PORTSMOUTH — After two years of digital celebrations, the perfect highschool student-athletes within the Seacoast gathered in entrance of a crowd at The Music Corridor on Monday night time for the sixth annual Seacoast All-Star Sports activities Awards Present.
Haley Kavanagh,15, of the Oyster River Excessive College cross nation and out of doors observe groups was amongst these gathered exterior earlier than the occasion.
“I’m excited to be right here,” she stated. “It is actually particular.”
Her coach, Nicole Toye stated Kavanagh is fairly spectacular.
“I do know she will not let you know that, however she is,” stated Toye. “On and off the observe; she is an incredible younger lady.”
Boston Bruins ahead Charlie Coyle, following within the footsteps of former particular visitor audio system similar to Danny Amendola (2017 inaugural present, New England Patriots), Pedro Martinez (2018, Boston Purple Sox) and Paul Pierce (2019, Boston Celtics), engaged the gang.
Coyle, who performed in all 82 video games for Boston this previous common season and had 16 targets and 28 assists, talked about getting traded to his hometown group in 2019, rising up in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and reaching his childhood desires of enjoying within the NHL.
Requested to provide recommendation to the aspiring athletes, Coyle advised them to recollect why they play — for the love of the sport.
“The key is, there isn’t a secret,” Coyle stated. “Do the work, get higher and haven’t any regrets. Work onerous and be a very good individual. Take pleasure in it and keep within the second.”
Native comic Juston McKinney, a Seacoast native, opened the present. McKinney, who has appeared on the “The Tonight Present,” Conan O’Brien and different nationwide tv exhibits, will return to The Music Corridor in December for 4 exhibits.
“I’ve performed this thrice now and I adore it,” McKinney stated. “It is a actually enjoyable atmosphere and to see all these highschool athletes and their dad and mom coming collectively like this, is nice.”
Crew of the 12 months
The St. Thomas Aquinas boys hockey group, which beat Portsmouth/Newmarket, 7-1 within the Division II state championship in March, was named the Crew of the 12 months.
Colin Chrisom, co-captain of the group credit the success to the entire group.
“Everybody on the group pushes one another, makes us work more durable,” he stated.
Coach Dan Strabone stated he’s glad for the boys on the group.
“They work actually onerous and it is a whole group effort,” stated Strabone. “We’ve got an awesome group of youngsters and an awesome group of oldsters. I’m glad for the athletes and that we’re popping out of COVID. These children get one shot they usually work onerous for it.”
The 2 different finalists had been the Exeter Excessive College subject hockey group and the Marshwood Excessive College boys soccer group. The Blue Hawks beat Windham, 2-1, within the Division I title recreation final fall, whereas the Hawks beat Brunswick Excessive College within the Class A title recreation, the primary championship in program historical past.
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Boys Athlete of the 12 months
Winnacunnet Excessive College senior Tucker McCann was named Boys Athlete of the 12 months. The opposite two finalists had been York junior observe standout Matt Charpentier and Marshwood’s senior three-sport athlete Trevor Wozny.
Along with this honor, McCann additionally was chosen as Offensive Participant of the 12 months for soccer.
“I used to be shocked, however it’s nice,” he stated. “I feel I’ll hold it on my wall of plaques. I share a room with my brother, and he has a couple of of his personal, too.”
McCann, who will play soccer subsequent 12 months at Western New England, had an excellent senior season in three totally different sports activities. He led the Winnacunnet soccer group to an 11-1 report and a berth within the Division I state championship recreation; a 24-14 loss to Londonderry. He rushed for a team-high 1,322 yards and scored 14 touchdowns whereas being named MaxPreps Participant of the 12 months, Division I East Convention First Crew and Seacoast Sports activities Awards Offensive Participant of the 12 months. He had eight 100-yard dashing video games, together with 151 yards and a pair of TDs in a 21-14 semifinal win over rival Exeter.
In wrestling, he superior to the Division II championship match at 170 kilos and superior to the Meet of Champions.
Within the spring, McCann began for the Winnacunnet boys’ lacrosse group that superior to the Division II quarterfinals.
Women Athlete of the 12 months
York Excessive College sophomore Cary Drake was named Women Athlete of the 12 months. The opposite two finalists had been Dover freshman golfer Carys Fennessy and St. Thomas Aquinas senior swimmer Megan Reich.
Earlier than profitable this award, Drake had already gained two others, for cross nation and for winter observe.
“I used to be type of stalking the opposite athletes in line for this award,” she stated. “I knew there was some actually sturdy competitors. So, sure, I used to be glad however shocked it was me.”
Drake had a breakout sophomore 12 months in each season, creating into one of many high distance runners in not solely Maine but in addition New England. She began the 12 months by climbing to the highest tier in cross nation. She was second at each the Maine Class B South and Class B state meet and was the fifth quickest lady in New England.
Drake capped an excellent winter season on the New England Championships by putting second within the mile run in a photograph end – by 3/one thousandth of a second. Her time was 5 minutes, 1.515 seconds, bettering on her faculty report by 13 seconds. On the Class B state meet, she gained each the mile and the two-mile runs to steer York to Class B group runners-up honors. She additionally ran a leg of the victorious 4×800-meter relay.
Within the spring, she participated on two sports activities groups, serving to the York women lacrosse group to the Class B state championship recreation, whereas main the Wildcat observe and subject group to the Western Maine Convention and Class B championships. In each meets, she gained the mile and two-mile runs, whereas additionally working a leg of the profitable 4×800-meter relay.
