steinbrick starting swimming in elementary school and while he dabbled in several other sports, including playing lacrosse and running cross country as a freshman, swimming became his passion.

“The camaraderie within the team and between teams isn’t the same as other sports,” Steinbrick said. “I just push myself forward. I want to get the next fast time, the next milestone.”

Steinbrick’s freshman season was derailed by the pandemic. As a sophomore, he helped the Capers to a Class B state title, finishing runner-up in the 100 backstroke, third in 200 free and helping the 200 medley relay squad to a first-place finish. As a junior, Steinbrick won both the 100 and 200 freestyle at states as Cape Elizabeth repeated as the team champion.

This season, Steinbrick was unbeatable and was at his best in the postseason, capturing the 200 free (1 minute, 43.27 seconds) and the 100 backstroke (53.69 seconds), while anchoring a first-place 200 free relay team at Southwesterns. Then, at states, Steinbrick won the 200 free (1:45.81), the 500 free (4:37.32) and anchored championship medley and 400 free relay teams as the Capers rolled to another title, beating runner-up Morse by a whopping 135 points.

“It was a great season,” Steinbrick said. “I accomplished everything I wanted and the team met all our goals and exceeded some of them. It was a great way to end my high school career.”

Steinbrick leaves the program as the Capers’ record holder in the 200 free, 500 free, 100 backstroke and the 200 free relay, as well as the school and state record in the 200 medley relay.

“I am extremely lucky as a coach to not only work with David but to also work with other top athletes in his class like Cormac McKenney,” said Ben Raymond, Cape Elizabeth’s longtime swim coach. “Without Cormac, David would not be as good as he is and without David neither would Cormac be as good as he is.”

Steinbrick returned the sentiment.

“Coach Raymond instilled the importance of hard work and I’m very grateful,” Steinbrick said. “I wouldn’t have been as good without him.”

Steinbrick is about to embark on his biggest challenge to date, as he’ll attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland next year, where he plans to swim distance races and pursue engineering.

Rest assured, he’ll continue to turn heads. David Steinbrick, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Athlete of the Year, is equally impressive for his brilliance in the pool and his maturity and leadership outside of it. The sky is the limit for this young man.

Coach Ben Raymond’s comment: “David has achieved so much during his high school career. David leads by example. Every day in practice he leads every set and motivates his teammates both vocally and visually. The other swimmers are clearly able to see how hard David trains and if the top swimmer in the state is doing it then they better join in. We have extremely competitive practices where going fast is the expectation. Unlike many programs, we are not just racing on meet day, we are racing on most days. David is one of the leaders in these sets and his enthusiasm and competitiveness shows through and all of his teammates feed off of David’s attitude. He raises the level of his teammates, which is an incredible skill to have. David has been the leader of this group that has never lost a championship meet and has won three Southwestern championships and three state championships. He has been an integral part of what has been the best three years in Cape boys’ swimming history.”

Previous winners:

• 2022-23 Logan Schwartz (Alpine skiing)
* 2021-22 Keegan McKenney (swimming)
* 2020-21 Nate Mullen (basketball)
• 2019-20 Matt Laughlin (hockey)
• 2018-19 Andrew Hartel (basketball)
• 2017-18 Finn Bowe (basketball)
• 2016-17 Quinn Hewitt (basketball)
• 2015-16 Devon Lathrop (Alpine skiing)
• 2014-15 Ethan Murphy (basketball)
• 2013-14 Eddie Galvin (basketball)
• 2012-13 Evan Long (swimming)
• 2011-12 Nick Breed (hockey)
• 2010-11 Theo Bowe (basketball)
• 2009-10 Conor Maloney (basketball)
• 2008-09 Alex Bowe (basketball)
• 2007-08 Tommy Ray (basketball)
• 2006-07 Graham Egan (Nordic skiing)
• 2005-06 Kevin Harrison (track)
• 2004-05 Dan Rautenberg (hockey)
• 2003-04 Ben Weimont (track)
• 2002-03 Luke Holden (hockey)
• 2001-02 Tom Alberi (swimming)

COOKIE MAHONEY, Senior – Swimming

* Class B state champion, 100 freestyle
* Class B state champion, 200 freestyle
* All-State
* All-Conference
* Conference Swimmer of the Year

Mahoney capped a transcendent career with huge performances in the biggest races, helping Cape Elizabeth stay atop Class B and earning this award for the second straight year.

Mahoney, who played soccer as a freshman, then focused fully on swimming, became a star in the pool.

After her freshman campaign was limited by COVID restrictions, Mahoney became a state champion as an individual and with her team as a sophomore, winning the 200 freestyle in 1 minute, 56.3 seconds and the 100 free (53.51 seconds), while also anchoring a champion 400 freestyle relay squad. In her junior campaign, Mahoney teamed with her twin sister, Hadley Mahoney, and led the Capers to another Class B championship by placing first in the 200 individual medley (2:06.74), as well as the 100 free (53.17), and she also anchored the winning 400 free relay, which posted the fourth-best time in state history (3:38.17).

Not surprisingly, Mahoney dazzled as a senior as well.

At Southwesterns, Mahoney won the 100 free (52.81), was runner-up to Greely standout Audrey Cohen in the 200 free (1:53.45) and anchored a first-place 400 free relay team. Then, at states, Cape Elizabeth got pushed by Camden Hills but held on to win a third straight championship, as Mahoney won the 100 free (53.14), the 200 free (1:55.53) and anchored the champion 400 free relay team. She was also named the Swimmer of the Meet.

“I accomplished everything I wanted,” Mahoney said. “Winning three (titles) in a row and winning with my sister (Hadley) was a big goal. The team and coaches are like family. States was closer this year. It was more nervewracking, but also more fun. I didn’t expect to be Swimmer of the Meet. I was shocked when I heard my name. Swimming for Cape has been amazing. Club swimming is more individual, but high school swimming is all about the love of the sport.”

“Cookie leaves our program as the school record holder in the 200 IM and as the leader of a group of athletes that have never lost a championship meet,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Ben Raymond.

Mahoney will matriculate at Davidson College in North Carolina, where she plans to swim the distance freestyle and individual medley events, but first, she plans to attend the Paris Olympics.

If the U.S. team needs someone to fill in last minute, they should look into the crowd and grab Cookie Mahoney, Cape Elizabeth’s Winter Athlete of the Year, who has shown over and over again that she can dominate in any pool, at any time.

Coach Ben Raymond’s comment: “Cookie has led this group in and out of the pool for the past three years and will leave her mark on this program for many years to come. I believe Cookie has continued to follow in the footsteps of the many outstanding swimmers and leaders we have had in the past in helping the underclassman to continue with what we focus on in the pool all winter long, compete, work hard, swim fast and don’t forget to have fun. Our team will be different for sure without Cookie not just in talent but in character and the makeup of what we do.”

Previous winners:

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

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