It was a spring season that never happened.
While folks throughout Franklin County have been impacted over the past few months due to the coronavirus pandemic, we here at the Recorder sports department have decided to honor all the senior student-athletes who were unable to participate in spring sports. Practices and games were canceled, championship trophies weren’t able to be chased, but the graduating seniors throughout our coverage area still deserve to have their stories told and be honored.
We will recognize all eight of our MIAA schools over the course of two weeks, with senior rosters, photos and information about them all.
We begin with Mahar Regional School’s seniors. Here are their stories, as told by their coaches:
Seniors: Charlie Barnes, Todd Chiasson, Logan Dodge, Andrew Herk
This was scheduled to be the first season for the program without Art Billings as coach in 15 years, as Jamie Paluk had been promoted from JV to take over the varsity squad.
Billings had plenty to say about the four-member senior class however, and the Senators were in pursuit of another postseason appearance this spring after punching a ticket in 2019.
“I can’t say enough about these four young men,” Billings lauded. “I believe they lost so much with their senior year, but as they move on to the next chapter of their lives, each one has great life skills to be successful in anything and everything they pursue.”
Barnes was a three-year starter who batted .386 for his career. He was coming into his prime, batting .422 last year and totaling 56 hits between his last two seasons at Mahar.
“A true leader on the field,” said Billings of Barnes, who played shortstop, outfield and pitcher. “Very versatile at every position. Would have been named a captain this year.”
Chiasson was a three-year varsity player and two-year starter, playing in the outfield and at third base.
“He worked harder to be the best he could be at the plate or in the field,” said Billings. “Always helping the younger players whenever possible.”
Dodge picked up his first varsity win as a pitcher his sophomore season, and saw innings on the mound and in the outfield last year as a junior.
“He was always striving to be better at every practice,” Billings said. “A great role model to all the younger players.”
Herk was a three-year varsity starter who saw time in several different spots along the infield and outfield. He picked up his first varsity save as a pitcher two years ago.
“Working hard and making everyone around him better,” said Billings of Herk. “Great young man to have on the team.”
Seniors: Brooke Mitchell, Jaydlyn Lohnes, Jordan Fournier, Alexis Mainville Schaefer, Megan Rich, Skylar Dodge
This was the spring for the Mahar softball team to take that next step.
Count the Senators among the teams that were expecting big things this season, as a veteran club appeared poised to make a postseason push and challenge for solid footing in the Franklin County League.
“To say this was a disappointment for the senior softball players is an understatement,” Mahar coach Jerry Duguay said. “We had six seniors returning. All six were returning starters and two of them had played varsity since eighth grade.”
Mitchell smacked her first home run as a junior, and the first baseman/outfielder was hoping to get a shot at third base this spring.
“She was on the wrestling team this year and was stronger than ever, and as a power hitter, this could have been her best year at the plate,” Duguay said.
Lohnes was expected to contribute up the middle, and Duguay said she played her best game against Athol a year ago.
“After an injury late in the year last year, she was set to start full time at second and was working on her hitting in the offseason,” the coach said.
Fournier is a returning outfielder who had been working at seeing some innings behind the plate this year to alleviate some of the stress on Mainville Schaefer. She had hit her first home run as well a year ago, and was penciled in as an important bat this spring.
“Worked real hard in the offseason,” Duguay said of Fournier. “She would have been another possible power hitter in the lineup.”
Mainville Schaefer was once again set to be the starting catcher, and after attending a catcher’s camp in the offseason, Duguay expected big things in 2020. She was the team’s most improved player a year ago.
“In the offseason, she was hitting with Skylar to improve her contact and power,” he said.
Rich was set to be a captain, and the right-hander has been the workhorse in the pitching circle for Mahar since she was in eighth grade.
“Megan pitched all through the offseason,” said Duguay. “She’s been working on several different pitches and speed. She was working on a milestone of total strikeouts.”
Dodge was primed to be one of the top hitters in the FCL once again, as the captain and first baseman has been a fixture in the heart of the order since her eighth-grade year. She led the league in home runs as a junior.
“She was coming off knee surgery in the offseason and just started getting back into form in February,” Duguay said.
More than their play on the field, Duguay said the Class of 2020 will be missed for the culture they brought back to the program.
“I could go on and on about the six seniors and what they meant to the history of this program,” Duguay said. “All of them were committed to softball since middle school and would get together in the offseason and work out. Since I have been part of the softball program here at Mahar, there was no other senior class like this one. I truly believe we were set up to do something special.
“Our goal since they entered the program was to try and win the (FCL) for the first time since 1973,” he continued. “This group was set to attempt that this year. But as I told them, they are not alone in this and there is a reason why this has all happened. There are many seniors in all sports at all levels that are feeling the same way they do. They should be proud of what they have accomplished in their high school careers and look forward to what lies ahead for each of them. They set the tone for the future of the program and I believe that will carry to the underclassmen that are returning for a run next year.”
Seniors: Girls – Charlotte Torres, Kamryn Reilly; Boys – Riley Drew, Alex Plotner
A quartet of seniors were unable to close out their track & field careers at Mahar this spring, though the contingent played a big part in making the Senators one of the top track programs in Franklin County the past few years.
“Losing your senior athletes each year is hard,” began coach Sarah Woodward. “This year is even more difficult as these four remarkable seniors did not have the chance to put on that uniform one last time and lost the chance to break records and perform at championships.
“All four seniors were extremely hard-working and left marks on our track programs that will not be forgotten. Their leadership and positive attitudes were influential to our younger athletes in our program. I know they will all move on to amazing things and I’m excited to see what they accomplish as they embark on their next steps.”
Woodward said Drew is attending UMass and will run track there. He was the top point scorer on the Senators roster last year, while Reilly was the top point scorer a year ago on the girls side.