Coach of the 12 months
Ben Deschenes, who led the Marshwood Excessive College boys soccer group to its first Class A championship in program historical past, was named Coach of the 12 months. The opposite two finalists had been Dan Strabone, who led St Thomas Aquinas to its hockey championship, and Kristen Morissette, who led the Exeter Excessive College softball group to its second Division I title in 4 years, beating Harmony, 1-0 in eight innings.
Deschenes attributed his success to a group effort.
“You do not win an award like this by your self,” he stated. “You want actually good individuals round you and I’ve that. I feel it is a shared award.”
Deschene spent 10 years constructing the Marshwood program up, and in 2021 the Hawks, because the No. 4 seed, lastly broke by means of. They went 16-2-1 final fall, profitable the ultimate 10 video games of the season.
Marshwood capped off its historic season with a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind win over Brunswick within the waning moments of the state ultimate.
In his 10 years with the Hawks, the group had 9 profitable seasons and made the playoffs eight occasions (there was no event in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic).
‘I’m Sport Award’
York senior Joe Neal acquired the The Piscataqua Financial institution Accomplice “I Am Sport Award.”
“I examine this award within the brochure, however I wasn’t anticipating to get it,” stated Neal. “I like enjoying sports activities, however I additionally love to do extra, to do extra for different individuals. I feel that is vital.”
Neal ran cross nation within the fall, putting sixteenth within the Class B state meet. Within the winter, Neal obtained the inexperienced mild from his athletic director and coaches to compete in each wrestling and hockey.
What did he do? Neal gained the Maine Class B wrestling state championship at 160 kilos, after which went 3-0 within the Maine New England Qualifier to advance to the New England Championships. He suffered a knee harm enjoying hockey the day earlier than he was scheduled to compete within the New England Wrestling championship and couldn’t compete.
For hockey, Neal, a group captain, had 12 targets and 23 assists for a team-high 39 factors, main York to the Class B South quarterfinals. This March Neal acquired the 18th annual Evans Spear Award. This award is given every year to essentially the most excellent senior boys’ hockey participant in Class B South, not solely when it comes to important on-ice success on the varsity hockey stage of their highschool profession, however equally when it comes to character, ardour, and spirit within the reminiscence of Evans Spear. Spear, a 2000 graduate of Yarmouth Excessive College, died in Could 2004 after a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Neal was additionally a two-year varsity catcher on York’s baseball group. He batted .383 with seven doubles and 15 RBIs this season.
Neal, who has served as his class president for the final three years, graduates with a GPA of 4.0. He has been concerned in 19 totally different fund-raisers throughout his time at York Excessive College and helped elevate greater than $25,000 for varied initiatives.
Neal will attend the U.S. Air Pressure Academy within the fall.
‘Braveness Award’
Newmarket Excessive College junior Lena Nicholson acquired the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Accomplice “Braveness Award.”
“It is thrilling,” stated Nicholson. “I used to be shocked however I prefer it.”
Nicholson was 10 kilos, 7 ounces and 26.6 inches at delivery, and was recognized with Sotos syndrome, a genetic dysfunction characterised by extreme development earlier than and after delivery.
By the point she was 9 years previous, Nicholson was 6 toes tall, and reached 6-foot-5 when she was 14. Nicholson, as a result of her measurement, was usually bullied. When she was in second grade, a gaggle of boys backed her right into a nook and had been making enjoyable of her due to her measurement and her speech. Lena, somebody who was at all times conscious of her variations, was attempting to look away, ignore them, and fake they weren’t there, however she could not get away. A member of the cafeteria workers noticed it occurring and stepped in to assist.
Nicholson, based on her mother, at all times wished to be goofy and humorous and play like most children did however was at all times conscious that individuals noticed her otherwise. Through the years she would attempt to “shrink” so individuals would not discover her. It’s only when she began basketball in seventh grade that she noticed her measurement as a constructive.
Nicholson performs varsity basketball and throws the discus and shot put in spring observe for Newmarket. She was a Division IV honorable point out basketball choice this 12 months, scoring a profession excessive 27 factors in a first-round event win over Hinsdale. She averaged 10 factors and seven.8 rebounds this previous season.
Nicholson positioned fifth within the shot put on this 12 months’s Division III state observe meet with a throw of 30 toes.
Fall gamers of the 12 months
Gamers of the 12 months are Dover senior Tyler Sheedy (boys cross nation), York sophomore Cary Drake (women cross nation), Exeter junior Addison MacNeill (subject hockey), Marshwood senior Andrew Goodwin (soccer, protection), McCann (soccer, offense), Exeter senior Will Ducharme (boys golf), Dover freshman Carys Fennessy (women golf), Marshwood senior Trevor Wozny (boys soccer), Exeter senior Maggie Corridor (women soccer) and Oyster River junior Emma Hampton (volleyball).
Winter gamers of the 12 months
Gamers of the 12 months are Marshwood senior Aiden Sullivan (boys basketball), York senior Emily Rainforth (women basketball), Portsmouth senior Luke Suhesky (boys hockey), St. Thomas Aquinas junior Diana Pivirotto (women hockey), Charpentier (boys indoor observe and subject), Drake (women indoor observe and subject), Dover senior Noah Kurr (boys swimming and diving), Reich (women swimming and diving) and York senior Will Orso (wrestling).
Spring gamers of the 12 months
Gamers of the yearare Winnacunnet senior Joe Allen (baseball), Exeter sophomore Annie Christiana (softball), Exeter senior Aiden Drunsic (boys lacrosse), Portsmouth senior Mia Smith (women lacrosse), Portsmouth senior Nate Fletcher (boys observe and subject), Exeter senior Sydney Lavelle (women observe and subject), Dover senior Griffin Leach (boys tennis), and Winnacunnet sophomore Stella Sebeny (women tennis).