Newsletter #23...Positive signs
Wednesday was Signing Day for several local senior standouts, who got to partake in the ceremony of making their college choices official.
In front of family and friends.
At Thornton Academy, Cora Bolduc committed to playing field hockey at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, while Grady Hersey signed to play lacrosse at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Bolduc, a member of the all-state team as a junior and senior, is an SMAA All-Conference, first-team selection. She led the Golden Trojans this season in goals (21), assists (10) and points (52). Bolduc is first in program history with 26 assists and is third in program history for most goals scored in a season, most points in a season and most points in a career.
"Cora has been such a big part of Thornton Academy field hockey and Saco field hockey," said Thornton Academy field hockey coach Lexie Carter. "Seeing her take the next step to play at Bentley University makes us so, so proud. From the first time I met Cora, she stood out as someone who really loved field hockey. Beyond the numbers, what's so special about Cora is her character. She is driven, she's caring and she's coachable. She's so positive. She shows up every day ready to give her best and always stays late. She always finds a way to lift her teammates up. She's been a great role model for the next generation coming up behind her. She's accomplished so much here at TA and I have no doubt she'll make her mark at Bentley too. The Falcons aren't just getting an incredible player, but an even better teammate."
"Today means so much, having all these people here to support me and make it official," said Bolduc, who is considering majoring in management and minoring in marketing or professional sales. "Playing in college has been a dream for awhile. My Mom (Angela) played in college and that was a goal of mine. I'm so grateful to go play in college. To achieve that is such a great feeling. Bentley was by far my number one school. It was to the point where it was Bentley or bust. It went by so quickly, but I'm so grateful for the time I had here and I wouldn't change anything about it."
Hersey, a three-sport standout, who also plays football and hockey, is an elite defender in lacrosse, an All-American-caliber standout who can shut down the opposition and as he proved in last year's state game upset of Falmouth, win his share of faceoffs and even get involved on offense when the opportunity presents. Hersey is a defensive standout and captain for the football team, which hosts Bonny Eagle in the regional final Saturday.
"Grady has a desire to continue to improve the nine months he's not playing (lacrosse)," said Golden Trojans' boys' lacrosse coach Ryan Hersey, Grady's uncle. "Playing football, hockey, travel lacrosse and lifting, he's made significant gains from June to March in his own time. That made him go from a role player his freshman year to our best defender his sophomore year to an elite defender in the state of Maine his junior year. Grady can put fear aside and go play in the moment. He has a love of the game and a willingness to pass that along to the next generation of TA lacrosse players. The younger kids love his energy. I'm truly proud of this young man and his effort and motivation to be an amazing athlete here at TA."
"I've worked really hard at this sport," Grady Hersey said. "Getting to play four more years at the next level is really exciting. It's been a dream of mine. I really like the Merrimack campus, the fit and the proximity to home. It all clicked."
In Yarmouth, Grace Keaney committed to playing volleyball at the University of Rhode Island.
Keaney helped the Clippers win Class B state championships her freshman and sophomore seasons and is a premier hitter who can do much, much more on the court.
"It's huge for (our program) to have someone go (Division One)," said Clippers' coach Erin Hancock. "I've actually coached Grace since she was in the seventh grade. It's a really proud moment for me to see her accomplish this. She's very much a utility player. You can put her in any position on the court and not only will she work really hard to be the best at that position, but she can adjust. She works hard at bettering herself and her teammates around her. Her drive is just something you can't teach."
"It means a lot to have everyone here who has supported me. My teachers, my teammates, my friends, my parents," said Keaney, who plans to study something to do with engineering. "What drove me toward Rhode Island was their coaching staff. They're all super-sweet. All the girls I met were all amazing and wonderful. The academics are what I was looking for."
Falmouth had a group signing, as 15 different athletes announced their college destination.
That group included the following:
Hudson Barry (Colby College, soccer)
Eli Bush (Tufts, football)
Ali Carter (University of Massachusetts, track)
Dylan Cleveland (St. John Fisher University, lacrosse)
Hayden Davis (Lafayette College, lacrosse)
Cam Day (St. Michael's College, lacrosse)
Thomas Gale (Maine Maritime Academy, football)
Kate Gorsuch (Trinity College, swimming)
Matthew Grace (Wheaton College, lacrosse)
Peter Kearns (Colby College, lacrosse)
Jacoby Porter (University of Chicago, baseball)
Luke Roy (McGill University, football)
Malcolm Sprague (University of Mary Washington, swimming)
Violet Westburg (Worcester Polytech, field hockey)
Abram Wintersteen (Gettysburg College, football)
More champions crowned
Championship Saturday was largely glorious for local teams.
