Jake Koffman of Orono High School and Madeline Wood of Madison Area Memorial High School have been named state winners of the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
Eligibility begins with maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Applicants also need to be proven leaders and role models within their school and community.
Koffman and Wood will each receive a $1,000 scholarship as well as a silver medal, a patch symbolic of the award and a $50 Wendy’s gift card.
They also will now compete against 100 other state winners from across the country to be chosen as one of 10 national finalists to be considered for the national winner of the award, to be announced Friday, Dec. 9, in New York City.
Koffman has been a standout in track and field and has played basketball and soccer for the Red Riots. Wood plays basketball, soccer and softball for the Bulldogs.
Other finalists for the Maine state award were Nick Archambault of Portland, Jacob Flewelling of Easton, Tyler Stinson of Massabesic of Waterboro, Alexander Renshaw of Washington Academy of East Machias, Callie Hammer of Ellsworth, Nathan Chamberland of Wisdom of Saint Agatha, Carter Ward of Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, Serena McKenzie of South Portland and Mary Toman of Gardiner.
Also, Gabrielle Tilton of Mattanawcook Academy, Sophia McDonald of Woodland, Olivia Verrill of Windham, Audrey Perreault of Gorham, Brenden Whitten of Kennebunk, Kellen True of Telstar of Bethel, Liza White of Mountain Valley of Rumford, Nick Morales of Madison and Kassidy Dill of Orono.
GPCS star tops 100 goals
Ethan Spaulding, a senior at Greater Portland Christian School, scored seven goals in his team’s final game of the season to become just the fifth schoolboy soccer player in state history to amass more than 100 career goals.
Spaulding scored seven times during a 10-1 Class D South victory over Pine Tree Academy of Freeport to finish his high school career with 102 goals. He also had 34 career assists.
He joins Ian Lee of Madawaska (127 goals, 2010 through 2013), Bradley Wilcox of Bangor Christian (107, 2008-11), Roger Levesque of Falmouth (106, 1995-98) and Scott Johnson of Georges Valley of Thomaston (105, 1978-81) as members of the boys 100-goal club in Maine, according to the Maine Soccer Coaches Association.