Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2010 | Page 6

School News
Golf Team Wins State - Again!

For the second time in three seasons, the Thornton Academy golf team
captured the Class A state championship! It was an exciting and historical
moment for the Trojans and Coach Mike Verrier on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 at
Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro. The Golden Trojans shot a team score of
316 to win the title over runner-up South Portland. The championship marks
the third state crown in Verrier’s career at TA, with the other titles coming in
2004 and 2007. From left to right above are Brian Angis, Zach Golojuch, Jim
Quentin, Andrew Cummings, Verrier, Jon Pate and Dillon Dunbar. Angis went
on to win the Class A individual title on October 17. The Portland Press Herald
named Angis to its All State Team and Verrier Coach of the Year.

The Wilson-Agreste Award
By Christian Letourneau ‘10
At the end of the 2009-10 school year, a new trophy will find a home
in either the Biddeford High School or Thornton Academy trophy case.
The Wilson-Agreste award has entered its inaugural season as the
latest component of the Biddeford-Saco rivalry. Whereas the Battle of
the Bridge trophy honors the winner of the yearly regular-season contest in football, the Wilson-Agreste trophy accumulates the battles of
the bridge in all varsity sports during the regular season. One point is
awarded for each win; ties will result in the points being split. If a team
meets its rival twice during the regular season, a point may also be split
if there are two winners, but a team cannot get more than one point
within that season. The school with the most points at the end of the
athletic school year will claim the trophy.
The award is named after two figures who have been integral in
Biddeford-Thornton athletics: Don Wilson and Dick Agreste. Both have
extensive experience with the rivalry from the sidelines as coaches,
Wilson with the Tigers and Agreste with the Trojans. They have also
worked as colleagues.
“Don and Dick prepared for many Battles of the Bridge between the
two schools as former athletic directors,” says Biddeford High School
Athletic Director Dennis Walton. “They are also longtime friends which
we believe to be symbolic of the relationship the two schools have in
the name of good sportsmanship. Biddeford views TA as it’s greatest
rival, but at the same time, they are our neighbors and friends.”
Wilson and Agreste’s friendship is over 50 years in the making; the
two were close as schoolboys at Biddeford’s St. Louis High School. Since
then, the two men have represented the comradery in competition that
is indicative of the twin cities’ relationship.
“How they have approached the relationship between the two
schools is what we want this rivalry to be about,” said TA Athletic Director Gary Stevens.
The athletic director from the losing school will ceremoniously
present the trophy to their rivals at a school assembly. At the end of
the winter season, Thornton is out of the gates early. The Trojans lead
the contest 12.5-2.5.
Postscripts

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6

Former A.D.
Jeddy Newman
Dies

Former Thornton Academy Athletic Director John “Jeddy” Newman,
66, of Saco, died Tuesday, Nov. 10,
2009, at Southern Maine Medical Center.
He was born
April 13, 1943, in
Portland, the son
of Edward A. and
Janet E. Grimmer
Newman
and
was educated in
Portland schools,
graduating from Cheverus High
School in 1961 where he was a member of the 1961 State Championship
Basketball Team and the 1961 undefeated Telegram League Baseball
Team.
Jeddy went on to attend both
Boston College and the University of
Maine at Orono and graduated from
the University of Maine in Portland
where he played basketball. He began his long, distinguished career as
a teacher and coach at Bonny Eagle
High School, where he coached the
1970 Class L State Championship
Basketball Team. He then joined the
faculty of Thornton Academy where
he taught Math, coached Basketball
and served as the Athletic Director
from 1992 to 1997. In his retirement, John was employed at Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Saco.
“As an athletic coach, he led
Thornton Academy’s boys basketball
team to the Western Maine Class A
championship game in 1971,” said
TA Athletic Director Gary Stevens.
One of Thornton Academy’s most
beloved figures, Jeddy was known
for his sense of humor and generosity and caring for others. The Thornton Academy Athletic Boosters have
recognized Jeddy’s contributions to
athletics at the school by naming the
annual student-athlete awards in his
honor.”
Surviving are John’s wife, Samantha Legendre Newman of Saco; one
daughter, Deborah Bovali of Brandon,
Fla.; sons, Michael Newman, his wife
Krista and their daughter Janet of
Buxton; Scott Newman and his wife
Amy of Cape Elizabeth; one brother,
Frederick Newman of Gray; and one
niece, Jennifer Newman.