MARKY AXELSEN, Senior – Baseball

Hoffer photo

• Maine Mr. Baseball Award finalist
* WMC Class B Player of the Year
* WMC All-Star, first-team
* Senior All-Star
* Captain

Courtesy Greely High School

Axelsen certainly got his fair share of attention this spring and he produced yet another terrific campaign, leading the Rangers within a strike of a trip to the state final and his baseball journey is still ongoing.

Axelsen is a four-year varsity player, who has turned heads with his bat and his play at third base, defensive acumen which landed him on ESPN.

As a sophomore, Axelsen hit .469 with four home runs, 21 RBI, 26 runs scored and five stolen bases.

As a junior, he hit .446, homered twice, drove in 16 runs, scored 18 times and stole two bases and was named Greely Spring Athlete of the Year.

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This season was more of the same, as Axelsen hit .431 with 21 runs, 12 RBI, a home run and eight steals.

Highlights included three hits and three runs scored in a season-opening win over Lake Region, a double and an RBI in a victory over Gray-New Gloucester, two runs scored in a win over Fryeburg Academy, followed by a diving catch on a bunt, which he turned into a double play in a win over Edward Little, in a game played at Central Maine Community College, a play which landed Axelsen on SportsCenter.

“In the moment, it honestly didn’t feel like a crazy play. But everyone was freaking out so I assumed it looked really cool,” said Axelsen.

That was just April and more thrills were in store.

In May, Axelsen doubled and scored in a win over Lake Region, doubled and had two RBI in a victory over York, homered, scored twice and drove in two in a win at Freeport, had two hits in a victory over Wells, scored twice in a win over Cape Elizabeth, had three hits, three RBI and scored twice in a victory over Poland and had three runs, two hits and two RBI in a win at York.

In the playoffs, where the top-ranked Rangers made a run to the Class B South Final, Axelsen scored twice in a quarterfinal round win over Freeport, then produced a couple hits in a regional final loss to Yarmouth, which saw the Clippers rally with two outs and two strikes in the seventh inning to dash Greely’s title dreams.

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Axelsen will play next year at Bentley University in Massachusetts. Don’t be surprised if you continue to see him on the highlight reels again and again.

Coach Derek Soule’s comment: “Marky embodies the core values of our program. He has an incredible work ethic both in the classroom and on the diamond. He’s a vocal and a lead-by-example leader. He’s respectful of his teammates, coaches, opponents and umpires and is a fiery competitor. I think he’s the best hitter in the state and is as good a defensive third baseman you’ll find playing high school baseball. He will be greatly missed, but I can’t wait to see what he’ll do at the next level.”

Previous winners:

• 2023 Marky Axelsen (baseball)
* 2022 Zach Johnston (baseball)
* 2021 Brady Nolin (baseball)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Jackson Williams (lacrosse)
• 2018 Will Neleski (baseball)
• 2017 Ryan Twitchell (baseball)
• 2016 Ryan Twitchell (baseball)
• 2015 Will Bryant (baseball)
• 2014 Connor Russell (baseball)
• 2013 Bailey Train (baseball)
• 2012 Jonah Normandeau (baseball)
• 2011 Mike Leeman (baseball)
• 2010 Mark McCauley (track)
• 2009 Sam Stauber (baseball)
• 2008 Eric Thompson (lacrosse)
• 2007 Caleb Jordan (baseball)
• 2006 Sam Green (baseball)
• 2005 Chris Martin (baseball)
• 2004 Ben True (track)
• 2003 Ryan Copp (baseball)
• 2002 Brent Lemieux (baseball)

EVA WILLIAMS, Senior – Lacrosse

Joe Phelan / Kennebec Journal

* WMC All-Conference, first-team
• Senior All-Star
• Captain

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Courtesy Greely High School

After being sidelined by a knee injury her junior season, it’s safe to say that the one-of-a-kind Williams made up for lost time as a senior.

Serving as a standout passer, scorer, star in the draw circle and an energetic coach on the field, Williams did a little of everything to ensure the Rangers stayed at the pinnacle and her role on a three-peat championship team won’t soon be forgotten.

