Waynflete Flyers Fall Sports Preview

BOYS’ SOCCER

Senior Henry Hart and his Waynflete boys’ soccer teammates have done plenty of winning in recent seasons and expect that to continue this fall. File photos

Coach: Brandon Salway (33rd year, 302-117-44 overall record, six state championships)

2020 results: 10-0 (no postseason)
2019 record: 16-2 (Beat Mt. View, 4-0, to win second consecutive Class C state title

Top returning players: Henry Hart (senior), Arnau Phillips-Vila (senior), Samir Sayed (senior), Matt Adey (junior), Roan Hopkins (junior), Jacob Woodman (sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 8 @ NYA, Sept. 10 TRAIP, Sept. 21 CAPE ELIZABETH, Sept. 24 NYA, Sept. 28 @ Greely, Oct. 1 @ Freeport, Oct. 8 YORK, Oct. 13 @ Traip, Oct. 19 @ Yarmouth

Coach’s comment: “We graduated 16 and we’re replacing eight starters. They were such an accomplished group. I’m impressed with the effort so far. We lack experience, but we have good players in every spot and we have some depth. We’re playing a challenging preseason schedule and like always, our regular season schedule will be very challenging. Having an open tournament this year takes a little pressure off. We’ll be forced to improve and hopefully we’ll win some games along the way.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete didn’t win a state title a year ago, but might have produced its most impressive season nonetheless. After capturing Class C crowns in 2018 and 2019, the Flyers beat every team they faced – including Class A powers Cheverus, Deering and Portland, and longtime Class B contender Greely – in 2020, but due to the pandemic, they couldn’t go for a three-peat. A large group of standout athletes, many of whom also won a championship in lacrosse and excelled in basketball, has graduated, but the cupboard is not bare.

Hart, Phillips-Vila and Sayed are all captains and all will see time in the midfield. Look for Hart and Sayed to pace the offense as well. Woodman, junior Cole Isherwood and sophomore Nils Burton-Johanson will also do their share of scoring. Defensively, Adey and Hopkins, along with juniors Liam Anderson, Jasper Curtis and Dudley Holdridge and sophomore Dana Bigelow, will look to stymie the opposition. sophomore Nico Kirby, a three-sport athlete, takes over in goal.

Playing a daunting schedule, which includes the likes of Cape Elizabeth, Freeport, Greely, North Yarmouth Academy, Traip Academy Yarmouth and York, will pay off in the long run. While Waynflete’s win-loss record might take a hit, it will be more than battle tested when the postseason rolls around. The Flyers might be mortal this fall, but that doesn’t mean that this season won’t end with them atop the heap once more. Until further notice, the top teams in Class C should plan on having to go through Waynflete to reach the pinnacle.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Senior Devan Sherry will be in the middle of the action for Waynflete’s up-and-coming girls’ soccer team.

Co-coaches: Carrie Earls and George Sherry (fourth year, 11-25-4 overall record)

2020 results: 4-5-1 (no postseason)
2019 record: 3-10-3 (Lost to Maranacook, 1-0, in Class C South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Jesse Connors (senior), Lucy Goodman (senior), Lolie Millspaugh (senior), Devan Sherry (senior), Iris Stutzman (junior), Morgan Earls (sophomore), Lucy Hart (sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 8 NYA, Sept. 10 @ Traip, Sept. 11 @ St. Dom’s, Sept. 14 SACOPEE, Sept. 21 @ Cape Elizabeth, Sept. 23 @ NYA, Sept. 28 OOB, Oct. 5 ST. DOM’S, Oct. 12 TRAIP, Oct. 15 @ Sacopee, Oct. 19 @ OOB

Coach Earls’ comment: “First and foremost, we hope to get through this season safely and without any COVID interruptions. We always want to finish the season with a better record than the previous year. We played a lot of tough teams during the COVID year, so we look forward to playing inter-class matches again this season. We hope to possess and move the ball well and play good, physical soccer.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: With several members of the girls’ lacrosse state championship team on board, Waynflete girls’ soccer is looking to return to prominence this fall and there’s reason for optimism that the Flyers could be one of the top teams in Class C South.

After being the hero of the lacrosse team’s run to the championship, Connors returns in goal and is a steady, aggressive, confident last line of defense. She’s aided defensively by Goodman, Millspaugh and freshman Fallon Culley, who will also see time in the midfield. Veteran midfielders to watch include Hart and Stutzman. sophomores Izzy Gleason and Vivian Rallis provide depth. Up top, Earls and Sherry will be top scoring threats.

Waynflete last posted a winning record in 2016 and while this team has many tough tests on the schedule, it’s capable of showing vast improvement and could be a very dangerous foe in the postseason.

