Richard Parker’ 60 A long-time member of Thornton’ s Science Department, Dick was also a familiar face in TA track circles from the late 1960’ s to the mid-1980’ s, coaching all three running sports: cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. He was assistant coach on Dom DiBiase ' s 1969 state champion team and head coach of undefeated 1972 state champion outdoor track and field team, as well as the 1974 girls cross country team, which was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame last year.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME WELCOMES THE CLASS OF 2025
The Thornton Academy Athletic Hall of Fame welcomes five individuals and one team for 2025. Congratulations to the following:
Larry Bowie’ 63 Larry was the starting center on TA’ s 1962 State Championship football team and later joined the coaching staff before taking the helm of the academy’ s first boys soccer team in 1973. Larry was best known for his 20 years coaching track at Thornton, including the early years of the girls team, which became a perennial contender. He served as head coach of indoor track and field from 1967-1987, and is also known to many as the academy’ s long-time wellness teacher.
Tyler Goulden’ 12 Considered the greatest diver in TA’ s history, Tyler was a two-time Southwestern Maine diving champion and two-time Maine Class A state champion diver. As a junior, he shattered the Thornton record for an 11-dive meet, obliterating the previous mark by more than 100 points. He won his first state meet that year, becoming the first Trojan athlete to win a state title in either swimming or diving. During his senior year, Tyler set a record in the six-dive program, as well as a new high in the 11-dive on the way to a second state championship.
Janice Pendleton’ 75 A standout in field hockey, basketball, and track and field, Janice excelled in field hockey, serving as team captain and a top performer on the field, leading the’ 74 team to the conference championship. On the court, she was a strong ball handler, leading the Trojans to a 17- 3 record and a berth in the Western Maine Finals during her senior year. Janice also competed in track and field, running hurdles and the 220-meter dash, and throwing the javelin. She was a member of the 1974 conference championship team.
Sue( Mondor) Spath’ 67 A four-year player, Sue captained the field hockey team and was a standout on the field, earning Southwestern Maine Scholastic All-Star honors. A two-time president of the Girls Athletic Association at TA, Sue was recognized with the“ Outstanding Service to the School” award. She worked as a substitute physical education teacher in Saco after college, and then joined Saco Parks & Recreation Department, helping to develop programs for women’ s and girls’ sports just as Title IX became law.
2007 Golf Team Coach Mike Verrier’ 74, called the 2007 team“ the best I’ ve ever had” in his 18-year coaching career. The team avenged a one-stroke loss in the 2006 championship with a record score of 299 the following year, becoming the first team in Maine high school golf history to break the 300-stroke barrier- a number so low that even the tournament officials couldn’ t believe what they were seeing. Six players from the team qualified for the Class A individual state championship tournament – another record.
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