Coming Attractions: Elite 8

Could there be a "Coming Attractions" curse?

Last year, the day after Cam Morose was highlighted in the annual "Coming Attractions" feature as an incoming freshman to watch, the Phillips Academy tennis player from Haverhill unexpectedly required surgery when it was discovered he had a broken foot.

Then when he finally was nearing 100 percent, he broke his pinkie and needed another cast.

Morose's misfortune notwithstanding, the previous "Coming Attraction" athletes have done quite well for themselves. This year's class has much to live up to. But based on their accomplishments and the rave reviews their youth and club coaches have given them, don't bet against them from continuing the tradition.

Here is the fourth annual Coming Attractions.

Baseball: Salem's Mitch Dufton

Catchers shake in their cleats

It's only natural that Salem's Mitch Dufton's favorite player is Red Sox speedster Jacoby Ellsbury.

But Ellsbury stole only 70 bases last year and was successful only 85.4 percent of the time.

Between his five leagues (Rec. League, middle school, districts, AAU, Junior Legion) Dufton said this spring and summer he stole "at least 100 times."

And how many times was he gunned down? Once, he says.

His coaches vouch that Dufton is just too fast for catchers.

"He's already as fast as kids in college,'' said Northeast Hurricanes coach Mike Chambers of Londonderry, a 32nd round pick by the Red Sox in 2006. "They just can't throw him out.''

Dufton hopes that speed will be on display for the Salem varsity next spring.

"I hope so. I'm very confident,'' said the 5-foot-9 shortstop/pitcher, who also plans to run indoor track.

Speed is just part of the package.

"He's a five-tool player,'' said Chambers. "He's 14 and I've seen him hit the ball 370 feet. I've seen him hit 80 mph (pitching on the gun) and he's mostly in the high 70s. That's definitely bringing it."

Dufton's father, Craig, said one game his son stole seven bases in a Junior Legion game and he went 8 for 8 in a doubleheader.

Mitch comes from good athletic stock. His grandfather is Central Catholic Hall of Famer Bill Gosselin, who starred on the gridiron at Arizona State then was a teacher/coach/administrator in the area for 42 years.

Soccer: Stephanie May, Central Catholic

May be the next blue-chipper

Eric Slack prides himself on being a meticulous coach. But sometimes you just know.

That was the case with Windham's Stephanie May during tryouts for the New England Aztecs U15 club team.

"I saw her for five minutes at the tryouts and turned to the coach and said, 'I have to have that girl on my team.' It was the poise. She's an impact player who'll give forwards a hard time,'' said Slack.

May had a couple big advantages on many of her peers. She used to play against her brother, Douglas, who was six years older than her. Also, her parents, David and Kathy, built and owned for three years the PhanZone Sports Center in Hampstead.

"She'd do things on the field others hadn't had the chance to see or learn or experience," said David.

"That was great," recalled Stephanie, who is trying out for the varsity at Central Catholic. "He was teaching me scissor kicks and other moves that nobody knew or could do."

Douglas wasn't her only inspiration.

May, a former high-scoring forward who then went to midfield and now fullback, has always admired Mia Hamm.

"When I was little I read these Mia Hamm books. I was in third grade and did a biography on her," recalled May, who was one of the final cuts at the regional team tryouts in Rhode Island.

Now, she'll be a handful for the Mia Hamms of Bay State soccer.

Boys Basketball: Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic

Has learned his lessons well

Tyler Nelson is 5-8, 110 pounds and he might be called on to guard the likes of Andover's rippling 6-2, 190-pound Joe Bramanti, who is known as the "Brama Bull" for good reason.

"I'm not going to be afraid," said Nelson, a graduate of Hunking Middle School in Haverhill who is headed to Central Catholic. "I'll battle back."

Central is accustomed to winning and so is Nelson.

His father recalls him pumping in 47 points and hitting 12 three-pointers in one game, but Tyler is concerned with other things.

When asked his favorite basketball memory he said, "In 5th, 6th and 7th grade we won the Merrimack Valley championship."

He teamed with Austin Perry, who is also headed to Central, and Matt Jameson, who will play at Haverhill. The team was coached by his father, Jeff Nelson, a scout for the NBA's Utah Jazz.

Being around the NBA has provided Tyler with a unique perspective on the game.

"I have to be grateful for it," said Tyler, who also plays golf and is one of the region's top young baseball players, too. "I just like watching all the (NBA) players and the drills and how motivated they are. I got to talk to a few of them. My dad is good friends with (Celtic assistant) Clifford Ray. I know Rajon Rondo a little bit. It's cool. He just says hi."

Like Rondo, Nelson, who played well for the Raider varsity and JV teams in the talent-laden Hoops for Hope Summer League, is confident of his abilities.

"Yes, I do think I can play at that level,'' he said of playing varsity this winter.

Rick Gorman, his former AAU coach with the New England Storm, is a big fan of Nelson's.

"He's a very good shooter and ballhandler. You can tell he's a coach's son. He's an awesome kid and an awesome player," said Gorman.