FIELD HOCKEY (co-op with North Yarmouth Academy)

Coach: Annika King (third year)

2020 results: No season
2019 record: 5-10 (Lost, 5-2, to Wells in Class C South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Emily Kalinich (senior), Larkin Kern (senior), Emelia McKenney (senior), Elisabeth Traister (senior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 8 ST. DOM’S, Sept. 11 @ Greely, Sept. 23 @ St. Dom’s, Sept. 30 YARMOUTH, Oct. 14 @ St. Dom’s

Coach’s comment: “Still being a new co-op between Waynflete and NYA, we are looking forward to being a cohesive and united force. We have a talented group of athletes who are itching to play in games this year. Not having played in any contests last year, we are eager to see what the other teams have established and look forward to playing against them this season.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA/Waynflete didn’t play last fall during the pandemic, but the squad is eager to return to action and should hold its own against some tough competition from Class B and Class C.

Kalinich and McKenney are veterans on the forward line and will hope to spark the offense. Freshman Emma Bowdoin will also be involved in the goal-scoring. Kern is an anchor in the midfield and also has experience. On defense, Traister leads the way. senior Ellie Howerton-Lynch will be in goal.

Getting re-acclimated to varsity play will be the biggest concern at the start of the season. That and the joy of returning to action after a year away. Winning will be a secondary concern, but as the season progresses, look for some positive results and by the time the playoffs start, this squad could be primed to make some noise.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coaches:
(Boys) Jim Millard (second year)
(Girls) Steve Withers (fourth year)

2020 results: No state meet (both teams qualified)
2019 results:
(Boys) DNQ for Class C state meet (9th at regionals)
(Girls) 6th @ Class C state meet

Top returners:
(Boys) Eli Schair-Rigoletti (senior), Joe Dupree (junior), Sawyer Linehan (junior)
(Girls) Vera Shattuck (senior), Blythe Thompson (senior), Julia Werner (senior), Keegan Dolan (junior), Anna Siegel (sophomore)

Coach Millard’s comment: “We have a young, strong team this year with some big shoes to fill with the graduation of Levi Lillienthal. Our older runners know what it takes to get to that level and they are working toward it. With a host of young runners in ninth grade and some promising talent returning, we hope to be competitive in our class and our goal is a berth in the state meet in late-October.”

Coach Withers’ comment: “We graduated an impactful senior class that led and supported our team through the uncertainties of the pandemic. We enter the 2021 season with a young team under the leadership of three outstanding captains, Blythe Thompson, Vera Shattuck and Julia Werner. We pride ourselves on our camaraderie, work ethic and perseverance. While we are young and will undoubtedly experience growing pains early in the season, look for us to continue to improve and be ready to shine in the postseason. Come late October, I’m confident that we’ll be competitive with the top teams in the state.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete’s boys and girls would have taken part in the state meet a year ago had it been held. The Flyers look to make up for that missed opportunity this fall.

The boys’ squad will miss Levi Lilienthal, who was the runner-up at last year’s qualifier, as well as Bryan Stark-Chessa, who was seventh. The Flyers do return Schair-Rigoletti, the captain, who placed 12th in 2020 and Linehan (14th). Dupree has experience. sophomores Wyatt Adams and Michael Bostock could step right in and make an impact, while freshmen Pi Crosby, Ben Duda, Wyatt Masteka and Elliott Werner add depth. Waynflete will be competitive all year and if healthy, should make an impact at the state meet.

On the girls’ side, Thompson is a top returner and captain. She was seventh at last year’s state qualifier. Siegel (11th) and Dolan (14th) also scored at the meet. Shattuck and Werner are other veterans and captains. Three freshmen, Skylar Harris, Vivi Jenkins and Kestrel Linehan, show promise. The Flyers are no strangers to strong regular seasons and high finishes at the state meet. Expect more of the same this autumn.

GOLF

Wayneflete’s George Fahey is the reigning Class C individual golf champion and hopes to repeat this fall.

Coach: Ben Boonseng (first year)

2020 results: (DNQ for state match)

Top returning players: Ed Cox (senior), George Fahey (senior), Danny Noone (senior), Josef Powers (senior), Seth Cloutier (junior), Ty Davin (junior), Henry Kerr (junior), Oscar Twining (junior)

Coach’s comment: “As a first-year coach, I do not know what to expect, but I would like to help grow the game as much as I can.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete is back as a full-fledged varsity team and the Flyers won’t just be strong collectively, but once again could feature a champion individual.

Fahey won the Class C individual title a year ago, shooting an 18-hole round of 74. He’d love to do it again and will lead his team to great things. Cox also took part at the state match a year ago, shooting an 83, which tied him for seventh in Class C. He’ll look to move up this fall and help the Flyers make a run at states as a team. Noone and Powers are senior leaders, while Cloutier, Davin, Kerr and Twining could be primed to take the next step. Waynflete will make a name for itself in the weeks to come.