Fall Athletics Return to The Hill

On the morning of December 2nd, our community gathered in the Bodman Performing Arts Center to celebrate a truly spectacular fall athletics season. “We won 5 conference championships, had a top 4 finish in the New England Cross Country Championship (that we hosted!), and a State Championship in just one athletics season,” says Director of Athletics Nan Hambrose. “Each of you has made a statement not just to MAISAD, not just to our competitors in the state of Maine, but to New England – Kents Hill is back. Congratulations to all of our coaches and athletes for your hard work."

Boys Junior Varsity Soccer:

Coach Pete Hodgin says “Collectively, from the 9th grade players to the seniors, this was the strongest, fastest, most athletic, most athletic team that I’ve had the chance to coach in my 20 years at Kents Hill.” He adds, “They were really high-character guys, extremely hard-working, they cared about one another, and embraced the idea of a team as a collection of friends.”

 

Girls Field Hockey:

“Our girls worked hard every practice and game, they got on the field and had fun and played with heart,” says Coach Lexi Crites. A moment that stood out to Coach Crites was when Anna FP. ’23 “scored the first four goals in the championship game after not believing she was good enough to be a starter.” 

 

Equestrian:

A fun-filled season that included Program Leader Dylan Gifford riding a horse for the very first time, he shared that his team was “always on time, always around, and always excited to ride.” 

 

Mountain Biking:

Muddy and sometimes bloody, that’s Coach Josh Reynolds description of the 2021 Mountain Biking Team. He shares that “at least one racer from our team placed in the Top 10 every race.” He adds his appreciation for the team’s patience. When they would arrive to a new course and ask what to expect, he would say “we’re going to ride the course right now, find out what it looks like, and then in 10 minutes we’re going to race it!” 

 

Girls Varsity Soccer:

Coach Chad Sisson proudly shares his team’s victory of the Girls Varsity Soccer “Chair Game” against Hebron Academy. What was once a tradition held for Football teams, this game awards an engraved chair to the winning school, to be held until the next time the game is played. He says the girls did a “great job finding moments of success during practice, in games, and throughout the season” and that he “looked forward to every session with this team”. 

 

Golf:

Coach Dan McDonald speaks highly of his players, calling them a “team that was strong across the board – these kids can play golf and it was awesome to watch.” After a strong 12-1 season, the Varsity Golf Team took home the State Championship at Natanis Golf Course, and won the MAISAD Championship at Belgrade Lakes Golf Club. Coach McDonald continues, saying “each team member contributed to almost every match. They played hard, they felt pressure, and they felt success. I really enjoyed this season.” 

 

Cross Country Running: 

After a spectacular Cross Country Running season, Coach RJ Jenkins shared plenty of gratitude for the Kents Hill community and his team for their contributions. He shares that “this year’s Cross Country team was a real pleasure to work with, from sunny days in September to rainy days in November.” The team bonded over “scavenger hunts, speed workouts, tempo runs and road runs” and Coach Jenkins added, “we did a lot!” 

 

Boys Varsity Soccer: 

After a tough start to the season, Coach Andrew Carlucci shares that “every single day, we progressed as a team,” and that coaches from other schools said that the Kents Hill team was “way better than their record,” which is something to be proud of. Coach Carlucci adds that he and Coach Karl Schroeder had a great first season of coaching at Kents Hill because of their awesome team of boys.

 

 

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Sportsmanship Awards:

At Kents Hill School, the Sportsmanship Awards are nominated by each coach during an athletics season. The Sportsmanship Award is given to a varsity student athlete who is identified and nominated by their coach to the Athletic Department staff for selection. The recipient is chosen based off of their performance as a student athlete representing the Kents Hill core value of Sportsmanship both on and off the field. This includes their interaction with teammates, the officials, the opposing schools, as well as how they carry themselves on campus throughout their time on The Hill. This year, the Kents Hill Athletics Department is proud to award the Male Sportsmanship Award to Lucas R-D. ’23, and the Female Sportsmanship Award to Naomi B. ’22.

Coach RJ Jenkins (Cross Country Running) says that Lucas checked all of the boxes. “Attended practice every day – check. Engaged in every practice and competition – check. Motivated to improve – check. Competitive, but not so much that he loses sight of what’s important – check. Represents Kents Hill with pride and positivity – check. Respected by his peers and coaches – check.” Congratulations, Lucas! 

Coach Chad Sisson (Girls Varsity Soccer) speaks highly of Naomi, sharing that she is “one of the most powerful student leaders” he has ever met, “and also the most unique.” Coach Sisson says that Naomi “authentically leads by example, because it’s who she is and that’s how she leads.” He adds that “she is always on the positive side but never gets too high or too low emotionally, and that is contagious for the players she surrounds herself with.” Congratulations, Naomi!

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Ms. Hambrose ended the ceremony by noting the difference between “we have to” and “we get to”. After a year of not being able to play in games or tournaments, she reminds us to remember that “we get to”. And she’s right, we’re looking forward to the coming athletic seasons. Congratulations to all of our athletes and coaches on an outstanding fall season! 

Click here to view our upcoming schedule of winter athletic events.