Winter 2015 Sports Wrap-Up

The 2015 Winter season was an exciting one for Waynflete’s athletic teams!  As the snow piled up outside, the action heated up in the gym, the pool, the rink, and on the slopes and the trails.  Every varsity winter team qualified for post-season play, which is always a goal for the program.  Winter also brought the return of varsity boys ice hockey which has not been played at Waynflete for decades.

Two Waynflete students, freshmen Will armstrong and Max Winson, suited up for the brand new South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport cooperative boys ice hockey team.  The “Red Flying Falcons” had a great first year finishing the regular season with a record of ten wins and eight losses.  This record was good enough for the #6 seed in the Class A west tournament.  The team gave Noble/Wells a battle but lost to the #3 seed in the quarterfinals 6-3.  Armstrong was a starting defenseman and played on the penalty kill line.  Winson anchored the second line and scored four goals on the season.  Watch out for this young team in the next few years!

The girls ice hockey cooperative team, Capeflete, entered its seventh season.   This year South Portland joined up with Cape Elizabeth and Waynflete to add a few more players.  Coached by Bob Mills, the team returned to the play-offs.  Led by seven seniors, the squad produced a 9-11-1 season and made it to the second round of the playoffs. Waynflete seniors Allison Mills (captain), Maddy Pellow, and Gavi King provided leadership, good sportsmanship and experience for all of the new players.   With 23 skaters in total, allowing for a JV team for the first time, the program is looking forward to continued success in the future.

The girls basketball team, coached by Brandon Salway, compiled an impressive regular season record of twelve wins and five losses.  Highlights of the season included a “Think Pink” cancer awareness event and fundraiser that the team participated in for the third straight year, and raised over $800 for the Maine Cancer Society.   The Flyers earned the #7 seed in the Class C West  tournament.  In the preliminary round they fell 48-41 to Madison ending their season.  Senior captains Julianna Harwood, Helen Gray-Bauer and Dana Peirce led the way for the Flyers.  Harwood and Gray-Bauer were named to the WMC first team and freshman point guard Lydia Giguere was named to the WMC second team.  Gray-Bauer earned a spot on the Maine McDonalds Class C/D Senior all-Star team and was also named the Portland Forecaster Female Athlete of the year for Winter 2015.

The boys basketball team, coached by eleventh year coach Rich Henry, completed an impressive 15-1 regular season record.  Wins over Class B foes Yarmouth, Wells and Poland were highlights of the regular season.  Also providing thrills for the fans were a come from behind win over Traip and an overtime win at OOB.  The Flyers earned the #3 seed for the Class C tourney and defeated Halldale in the quarterfinals 54-40.  The squad fell to a tough Dirigo Cougars team in the semifinals ending the season at 16-2.  Senior captain Harry Baker-Connick was named to the WMC First team along with junior captain Milo Belleau.  Baker-Connick also was voted onto the Maine McDonalds Class C/D West Senior all- star team.  Belleau was named the Portland Forecaster Winter Athlete of the Year for Winter 2015.

The girls nordic ski team placed 5th in the very competitive Western Maine Conference championship.  Third year head coach Ben Taska and first year assistant Elizabeth Ransom took the team to the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle to compete in the Class C state championship meet.  In the states, the team placed an impressive second behind Fort Kent, bringing home the runner up plaque.  Junior Marijke Rowse placed 9th in the skate race leading the team.  The boys nordic ski team placed 5th in the WMC championship and then followed that up with a 4th place effort at the state championship meet. Sophomore Willson Moore was 4th overall in the skate and he was followed closely by freshman Zander Martin who was 6th in the skate.  qualified for the.  Willson Moore ‘17 and Ellie Chidsey ‘17 made the U16 team and will go to race in Fort Kent in mid-March to compete against skiers from the other New England states and New York.

Waynflete’s alpine ski team, affectionately known as WART, was comprised this year of sophomores Beata Vest and Kelly Frumer.  In the WMC championship race Vest was 7th in slalom and Frumer was 8th in slalom and 10th in GS.  In the state meet Vest was 5th in slalom and 8th in GS and Frumer was 10th in slalom and 9th in GS.  Frumer placed third in the Skimeister competition which is for combined results in both alpine and nordic.

The Waynflete swim team finished the season with strong showings at Southwesterns and States.  Led by captains Grace Bukowski-Thall, Lucy Weaver, Chloe Williams, Austin Fanburg, and Sam Frederick, the team showed vast improvements throughout the course of the season.  The boys team of only five swimmers placed 13th out of 24 teams at the Class B state meet.  Caleb Levine placed 6th in the 100 Fly.  The girls team of only six swimmers placed 13th out of 26 teams at states.  Kiera MacWhinnie  placed 5th in the 100 Fly and 50 Free.  Although small in numbers, all team members supported one another and contributed to victories over Biddeford.  Congratulations to all swimmers for their hard work and dedication over the course of the season!

Click here to view the Winter Season Slideshow.