Winter athletes lauded at PIHS
By Jon Gulliver
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Presque Isle High School has honored its winter sports athletes with two separate functions. Cheerleaders, skiers, swimmers and hockey players were honored at a gathering on March 20 at the PIHS auditorium. The basketball players received their letters and awards the previous week.
PIHS AWARDS 
— Debbie Ackerson, assistant to the athletics director, presents Jacob Towle with a Presque Isle High School jacket for lettering in skiing all four years of high school.
JV II boys basketball coach David Whitaker presented certificates to freshmen Ben Buckley, James Churchill, Keeghan Lowe, Jordan Lyford, Cody McGlinn, Kyle Nadeau, Andrew Paterson, Devin Smart, and managers Aubrie Gross and Alexis Bell; sophomores Michael Donovan, Aaron Kofstad, Frank Nunez, Saul Nunez, Devin Schinhofen and Matt Tilley; and junior manager Paige Beaulieu.
The JV boys’ team was honored for winning the Hampden tournament at the end of the year. Coach Ron McAtee handed out certificates to freshmen Carter McLaughlin, Ben Nickerson and Chase Norton; sophomores Mitchell Ayotte, Drew Bates, Michael Boone, Josh Gordon, Cody Lyford, Connor Seward, Karson Wilcox, Bradley Shields, and managers Blair Bailey, Shelby Condon, Paige Gagnon and Jeremy Shaw; and juniors Dakota Fox and Jacob Williams.
The JV girls finished second in the end-of-the-year Hampden tournament. Receiving certificates from coach Tim McCue were freshmen Erin Ackerson, Kelsey Gilson, Emma Kinney, Jordan Legassie, Megan Seward, Kalie Ward, Morgan Wilcox and manager Jessica Cameron; sophomores Carly Bell, Kelsey Burlock, Kaleigh Kinney and Molly O’Connell; and juniors Samantha Simonds, Kali Warner and manager Amelia Sharp.
Staff photo/Jon Gulliver
PIHS AWARDS — Debbie Ackerson, assistant to the athletics director, presents Connor Shaw with a Presque Isle High School jacket for lettering in hockey all four years of high school.
The varsity girls were recognized for their undefeated state championship season. Coach Jeff Hudson and assistant coach Ralph Michaud presented a certificate to junior Kayla Girardin. First-year letters were awarded to freshmen Hannah Graham and Krystal Kingsbury, sophomore manger Mikayla Albert and junior manager Katie McKenna. Second-year letters went to juniors Laurin Ackerson and Liza Buck and seniors Claire Cheney and manager Stacia Caron. Juniors Karlee Bernier, Chandler Guerrette, Megan Ireland and Meredith Stewart received third-year letters and fourth-year letters went to seniors Chelsea Nickerson and Kayla Richards.
Varsity boys basketball coach Terry Cummings and assistant coach Greg Whitaker passed out certificates to sophomore Bradley Shields and juniors Corey Belanger, Michael Guerrette, Corey Willette, Jacob Williams and managers Jordan Cummings and Katelyn McPherson. First-year letters were awarded to junior manager Haley Bouchard and seniors Matt Eager, Logan Good, Cole Richards and manager Hanna Patterson. Juniors Tyler Brooks and Jonah Stephenson and seniors Andrew Cash and Andrew Kofstad received second-year letters. Senior Wilder York was given a third-year letter.
Sweatshirts were awarded to athletes, Good and Ireland, receiving six varsity letters in any combination of sports. Good lettered in soccer, basketball and track and field, Ireland in soccer and basketball.
Nickerson and Richards were jacket winners for lettering in basketball for four years.
The JV cheering squad was recognized for placing first at the Bangor Invitational. Coach Jenna Bradstreet presented certificates to freshmen Renee Browning, Emily Buckley, Elizabeth Butterfield, Mackayla Burbee, Madalyn Caron, Ashley Cote and Emma Langille.
