Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2017 | Page 20

Libby Pomerleau ’16: in it to WIN IT
BEST
in the
STATE
Saint Joseph’s College freshman field
hockey forward Libby Pomerleau
’16 played a standout season for the
Monks, who captured the school’s first
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
(GNAC) championship, NCAA
Tournament berth, and NCAA
tournament victory. Libby was named
to the 2016 Synapse Sports All-Rookie
Team, the GNAC First Team All-
Conference, and was crowned the
Michael holds up the Fitzpatrick Trophy, alongside TA coaches. L to R: Craig Agreste ’92, Nick
Scontras ’92, Nick Tabor ’96, Jack Morrison ’74, Marc Gagne, Michael Laverriere ’17, Kevin
Kezal, Josh Pulsifer ’06, Kirk Agreste ’99, and Greg Paradis ’91.
GNAC Rookie of the Year. She led the
team in goals (16), assists (10), points
(42), and game-winning goals (8), while
being ranked second nationally among
first-year players in goals (out of 165
NCAA DIII programs). She was third in
both assists and total points when aligned
with other NCAA DIII rookies.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SJC
Quarterback Michael Laverriere ’17
was named the 46 th winner of the
James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, given to
the top high school senior in Maine
football, in addition to being named
the Maine Gatorade Player of the
Year, the Maine Sunday Telegram
Player of the Year, and the USA Today
Maine Offensive Player of the Year.
Michael is a resident of Arundel whose
parents, Chris and Michele, have been
supportive of his football career ever
since he started playing youth football
in Saco with the Junior Trojans in
second grade. “He ranks right up
there with some of the best I’ve ever
coached,” said Head Coach Kevin
Kezal in an article for the Portland
Press Herald.
“We were young and inexperienced,
and in those big-game situations we
had to rely on Michael – certainly
more so than we have with any one
guy the last four, five years.” Michael
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directed an offense that averaged more
than 43 points per game. He accounted
for almost 2,200 yards in nine games,
including 1,384 on the ground while
averaging 8.8 yards per carry. He will
play football at the University of Maine
next year.
Gary Stevens Receives National Citation
for Athletic Administration
Michael Laverriere ’17 and
Dave Eid of WGME-13
Dayton resident Nick Bartholomew
’17 was awarded the Frank J. Gaziano
Memorial Offensive Lineman Award,
which recognizes the top offensive
lineman in the state of Maine. Nick
is a two-time SMAA All-Conference
selection with a 3.92 grade-point
average. He will continue playing
football at Husson University. Finding
balance and giving back to his
community have also been important
priorities for Nick whose advice for
up-and-coming TA players is: “Put
the same effort that you put into
football into your academics and into
your school. That will set you up for
success.”
PHOTOS BY JEFF CHRISTENBURY ’03 | GRAPHICS BY JOSH PULSIFER ’06
Thornton Academy Director of
Athletics and Student Activities
Gary Stevens (pictured below in
the front row, far left) was awarded
the National Federation of State
High School Associations Citation
for his outstanding work in athletic
administration. Gary was recognized
for this prestigious distinction in
December 2016 during luncheon
festivities at the 47 th annual National
Athletic Directors Conference held in
Nashville, Tennessee. The NFSH Board
of Directors selects just one recipient
from the region encompassing all of
New England, New Jersey, and New
York. He is one of only eight athletic
administrators in the country to
receive the Citation in 2016. Executive
Director of the Maine Interscholastic
Athletic Administrators Association
Martin E. Ryan said, “On behalf of
the MIAAA, we are very pleased
for Gary to receive this recognition
for his outstanding contributions to
interscholastic athletics in Maine, as
well as the MIAAA. He is a very fine
leader and we are very happy to see his
great skills recognized.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF NIAAA
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