Girls Basketball: Caitlin Dell'Orfano, Central Catholic

As tough as they come

Only after Caitlin Dell'Orfano nearly led the North Andover 8th grade travel team to a state title did she slow down long enough to get her arm checked.

Her mother, Megan, could barely believe what the doctor told her.

The arm was broken.

"We were shocked," said Megan. "She didn't exhibit the pain and she played the games of her life."

Caitlin said of the discomfort, "I though it would go away. I never thought it would be surgery. They told me I'd be out six weeks and I cried."

That reaction didn't surprise Mom.

"She loves hoops. Loves it, loves it, loves it,'' said Mrs. Dell'Orfano, who, like her husband Scott, was a two-sport athlete at Union College.

With that love of the sport, it was only natural that Caitlin, who also is a fine soccer prospect, would write about basketball for her final essay this spring at St. Augustine's School in Andover.

"The teacher read it aloud to both classes," said Mrs. Dell'Orfano proudly. "It was about what a great influence her father was and how she wanted to be the best she could be for him as well as herself."

The slick 5-7 point guard was accepted to Governor's Academy and Brooks but it came to nobody's surprise she opted for Central Catholic.

"In sixth grade I decided I wanted to go to Central," said Caitlin, who will be joined at the school by her close friend and teammate, Amanda Williams, another talented hoopster from North Andover. "I went to some of the games and saw the school spirit and decided I wanted to be part of it."

She estimates she went to "20-30" Raider games over the years.

That passion made for some interesting banter with St. Augustine's assistant principal Paula O'Dea, whose three daughters played at Andover.

Caitlin already relishes the Andover-Central rivalry.

"It would be great even to be sixth man,'' said Dell'Orfano, who played some with the varsity in the Hoops for Hope Summer League. "It would be unbelievable."

Wrestling: Christian Monserrat, Methuen

Unbeaten, untied, unsurpassed

If there is one athlete capable of being an impact performer from Day 1, it's probably Methuen's Christian Monserrat.

The 103-pound wrestler has been working out with top-flight, high school competition for several years at "Smitty's Barn" in Danville.

"It's fun rolling around with them," said Monserrat. "It just makes you better. You can't make mistakes against them."

He frequently works out with Timberlane's Zach Bridson, the reigning New England champ at 103, who will be wrestling at 112 this winter.

"He beats on me. He's a beast,'' said Monserrat, who plans to play football and baseball for the Rangers, too.

But the confidence gained and lessons learned are immeasurable.

After going "about 50-0" in the last year in New England in his age group, Monserrat expects big things this winter.

"I want to win states and New Englands," the Tenney Grammar School grad said confidently.

In the 103-pound class, often it is freshmen and sophomore who dominate. And Monserrat has enjoyed a summer to remember.

Wrestling for Smitty's, Monserrat went 5-0 at 105 pounds at the highly-regarded 1000 Island Summer Duals in Clayton, N.Y.

Field hockey, Abbey Raymond, Salem

Everybody loves Raymond ... except goalies

Woodbury Middle School of Salem field hockey coach Christine Landry dubbed Abbey Raymond "The Machine."

As in scoring machine.

She scored 13 of her team's 16 goals last fall. Natural talent is always a big bonus but Raymond has put in a lot of hours working on her shot and stickhandling.

"I work pretty hard at it," said Raymond shortly before preseason practice began. "I'm outside a lot in the summer shooting with (younger sister Kelly). Recently me and some of the girls have been going to Salem High and training."

For her club team she often woke up on Sundays at 4:30 a.m. for 6 a.m. practice.

"She's a tough kid,'' said her mother, Kathleen.

A tough kid with a Midas touch.

She had teammates and opponents buzzing over one recent tough-angle goal from the left, top corner.

"The coach said it was like a college shot,'' said Abbey, a former gymnast who has been playing field hockey for four years.

Raymond has been counting the days until she could play for Salem High, with its proud field hockey tradition.

"Homecoming the whole (Woodbury) team went and cheered on Salem,'' she said. "If there was a game, we'd stop by."

That jump from middle school hotshoot to freshman varsity candidate can be a challenging one. But Raymond says there is plenty of support.

"Melissa Higgins is one of the captains. She's very positive and always has a compliment,'' she said.

Raymond has always been a star athletically and academically. She was a Presidential Award winner at Woodbury (A-minus average for the three years).

Abbey wouldn't be the first member of the family to make a name for herself in the sports world. Her grandfather, Paul Thornton, is a highly-respected, long-time local umpire and horse trainer and was the head boys basketball coach at Salem High and Haverhill.

Abbey can fly up and down the field (she's run a 13.9 100 meters) and it's obvious where that speed came from. Her father, Chris, won the 100 meters at the N.H. Meet of Champions in 1984 at Hollis Area High.

football: Manny Latimore, Pinkerton

The tradition continues at Running Back High

The first time Pinkerton coach Brian O'Reilly saw Manny Latimore play, he knew this was no ordinary talent.

"He's been dominating at youth levels since I've seen him in fifth grade," said O'Reilly, one of the winningest coaches in New England history. "We've been waiting many years for him to come."

