Marky Axelsen

Marky Axelsen, Greely senior, third base: The player of the year in Class B South, Axelsen hit .431, his third straight season over .400. He drove in 12 runs, scored 21, hit one home run, had eight steals and was a finalist for the Jon Winkin Award, which recognizes the top senior baseball player in Maine. Axelsen will next play at Bentley University.

Noah Carpenter

Noah Carpenter, Leavitt senior, third base/pitcher: The 2023 Varsity Maine Football Player of the Year, Carpenter finished an illustrious high school career as the KVAC Class B player of the year and a Winkin Award finalist. On the mound, he was 6-1 with one save, a 1.17 ERA and threw a no-hitter against Poland in the Class B South preliminary round. He also hit .429 with two doubles, three triples, four home runs and 15 walks. He intends to play both football and baseball at the University of Maine.

Jeremiah Chessie

Jeremiah Chessie, Thornton Academy senior, pitcher/shortstop: A four-year varsity player, Chessie had to adapt to new roles this season as a senior leader on a young squad and as the Trojans’ ace on the mound. He went 5-1 with a 0.30 ERA to earn first-team SMAA pitching honors. He hit .291 with three doubles and 14 runs, and did not strike out.

Jacob Fish

Jacob Fish, Thornton junior, first base: A strong and exuberant player, Fish led the SMAA with a .463 batting average and had plenty of pop, hitting eight doubles, a triple and two home runs while driving in 22 runs. His 15 walks gave him a .596 on-base average, and he only made one error.

Gabe Harmon

Gabe Harmon, Cape Elizabeth senior, shortstop/pitcher: One of the most complete offensive players in the Western Maine Conference, Harmon hit .438 with a .509 on-base percentage, driving in 11 runs and scoring 12, with seven steals. He also was a solid pitcher, going 3-2 with four saves, 37 strikeouts and a 0.98 ERA in 21 1/3 innings. Harmon plans to play at Babson next year.

Ethan Hendry

Ethan Hendry, Falmouth senior, catcher: A repeat Varsity Maine All-State selection and first-team SMAA pick behind the plate, Hendry is an excellent defensive catcher, with his ability to block balls in the dirt and a strong, accurate arm that negated opponents’ running game. He hit .362 with 13 RBI and a .538 on-base percentage. Hendry plans to play baseball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Sam Lowenstein

Sam Lowenstein, Yarmouth senior, pitcher/outfield: Lowenstein was the key cog in Yarmouth’s run to the Class B championship (and its second straight South title), going 7-0 with 64 strikeouts and a 0.82 ERA. He also led the Clippers in home runs (two) and RBI (10) while hitting .360, getting on base at a .448 clip and making no errors while playing in the outfield. Over the past two seasons Lowenstein was 11-0. Lowenstein will attend and play baseball at Colby College.

Collin Peckham

Collin Peckham, Hampden Academy senior, pitcher/outfielder: The KVAC Class A Player of the Year and a Winkin Award finalist, Peckham led the Broncos to at 15-1 regular season in Class A North. He hit .467 with nine runs, 12 RBI, four doubles and a triple while going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings. Peckham’s only loss was a 1-0 setback in the North regional.

Jacoby Porter

Jacoby Porter, Falmouth sophomore, first base: The 6-foot-5 lefty edged Jacob Fish for first-team honors at first base in the SMAA and posted a nearly identical stat line, hitting .463 with seven doubles, three homers, 24 RBI, 21 runs and a .550 on-base percentage. He also was a key arm for the Navigators, getting a complete-game 4-1 win in a Class A semifinal against Thornton Academy.

Brennan Rumpf

Brennan Rumpf, Falmouth senior, second base/pitcher: Voted the MVP of the SMAA and headed to the University of Maine, Rumpf is a two-way standout and two-time All-State selection. He hit .402 with seven doubles, a triple and a home run, with 19 RBI and 19 runs. On the mound, he went 4-2, allowing 19 hits and 11 walks in 44 1/3 innings, with 58 strikeouts and a 0.63 ERA.

Zak Sanders

Zak Sanders, Scarborough senior, outfield/pitcher: The 2024 Varsity Maine Player of the Year, Sanders was the catalyst of the Red Storm’s run to the Class A title and cinched it by pitching a shutout and adding three hits at the plate in a 7-0 win against Messalonskee in the state final. Sanders led the SMAA in runs, finishing with 30, and hit .355 with an OBP of .494 and 11 RBI. On the mound, he was 6-0 with five saves, sporting a 0.91 ERA.

Drew Sliwkowski

Drew Sliwkowski, Kennebunk senior, pitcher/outfield: Sliwkowski allowed just five hits and no earned runs over 32 innings, going 3-1 and earning first-team SMAA honors as both an outfielder and pitcher. In an 1-0 win against Falmouth, he pitched eight innings of one-hit ball and won the game with a walk-off homer. Sliwkowski, who will play at UMass, hit .314 with four doubles, two homers, 13 runs, 10 RBI and 14 steals.

Erik Swenson

Erik Swenson, Scarborough junior, pitcher: The SMAA pitcher of the year was nearly untouchable and beat heavy-hitting Falmouth twice, 2-1 in the regular season and 5-0 on a two-hitter in the Class A South final. A rare pitcher-only when it comes to Varsity Maine All-State selections, Swenson finished 7-0 with 82 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings, with a 0.98 ERA and .a 906 WHIP.

Caleb Vacchiano

Caleb Vacchiano, Sacopee Valley senior, shortstop/pitcher: A returning All-Stater, Vacchiano won the John Winkin Award and the Gatorade Maine Player of the Year. The UMaine bound standout led the Hawks to the Class C championship, hitting .456 and slugging five home runs while driving in 24 runs and scoring 29. He also walked 21 times to produce a .590 OBP. He added more mound duties this season and went 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 36 strikeouts against five walks in 28 2/3 innings.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Wes Ridlon, Scarborough: Defense, taking the extra base and great pitching were the Red Storm’s calling cards during a 15-1 regular season, and nothing changed in the playoffs as they rolled to the Class A title without a real power threat in their lineup and despite expected top senior pitcher Harrison Griffiths missing the whole season because of injury. Named Scarborough’s head coach prior to the canceled 2020 season, Ridlon has compiled a 57-15 record.