JEFF ADEY, Junior – Tennis

Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

* WMC Class C all-star, first-team

Courtesy Waynflete School

Adey became the latest in a long line of Flyers standouts who was at his best in the biggest matches and helped the team extend its mindboggling state championship string in the process.

Adey is the younger brother of Ben and Matt, who both contributed mightily to the program (Ben Adey was the 2021 Waynflete Spring Athlete of the Year). Jeff Adey was a league all-star as a junior as a doubles player, then he made the jump to singles this season, all the way to the No. 1 spot, and Waynflete went from vulnerable to able to finish in a familiar spot, atop the heap.

Adey, who also plays soccer, lost twice to Greely’s Charles Segal, once in the regular season and once in the singles tournament (in the round of 16), but he prevailed in every other match, beating many of the state’s finest players.

Adey then dropped just six games in four postseason matches, winning them all in straight sets, helping the Flyers clinch their 16th consecutive Class C state championship.

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“It’s always a looming number at the beginning of the season,” Adey said. “During the regular season you don’t really think about it, but when you get (to the postseason), that’s when it starts to kick in and you feel it a little bit.”

Adey will come back next year looking to produce a terrific senior season and don’t be surprised if his efforts allow Waynflete to turn the consecutive championship number to 17.

Coach Jeff Madore’s comment: “Jeff’s emergence as our number one singles player was key to our success. His improved ball-striking, tactical and analytical skills accounted for his success, but along with that, he demonstrated good sportsmanship and provided key leadership to younger members of the team.”

Previous winners:

• 2023 Liam Anderson (lacrosse)
* 2022 Payton Mitchell (baseball)
* 2021 Ben Adey (lacrosse/tennis)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Thorne Kieffer (tennis)
• 2018 Hank Duvall (lacrosse)
• 2017 Brandon Ameglio (tennis)
• 2016 Will Nelligan (lacrosse)
• 2015 Isaac Salas (tennis)
• 2014 Isaac Salas (tennis)
• 2013 Andrew Butler (baseball)
• 2012 Chris Burke (lacrosse)
• 2011 Charlie Laprade (baseball)
• 2010 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2009 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2008 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2007 David Cutler (lacrosse)
• 2006 Ben Whipple (tennis)
• 2005 Reid McMullan (lacrosse)
• 2004 Matt Lacasse (track)

TILSLEY KELLY, Senior – Lacrosse

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Photo courtesy Brian Beard

• WMC all-star, first-team
* Captain

Courtesy Waynflete School

Kelly stuffed the stat sheet, was a coach’s dream, as well as an ideal teammate as she bookended her high school career this spring with her second state championship.

Kelly played a key supporting role in Waynflete’s unforgettable title run her freshman season, scoring what proved to be the decisive goal in the state final.

As a sophomore, Kelly made the all-star team. As a junior, Kelly scored a mind-boggling 73 goals and added 16 assists, meaning she produced 94 points in 16 games. She also excelled in the draw circle, winning 52 times, being named Waynflete’s Spring Athlete of the Year in the process.

The Flyers fell just short in her sophomore and junior seasons, however, losing both years to rival North Yarmouth Academy in the state semifinals.

This season, Waynflete wasn’t about to be denied and it was Kelly coming up huge time and again, not just scoring goals, but assisting them and winning draws as well, to lead the way.

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Kelly would produce 51 goals and 26 assists.

Highlights included four goals in a season-opening win over Lake Region, three goals and three assists in a victory over St. Dom’s, seven goals in a win over Scarborough, a career-high eight assists in a victory at NYA, five goals in a win over Wells, seven goals in a loss to eventual Class A champion Yarmouth and four goals in a close win over York.

In the playoffs, Kelly had three goals and two assists and also won 18 of 23 draw opportunities in an 18-5 revenge-is-sweet quarterfinal round win over NYA, then had three goals in a semifinal round victory over Traip Academy before putting the exclamation mark on her career with eight goals, three assists and 17 draw wins in 24 attempts in a 14-7 win over Wells in the Class C state final.

“It’s amazing,” said Kelly. “Playing four years and having the bookend championships is wonderful. It feels full circle. We’ve worked so hard for this for so long. What got us here is intensity.”

Kelly will attend Middlebury College next year in Vermont, but does not plan to play lacrosse.

Rest assured her legacy is secure, as she’s earned her place as one of the finest players in the illustrious history of the state’s most decorated program.

Coach Cathie Connors’ comment: “Tilsley’s stats, which are amazing, are not what is most important to her. She doesn’t crave or demand the spotlight, but she’ll gladly shine it on her teammates. She can always be found encouraging and praising others. She’s a phenomenal and exciting player to watch with beautiful stick skills and amazing shots on net. Best of all, she’s just an overall wonderful, humble, incredibly sweet human being. Tilsley is one of a kind. Every coach’s dream. She will be missed more than I can express.”

Previous winners:

• 2023 Tilsley Kelly (lacrosse)
* 2022 Lucy Hart (tennis)
* 2021 Jesse Connors (lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Emi Boedeker (lacrosse)
• 2018 Izzy Burdick (lacrosse)
• 2017 Abby Pipkin (track)
• 2016 Nina Moore (lacrosse)
• 2015 Helen Gray-Bauer (lacrosse)
• 2014 Emily White (tennis)
• 2013 Sadie Cole (lacrosse)
• 2012 Martha Veroneau (lacrosse)
• 2011 Scout Haffenreffer (lacrosse)
• 2010 Morgan Woodhouse (lacrosse)
• 2009 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2008 Laura Armstrong (lacrosse)
• 2007 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2006 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2005 Gretchen Koch (lacrosse)
• 2004 Lily Hoffman (lacrosse)

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

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