11/30/2008
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Staff photo by Joe Phelanfrom the Kennebec Journal
BUDGET CUTS ORDERED
Many happy returns in Richmond
Tax woes land on Whitefield
Rapist denied new trial
AUGUSTA MINDING A MINE
SPORT OF KINGS Falconry a blend of dedication and commitment
COLLEGE HOCKEY: Maine rallies but falls short against Boston College
COLLEGE ROUNDUP: Colby women win season opener at home tournament
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
WEDDING BURGLAR JAILED
Youths talk Turkey Day
Plenty of free Thanksgiving meals available
Turkey prices make for happier holiday
Kennebec County Superior Court
POLICE
COLLEGE HOCKEY: Maine rallies but falls short against Boston College
COLLEGE ROUNDUP: Colby women win season opener at home tournament
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Sports Editor
Abby Mace is pretty well known in running circles for her success on the Junior Olympic and middle school circuits. It took just one race for Mace to prove all the talk was not just hype. She was that good.
Mace started her freshman year at Maranacook Community High School by winning the Scot Laliberte Invitational and was dominant throughout. She swept the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B, Eastern B and Class B state titles, then finished sixth at the New England Championships.
"I said at the awards banquet that we knew she was fast, but I don't think anyone, including her, knew she was this fast," Maranacook coach Rosalea Kimball said.
For her outstanding season, Mace has been named the Kennebec Journal Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
Mace made an impression right away at the Laliberte Invitational, which featured 23 teams this fall. She didn't just win the race, she dominated, beating Morning Sentinel runner of the year Melody Lam of Mt. Blue by more than a minute with a time of 20 minutes, 2.4 seconds.
"Coming into my freshman year, I tried to keep it low key and not worry about what other people think of my running," Mace said. "I tried to relax and keep the pressure off."
Mace continued to impress at the prestigious Festival of Champions, finishing third behind two other freshmen, Abbey Leonardi of Kennebunk and Fiona Hendry of Cheverus.
That trio met up again at the New England regionals and, along with Bonny Eagle's Emily Durgin, made an impressive statement for Maine running. Leonardi won the race, followed by Durgin in second, Mace in sixth and Hendry in ninth.
"It's really exciting just to say I am a part of that group," Mace said. "I'm really glad we have so many fast freshmen because it means I'll always have good competition."
Mace knew she had a chance to be competitive at the New England race after cruising to a win in the Western B regional at Twin Brooks in Cumberland. The New England championships were held at Twin Brooks in 2007, and Mace got a copy of the results from her mother after the Western regional.
Mace won the regional title with a time of 18:53.10, which would have been good for fifth at the New Englands last fall.
"I wanted to make top 10 at New Englands," Mace said.
Like she did all year, she met her goal at New Englands. She was clearly the top runner in Class B this spring, winning the KVAC B title with a time of 19:24.9 and the Class B title with a time of 18:48.59.
Despite the pressure that can surround such hype, Mace excelled.
"I think she knows, or kind of knew, there were expectations," Kimball said. "But we try to keep it really down to earth and stay focused on training and doing the right kind of training so she'd run as fast as she could."
Scott Martin -- 621-5618
smartin@centralmaine.com
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