Class B Girls Recap

Nov 10, 2009

With the Class A races in the books it was time for the Class B girls to showcase their talents. Heading into the race the individual champ from 2008, Abby Mace (Maranacook) was looking to repeat while the Cape Elizabeth girls team were shooting for a 3-peat. The runners toed the line under sunny skies and mild temperatures for early November, the gun was fired and off they field was in pursuit of the finish line.

As she has done each race this fall Abby Mace went right to the front and took over the pace, with Emily Attwood (Cape) following behind in her slipstream. Kendra Lobely (Poland), Eastern Maine champ Dacie Manion (Old Town) & Brianne Dunn (Ellsworth) followed in pursuit. By the mile mark Mace had pulled ahead, crossing in 5:50 with Attwood around 10 seconds back. Manion moved to 3^rd with Lobely in 4^th, and Alecia Palmer (Presque Isle) moving into the top 5.

By two miles Mace had put the race away and was well on her way to a 2^nd state title, Attwood held down 2^nd place with a little movement in the chase pack, Cape’s Rachel Nichols moved up into the top 5 behind Manion and Lobely. Also moving into position for a strong push to the finish were Michaela Swiatek (York) and freshman Adrienne Carmack (John Bapst) Teamwise Cape was in complete control with 3 runners in the top 10 as they passed through 2 miles.

The last mile was a victory laps of sorts for Abby Mace, as she used her long stride to eat up distance with each stride; she appeared in her bright yellow uniform as she crested the hill to the finish, her eyes turning towards the clock. Mace would capture her 2^nd straight Class B title, clocking a new pr at Twin Brook with her 18:48, third fastest time on the day. Attwood would finish 1:09 later for her 2^nd straight runner-up finish. Manion continue her strong fall with a 3^rd place, just 9 seconds back as she closed over the final mile. Nichols was Cape’s #2, closely very fast over the final 1.1 miles to nab 4^th, her effort left her completely spent in the medical tent after the race. Swiatek was the first York runner across in 5^th place, with Carmack running a great race to place 6^th overall as a freshman. Kendra Lobely crossed next in 7^th, Dunn pulled away for 8^th with Cape’s #3 Barton crossing in 9^th. Monique Boutin (York) ran a strong last mile to move into the top 10.

With three of the first 9 finishers Cape Elizabeth and all 5 scorers in the top 21, the Capers easily won their 3^rd straight Class B crown, scoring 46 to easily defeat runner-up WMC rival York by 64 points. York edged out Eastern Maine runner-up MDI by one point for the runner-up plaque, with two more Eastern Maine teams came next with Eastern Maine champion John Bapst in 4^th and Ellsworth in 5^th, beating out Maranacook on a 6^th girl tie-breaker.