Williams, who also played soccer in high school, loves lacrosse and lacrosse has loved her back.

Williams, a superb midfielder in every sense of the word, scored five goals and had four assists, as well as registering 21 draw controls, 17 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers as a freshman, helping Greely reach the Class B state game, which it lost to Yarmouth.

As a sophomore, Williams and her teammates got over the hump and won a state title for the first time in the Maine Principals’ Association-sanctioned era, as she scored 27 goals, added 14 assists and had 62 draw controls, 37 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers.

Williams then had to sit out her junior season due to a knee injury, but she cheered her teammates on to victory as they repeated in Class B.

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While she wasn’t quite 100 percent this spring, Williams was chomping at the bit to get back to action and she would have an exceptional campaign, one of which 48 goals, 30 assists, 54 draw controls, 32 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers only partially told the story.

Williams, who teamed up with classmate Asja Kelman to make up an unstoppable combination from start to finish, scored five goals, including the decisive tally in overtime, as Greely opened with a breathtaking win at Freeport. She was just getting started, as she also had five goals and two assists in a win over Marshwood, had three goals and set up Kelman’s game-winner in a one-goal victory over York, had four goals, two assists and won 12-of-14 draw opportunities in a win over eventual Class C champion Waynflete, scored four goals in a victory at Cape Elizabeth, had five goals in a win over Fryeburg Academy, three assists in a loss to eventual Class A champion Yarmouth, five goals and three assists in a victory over North Yarmouth Academy and four goals against Gray-New Gloucester/Poland.

In the Rangers’ run to another Class B title, Williams had four goals and four assists in a quarterfinal round victory over Cony, scored four more goals in a semifinal round win over previously undefeated Mt. Ararat, then scored one final goal, added five assists and won 11-of-18 draws as Greely again held off Freeport in the title game.

It’s so awesome to be back,” Williams said. “I’m definitely an extrovert and I love to be part of the team. I just have such good teammates that are really easy to work with.  I’m so thankful for a team that’s worked so hard on and off the field. You never realize how much team sports give you. To have a team to take me this far is such an honor, especially at such a great school.”

Williams plans to attend Colby College next year and she might just wind up on the lacrosse team when all is said and done. And what a treat that would be. For Williams and for those of us who bask in the joy she brings to the sport.

Coach Becca Koelker’s comment: “The way Eva carried us across the finish line at states with draws, assists and leadership was a big piece why we won. She plays at a high level. Lacrosse and the lacrosse community mean everything to her. She has such a presence both on and off the field. Her enthusiasm coupled with her leadership, communication and passion for the game willed us to a championship this season. On the field, she was pivotal in giving us a program-high number of draws. On attack, Eva had the highest shooting percentage of our attackers, despite the extra attention paid to her by our opponents’ defenders. Her acute mind for the game enables her to not only analyze and adjust her play as needed, but to then communicate that to her teammates and coaches. These adjustments helped us secure victories in close games and made those around her better. Throughout her four years, Eva always modeled dedication and hard work, never letting challenges she faced keep her from competing and leading with excellence. She leaves our program in a better place. She will be greatly missed.”

Previous winners:

• 2023 Charlotte Taylor (lacrosse)
* 2022 Carley Ferentz (lacrosse)
* 2021 Sam Goldburg (lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Marin Provencher (track)
• 2018 Kelsey Currier (softball)
• 2017 Kathryn Paré (tennis)
• 2016 Kelsey Currier (softball)
• 2015 Alyssa Coyne (track)
• 2014 Kirstin Sandreuter (track)
• 2013 Danielle Cimino (softball)
• 2012 Audrey Parolin (lacrosse)
• 2011 Katherine Harrington (track)
• 2010 Marika Stayte (softball)
• 2009 Liza LePage (track)
• 2008 Kate Otley (lacrosse)
• 2007 Becky O’Brien (track)
• 2006 Lauren Kinney (tennis)
• 2005 Molly Hamel (lacrosse)
• 2004 Kate Mason (track)
• 2003 Sara Dimick (lacrosse)
• 2002 Sarah Bennis (softball)

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

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