In Auburn, Cape Elizabeth's girls' soccer team completed its dominant, perfect season by blanking Hermon, 3-0, to capture the Gold Ball for the 10th time and the first since 2021. Yarmouth's boys, after falling short a year ago, then won a championship for the 17th time by rallying to edge Oceanside, 2-1, in an overtime thriller, on a goal from senior Zacarias Binda.
Nearby, in Lewiston, Cheverus' field hockey team did it again, dramatically, watching a two-goal second half lead slip away before an unlikely hero, sophomore Jaylee Radford, scored late for a 3-2 victory, giving the Stags their third consecutive crown and fourth in five seasons. Freeport hoped to join Cheverus stop the heap, but the Falcons were beaten by Belfast in the Class B state final, 1-0.
In that one, televised by Maine Public Broadcasting, the crew was kind of enough to have me as a guest at halftime, where I had a chance to chat with Ethan Snow.
Up in Oakland, Scarborough's girls and Bangor did battle again in the Class A soccer final, but for the second year in a row, the Red Storm couldn't solve the Rams, falling, 1-0. Scarborough's boys were able to snap their title drought, however, winning a Gold Ball for the first time in a dozen seasons, holding off Brunswick, 2-1, on a late goal from senior Denver Bachmann.
See below for story links...
Football fun continues
Football is into the regional final round and there are some terrific matchups on tap.
Friday night, reigning state champion Portland hosts Bangor for the second year in a row in the Class A North Final, upstart Westbrook welcomes two-time regional champion Kennebunk in the Class B South Final and in Class C, Greely, one year removed from capturing an eight-man championship, hopes to punch its ticket to the 11-man state final as it hosts Wells in a state semifinal.
Saturday afternoon, arguably the state's two best teams will meet in the Class A South Final, as top-ranked Thornton Academy welcomes Bonny Eagle. Three weeks ago, the Golden Trojans won, 42-21, at the Scots, behind Connor Ayoob's epic effort (40 carries, 304 yards).
The football state games are next Saturday, the 22nd, with Classes A and B competing at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland and Class C being held at Lewiston High School.
On a heater
Several local squads have produced long win streaks. Here's a list of teams who have won at least five games in a row at press time:
Cape Elizabeth girls' soccer (18 in a row)
Cheverus field hockey (17)
Greely football (18, including 2024)
Scarborough boys' soccer (18)
Thornton Academy football (7)
Westbrook football (7)
Yarmouth boys' soccer (11)
In case you missed it...
If you missed any of our recent game stories, you can find them here:
Falmouth's title reign ends with painful loss at Kennebunk
Cape girls produce perfect ending
Cheverus scores late to three-peat
Freeport's title hopes dashed by Belfast
Yarmouth goes OT to beat Oceanside in state game
Scarborough girls fall one goal short
Scarborough boys beat Brunswick to return to pinnacle
Media
Last Friday's Middays with Mannix and Mannix spot:
https://thebigjab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/MMM-11-7-25-Michael-Hoffer.mp3
Tuesday's WGAN spot with Matt Gagnon:
https://wgan.com/morning-news/hoffers-high-school-sports-9/
Predictions
I'm now 7-3 on my popular, prescient Patriots pick, following Sunday's thrilling win in Tampa Bay.
This week's game took place on Thursday night, but I made prediction before-hand:
Patriots 23 Jets 16
So make that 8-3.
Turning to high school football, here are my picks for this week's games. I went 4-1 last week (80-24 for the season):
Greely over Wells
Portland over Bangor
Thornton Academy over Bonny Eagle
Kennebunk over Westbrook
Daily features
All season long at Hoffer's High School Sports, we'll have fresh, unique content every weekday, in addition to the myriad game stories.
This past Monday, HHSS, in conjunction with cPort Credit Union, named our Athlete of the Week, Yarmouth senior boys' soccer player Zacarias Binda, who not only scored the winning goal in double-overtime in the regional final, but finished in overtime of the Clippers' state game victory.
Michael Hoffer
On Tuesday, our weekly Super-Six polls featured a final poll for boys' soccer, girls' soccer and field hockey and the latest for football.
Michael Hoffer
Wednesday saw us feature the Kennebunk at Westbrook regional final as our Game of the Week:
Michael Hoffer
Thursday, our weekly Hoffer's High School Sports podcast featured five coaches talking about their teams' recent state championship wins. Gorham volleyball's Emma Tirrell, Cape Elizabeth girls' soccer's Branden Noltkamper, Cheverus field hockey's Andrea Musante, Yarmouth boys' soccer's Justin Morrill and Scarborough boys' soccer's Mark Diaz are all included.
Michael Hoffer
Enjoy the weekend, everyone.
May we all experience as much joy as the Cape Elizabeth's girls' soccer and Cheverus field hockey teams did after winning state championships last Saturday.
See you again right here, next Friday.
Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffersports@yahoo.com
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