Gavin Bates is in a class all by himself.

On a team with 20 upperclassmen, Bates is the lone freshman listed on St. Dominic Academy’s varsity roster. He is just one of four underclassmen. 

That hasn’t stopped him from making his presence felt in his first year with the Saints. The team was decimated with injuries throughout the season, and Bates made the most of his opportunity helping his team to the Eastern Class A final against Lewiston. 

“First thing I think about with Gavin is his extremely high compete level and the no-quit type approach,” St. Dom’s coach Steve Ouellette said. “He has the on-ice skills of some really good vision and patience with the puck that when you combine that, he’s having some nice success out there.”

Bates is one of a few Saints who has dressed in all 19 games this season. When Bryan Bonenfant went down with an injury midway through the year, Bates’ role on the blue line was amplified. He hasn’t taken it for granted. 

“St. Dom’s is a good team so I’m proud of it,” Bates said. “I’ve learned a lot this year. It’s a learning curve being in high school. Having such a good team and playing with good players every day really made me better.” 

The spotlight of playing at St. Dom’s and all that comes with wearing the black and white sweater hasn’t fazed Bates. He’s had a knack for performing on the biggest stage. 

Bates spent last year with the U-16 Maine Moose Tier II team, a squad that advanced to the Youth National Tournament. Bates led the Moose in scoring in the tournament with five points in four games, registering at least a point in each contest and scoring a goal in three. Teammate Noah Toussaint was also on that team, along with a few members of rival Lewiston’s team: Jeromey Rancourt, Cole Ouellette and Joe Bisson. 

That poise in a big game was on display during the regional semifinal Saturday against Edward Little. Bates got the starting nod on the blue line opposite senior Mitch Lorenz in his first career high school playoff game, and responded by scoring the game’s first goal on a blast from the point off the far post while on the power play.

“He’s been one of the mainstay guys playing regularly and seeing a ton of time in whatever situation — power play or penalty kill,” Ouellette said. “He’s got a lot of trust back there and he’s done a nice job and keeps rolling along. He’s poised. Great compete level.” 

While Bates’ main responsibility is to keep the opposition off the scoreboard, he’s started contributing offensively as the season’s gone on. He scored his first career goal against Cheverus on Jan. 17, which turned out to be the game-winning tally in the 5-2 win. Bates said the game against the Stags was when he no longer felt like a freshman. 

“I don’t really think grades matter anymore because even if you move on to higher levels, age is going to be different,” Bates said. “You’re playing against 14-18 year olds in high school, so that’s the way it is.” 

Bates dished out two assists in St. Dom’s second meeting with Lewiston and recorded another in the regular-season finale against Bangor. 

But his prime focus is on defense and his size and strength has helped him when trying to limit high-scoring offenses like Falmouth, Lewiston, Scarborough, etc. Since allowing six goals in an early-season matchup against Falmouth, the Saints haven’t allowed more than three goals in a game. Including the game against Cheverus, St. Dom’s has allowed 15 goals in their past 10 games. 

“He’s got that size and strength at such an early age that he’s been able to take advantage with that moving up the ladder,” Ouellette said. “He’s shown a lot of poise out there.” 

Playing a role in Bates’ adjustment to the high school level has come from the 11 seniors on the team. Four of his teammates on the blue line are seniors: Bonenfant, Lorenz, Matt Chasse and Chris Laverdiere. Going up against seven senior forwards every day in practice doesn’t hurt either. 

“Since summer season we’ve had a lot of development,” Bates said. “We have good captains. We have good coaches, so they really make sure you know what you’re doing. They really make sure they set you up to do well.” 

High school rules only allow teams to dress 20 players for a game. With 24 players on the roster, not everyone gets to sit on the bench. At the beginning of the season, on a team full of upperclassmen, Bates had to work hard for his playing time, proving his worth as the youngest member. He’s no longer viewed as a freshman. He’s instead looked at as an integral part of the team’s success.

“I knew we had depth and I knew with such a high compete level he’d definitely be pushing people,” Ouellette said. “It’s nice to see. It’s nice to bring that competition to practice every day and keep everybody honest. He’s done well.”