The time has arrived and Latimore thinks he can make the jump from Pop Warner superstar to freshman seeing quality time with the varsity.

"I'm kind of pumped to go vs. the older kids," said Latimore, a well-built 5-9, 176-pounder who is already one of the fastest Astros. "I can definitely compete with these kids. Once I get the plays down, I'll be set."

O'Reilly, who has helped mold a who's who of gifted running backs, feels Latimore is next in line for the Pinkerton Pantheon.

"I don't like to use freshmen, but he will not play at a lower level and he will be part of our plans at running back. I'll leave it at that," said the coach.

That's music to Latimore's ears. As he said, "I don't want people to judge me just because I'm a freshman."

When asked if he was a speedster, a bruiser or a shifty back, the passionate Penn State fan explained, "I don't really have a running style. I do what I have to do to score. When you score, it's indescribable."

Derry Wolverines coach Fred Hamel said, "He's the best player we've had come through in the 15 years I've been here. We have pictures in our web page he's intercepting the football and he was up in the air like three feet. It was an unbelievable picture and unbelievable catch."

He had three TDs and recovered a fourth-quarter fumble to lead the Wolverines to a tight win over Tewksbury in the Northeast Junior High Football League state championship game.

Latimore, who played for the Pinkerton JV team in the Hoops for Hope Summer Basketball League, really caught the Astro bug last fall.

"Last year I went to almost all their home games," said Latimore, who moved from Boston to Derry in kindergarten.

Pinkerton fans no doubt will want to go to all of Latimore's home (and away) games the next four years.

Volleyball: Sarah Kenyon, Andover

Failure is not an option

The tattered and torn knee pads tell you all you need to know about Sarah Kenyon.

The Andover freshman will do anything to get to a loose ball.

"She'll just keep working harder and harder until she gets a position on the court," said Jackie Orent-Nathan, her coach with the Andover Pumas. "She's already skilled. She'll just continue to grow."

The 5-foor-3 defensive specialist/libero said her favorited part of the game is "definitely when you make an amazing dig."

The graduate of Andover's Wood Hill Middle School might finally have to replace her good-luck knee pads.

"It's a lot of diving ... over and over again," explained Kenyon.

She tagged along to her brother Nick's practices and began playing in third grade, even though the starting age for the Puma girls was supposed to be fourth and fifth graders.

"I loved it," she said. "They were a lot taller, but it wasn't really intimidating."

Kenyon's fiery play and leadership is contagious.

"That's why we named her captain," said Orent-Nathan.

Her Puma team was dominant in its age group so it played up vs. 16-year-olds. A major difference was the older girls were much taller, so the Pumas had little luck blocking. That made for a lot of hard shots coming Kenyon's way.

"She's the one who kept us at a top level because of her defensive abilities," said Orent-Nathan. "The 16s were just hitting away but it was Sarah who kept the ball back in the air. She sets the bar high for herself."

Kenyon agrees with her coach's assessment.

"I'm hard on myself if I don't reach my expectations," she said. "Hopefully, I'll reach them."

Coming Attractions 2009

NameSchoolSportComment

Lydia SimmonsLondonderrySoccerEagle-Tribune All-Star scored 22 goals

Tim FreiermuthPentucketFootballOnly Sachem freshman to letter last year

Cam MorosePhillipsTennisPlayed JV, showing plenty of promise

Tyler WhitleyNorth AndoverBaseballDressed some for varsity, starred for JVs

Brenna McNallyPinkertonVolleyballAmong team leaders in service points, digs

Kate Farrell WindhamCross CountryWon the Sanborn Invitational

Noah VonlehHaverhillBasketballEagle-Tribune All-Star destined for greatness

Coming Attractions 2008

NameSchoolSportComment

Nicole BoudreauAndoverBasketballEagle-Tribune MVP for state champs

Kerry WhiteSalemBasketballAveraged 4.8 points a game last winter

Ryan HartungPhillipsBasketballHit game-winner to beat Exeter

Luis PuelloCentralBasketballBrilliant defender for state champs

Zach KaralisNorth AndoverBasketballAveraged 7.5 points a game last winter

Nathaniel VazquezHaverhillLacrosseTwo-year starter

Peter FieldPinkertonLacrosseTwo-year letterman

Zach BridsonTimberlaneWrestlingReigning New England champion

Tommy EvangelistaCentralHockeyEagle-Tribune All-Star last winter

Coming Attractions 2007

NameSchoolSportComment

Natalie Gomez-MartinezAndoverBasketballSecond-team Eagle-Tribune All-Decade

Jaymie SpearsGeorgetownBasketballStarting for prep power St. Mark's

Monica PattersonAndoverSwimmingThree-time All-Scholastic

Rebecca StabileHaverhill TrackSet area 400 hurdles record

Paul RussellAndoverHockeyFormer Eagle-Tribune All-Star playing Juniors

Nick LeonardCentral CatholicHockeyScored 7 goals last winter

Mikayla HickeyCentral CatholicSoccerMVC All-Star last fall

Tom AugerPinkertonLacrosseScored 33 goals last spring

Mike MazzolaPinkertonFootballSecond-team All-Class L linebacker

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