Waynflete Flyers Fall Athletes of the Year

PAIGE ALEXANDER, Sophomore – Cross country/Soccer

Courtesy Waynflete Athletics.

• All-State, second-team

Alexander excelled in cross country, leading her team to a state title, and was a terrific soccer player to boot and her ability to juggle two completely different sports was most impressive and worthy of this selection.

As a freshman, Alexander finished 11th at the Class C state cross country meet, helping the Flyers to a runner-up finish, and was part of a girls’ soccer team that won a Gold Ball.

This fall, she continued to get the job done in both sports.

On the trails, Alexander was at her best in the postseason, coming in third at the regional meet, then placing fourth at states, helping Waynflete win its first crown since 2009.

“Paige was our top runner all season and she pushed other athletes to be better,” said Flyers cross country coach Steve Withers. “Her presence as a runner and teammate were invaluable in our team victory at the state championship meet.”

On the pitch, Alexander and her Flyers teammates made it to the playoffs before losing to eventual state champion North Yarmouth Academy in the quarterfinals.

Paige Alexander, Waynflete’s Fall Athlete of the Year, is only just beginning to impress in two different sports and she figures to have plenty of highlights to come representing the Flyers.

Cross country coach Steve Withers’ comment: “Paige’s successes this season were a direct result of not only her efforts throughout the fall, but also the time and effort that she put into her training and rehab over the summer. In recovering from her foot injury, she learned to trust the rehab process and embrace the benefits of cross training. As a result, Paige returned this year as a stronger runner and she displayed more determination and confidence than previously. Paige’s work ethic during workouts was commendable, particularly with track sessions. She had high expectations of herself and worked tirelessly to achieve her goals. Paige’s consistency in her mile splits during races was astounding and it was comforting from a coach’s perspective to have an athlete that ran at the front of the pack with consistency each and every race. She is a positive young person, a strong athlete and a fierce competitor and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for next season.”

Soccer coach Jesse McDonough’s comment: “Paige is a true student of the game. She’s always thinking about ways she can make herself and her teammates better. She has a fantastic sense for tactics, positioning and how to use her body. Her foot skills, her vision, and her ability to strike the ball all make her a formidable threat to any opponent no matter where she’s playing on the field.”

Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

Prior winners:

• 2023 Lucy Hart (soccer)
* 2022 Lucy Hart (soccer)
* 2021 Elli Howerton-Lynch (field hockey)
* 2020 Semma Twining (cross country)
• 2019 Kilee Sherry (soccer)
• 2018 Anna Wildes (cross country)
• 2017 Ava Farrar (soccer)
• 2016 Isabel Canning (soccer)
• 2015 Arianna Giguere (soccer)
• 2014 Julianna Harwood (soccer)
• 2013 Leigh Fernandez (soccer)
• 2012 Jo Moore (field hockey)
• 2011 Becky Smith (soccer)
• 2010 Lindsey Sinicki (field hockey)
• 2009 Amy Allen (cross country)
• 2008 Adele Espy (cross country)
• 2007 Adele Espy (cross country)
• 2006 Alex Woodhouse (soccer)
• 2005 Tess Crain (cross country)
• 2004 Anina Hewey (soccer)

PI CROSBY, Senior – Cross country

Courtesy Waynflete Athletics.

• Class C South champion
* WMC all-star, first-team
* WMC All-Academic
* Captain

Crosby gradually climbed the ladder as a contender and capped his career with a dazzling senior season, one that won’t soon be forgotten.

Crosby would have been a contender as a freshman, but some misfortune derailed his hopes.

“I knew Pi was going to do great things for our program at the end of his freshman year,” said Waynflete coach Jim Millard. “He got sick late in the season and he missed the cutoff for running in the regional and state championships. When I had to tell him that, it was a really hard conversation for both of us, but I saw in his eyes and in his demeanor that he was not going to let that happen again. When he returned in his sophomore year, he was a changed runner.”

As a sophomore, Crosby finished 18th at regionals and 24th at states. As a junior captain, he was runner-up at regionals before coming in 23rd at states.

“He had been the runner who worked out consistently throughout the summer, he was battling in the two and three spots for us all season long and his effort and improvement earned him a captaincy for his junior year,” Millard said. “Last year, he came into the season red hot and stayed that way through the regionals where he was the runner up. Then in states, we ran into the buzz-saw that was the Northern Maine region. Pi was disappointed with where he finished last year and as he always does, he used that for fuel.”

This fall, again as a captain, Crosby was a steady leader throughout and saved his best for the postseason. At the regional meet, Crosby had no peer, placing first in 17 minutes, 21.99 seconds, helping the Flyers qualify for states. At states, where Waynflete came in ninth, Crosby was second individually behind Orono’s Ben Arsenault with a time of 17:05.39.

“When he returned this fall, we had a talk about his goals for the season and we decided that his goal should be state champion, so he went to work,” said Millard. “Pi calculated and trained perfectly throughout the season planning his daily workouts with the team and on his own to get himself primed for the big race and as he did all that, he also led the team in every way I could have asked for as his coach. He was the hardest worker with the deepest commitment. He was a motivator and an inspiration. Pi missed his racing goal by 11 seconds, but he clocked a personal record for the Twin Brook course at exactly the time he planned to run – 17:05 – which he figured would bring him to victory. This year, Pi is the regional champion and the state runner-up in Class C because of who he is: A hard working, intelligent athlete with the will to do his very best.”

Pi Crosby, Waynflete’s Fall Athlete of the Year, impressed everyone who crossed his path and his senior season was one of the best around.

Coach Jim Millard’s comment: “Pi is a great kid all around and that is what makes him successful. He works hard at everything he does from school work to running to being a good citizen. When you get to know Pi, you realize that he’s a deeply thoughtful young man. He goes about his business and is very humble about it. I’m not going to say he’s irreplaceable because no one is, but he sure comes close, and we’re going to miss him a whole lot next year.”

Courtesy Brian Beard.

Prior winners:
• 2023 Jacob Woodman (soccer)
* 2022 Myles Culley (soccer)
* 2021 George Fahey (golf)
* 2020 Joey Ansel-Mullen (soccer)
• 2019 Joey Ansel-Mullen (soccer)
• 2018 Luca Antolini (soccer)
• 2017 Henry Spritz (cross country)
• 2016 Ilyas Abdi (soccer)
• 2015 Milo Belleau (soccer)
• 2014 Harry Baker-Connick (soccer)
• 2013 Henry Cleaves (soccer)
• 2012 Peabo Knoth (soccer)
• 2011 Daniel Weiner (soccer)
• 2010 Tucker Geoffroy (soccer)
• 2009 Chris Gillespie (soccer)
• 2008 Josh Bloom (soccer)
• 2007 Tristan Corriveau (soccer)
• 2006 Tristan Corriveau (soccer)
• 2005 Dan Black (soccer)
• 2004 Matt Lacasse (soccer)