The varsity cheerleaders, coached by Jolene Kinney, were saluted for winning the Aroostook League Championship and qualifying for the state competition for the third-straight year. Receiving a first-year letter were sophomores Elena Ford, Katelyn Michaud and Kelsie Spooner; and juniors Justena Cleveland, Mary Green, Kendy Jarvis and Cassie Lunney. Second-year letters were awarded to juniors Kelsey Corriveau and Rachel Dow and senior Brittany Good. Junior Gabby McCrum received a third-year letter and senior Michaela Powers was awarded a fourth-year letter.
Swimming coach Joyce Price and assistant coach Karrie Brawn presented first-year letters to freshmen Olivia Goulet, Mary Mitchell and Laura Watson and junior Emma Michalowski. Second-year letters went to sophomores Sara Gilson, Jacqueline Lambert, Naomi McEachern, Erikka Murley and Heather Nadeau and senior managers Barbara Bonville and Brittany Burlock. Grace Short was awarded a third-year letter and seniors Erica Hemphill and Sarah McEachern earned fourth-year letters.
Short and Hemphill were also honored for setting new school records.
For the boys, freshmen David Cyr, Keegan Ennis and Brenden Goulet and senior Jay Getman were given first-year letters. Second-year letters went to sophomores Nate DeWitt, Dustin Drabek, Issac Estey, Alex Hemphill and Joshua Jones. Senior Tristan Russell was awarded a third-year letter.
Estey was recognized for breaking two individual school records. He was also part of two relay teams along with Hemphill, Ennis and DeWitt, which set school records.
Nordic ski coach Sarah Dominick presented first-year letters to freshmen John Freeman and Noah Rossignol, sophomore Danielle Allen and junior Freeman Short. Second-year letters went to sophomores Bonnie Corey and Lauren Schiff, junior Amanda Bennett and senior Jesse Rochester. Third-year letters were awarded to Thomas Freeman and Jon Rochester. Senior Jacob Towle received a fourth-year letter.
Alpine ski coach Doug Guerrette presented certificates to freshmen J. Freeman and Grayden Hemphill and sophomores Brianna Howlett and Jonas Kinney. First-year letters went to freshmen Chris Carroll, Brady Sullivan and Cameo Madore; junior F. Short; and senior JoLonna Gough. Second-year letters were presented to sophomore Schiff and Shannon Sweeney, juniors Bennett and Abbie Carrier and seniors Matt Sullivan and Aaron Whitaker. Juniors Emma Bartlett, T. Freeman and Gabe Player received third-year letters. Fourth-year letters were awarded Chelsey Carroll and Towle, who was also recognized for finishing second in the Class B Skimeister competition.
The hockey team was applauded for a third-place finish in Eastern Maine Class B and a semifinal appearance in the postseason, losing to eventual EM champ Messalonskee. Coach Carl Flynn and assistant coach Darren Carlise handed out first-year letters to freshmen Daniel Boucher, Jeremy Gingrich, Colin McKay, Alex Michaud and Joseph Pattenaude; sophomores Trevor Levesque, Ryder Soucy and manager Clarissa Buck; and senior manager Melissa Carson. Second-year letters went to sophomores Andrew Michaud, Mike Michaud and Tyler Seeley and senior Nate Sperry. Juniors Adam Flynn and Scott Rhynold and seniors Kate Campbell, Cody Merrill and Evan Waddell were awarded third-year letters. Seniors Nic Davis, Isaac LaJoie and Connor Shaw were presented fourth-year letters.
LaJoie was also honored for making the Eastern Maine Hockey Coaches Association’s First Team All-Stars. C. McKay made the second-team and all-rookie squad. Shaw was third-team. Waddell was honorable mention. A. Michaud was also on the rookie team. Senior All-Stars were LaJoie, Shaw, Waddell and Merrill. Academic All-Stars were Campbell, Carson, Shaw, LaJoie, Flynn and Waddell.
Sweatshirts were awarded to Carrier, for soccer, skiing and track and field; McCrum, for fall and winter cheering; and Jon Rochester, for XC, skiing and track and field.
PIHS jackets were handed out for hockey to Davis, LaJoie and Shaw. S. McEachern and E. Hemphill received jackets for swimming, Towle and C. Carroll for swimming and Powers for cheering.
