Girls Individual Meet Preview
The Festival of Champions will feature some of the top female distance runners in the State of Maine. While the race for first appears to be between the dynamic duo of Abbey Leonardi & Emily Durgin, who will no doubt be looking to chase the course record of 17:48. Don't discount the talents of Abby Mace, Dacie Manion, Mia Rapolla, Katie McMhaon, Fiona Hendry as they aim to run fast as well. Let's take a detailed look at the top 10 runners entered in the meet.
Abbey Leonardi: Leonardi is undefeated on the 2010 season, she has been running very fats time across the state. Abbey is coming off a 41 second win over Emily Durgin at the Southwest Classic. Leonardi has states she wants to run fast and chase the course record of 17:48.
Accomplishments
2x Class A State Champion
2008 New England XC Champion
2009 Footlocker Northeast runner-up
2009 Fotlocker finalist 22nd place
2010 Season:
SMAA: Kennebunk, McAuley, Gorham@ Sanford
5000m
18:41.00SB
Southwest Classic
3Mile
17:53.00PR
SMAA: McAuley, Kennebunk, Scarborough @ Westbrook
3Mile
17:56.00
Emily Durgin: Durgin got a late start to training this summer as she was recovering from a stress fracture from the Outdoor season. Durgin is just starting to get her racing legs under her, last weekend she ran 19:22 at Twin Brook, where she was within 10 seconds of Leonardi before losing focus in the last mile. Look for Emily to continue to improve the rest of the year, and that could start at FOC.
Accomplishments
2009 Footlocker Nationals 37th place
2009 Footlocker Northeast 7th place
2009 New England XC Champion
2x Class A XC State Runner-up
2008 New England XC runner-up
2010 Season
5000m
19:22.00
Southwest Classic
5000m
18:10.00PR
SMAA: Cheverus, Massabesic, Thornton @ Gorham
3Mile
19:14.50SB
SMAA: Biddeford, Windham @ Cheverus
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Abby Mace Mace has had a strong opening to the 2010 season, with three wins, and a 4th place finish in the Nike Manchester Elite race last weekend.She added a course record on her home course earlier this fall. Abby will be looking to see where she is in relation to Leonardi & Durgin this weekend, regardless of how close she remains one of the top runners in New England.
Accomplishments
2x Class B State Champion
2008 All-New England XC 6th place
2009 All-New England XC 10th place
2009 Footlocker Northeast 21st place
2010 Season
5000m
19:07.00
Manchester Invitational
5000m
18:54.00SB
KVAC: Ox Hils, Gard, Brw, Brun, Cony, Mt. B, Mar, Ban @ Lawrence
5000m
19:42.10
KVAC: Morse,Lin Acad, Mt Ararat, Ox. Hills, Leavitt @ Maranacook
4000m
15:34.04PR
Scott Laliberte Invitational
Fiona Hendry : Hendry has an impressive running resume, but often gets overlooked because of success of Leonardi & Durgin. Hendry is coming off a strong 3rd place finish at the Southwest Classic. Fiona has run well on the Belfast course in the past, 18:28 (3rd) 2008 Class A state meet, 2nd 2008 FOC (19:30) & 3rd 2009 FOC (18:47).
Accomplishments
2008 All-New England XC 9th place
2009 All-New England XC 13th place
2008 Class A State Meet 3rd place
2009 Class A State Meet 8th place
2009 Class A State Championship Team
2010 Season
5000m
20:14.00
Southwest Classic
5000m
18:46.00SB
SMAA: Cheverus, Massabesic, Thornton @ Gorham
3Mile
19:30.90SB
SMAA: Biddeford, Windham @ Cheverus
5000m
20:10.00
Jack Wilkinson Invitational
Mia Rapolla Rapolla is in just her 2nd season of running xc, but she's had an immediate impact. Last year she was 6th in the Class A state meet, but has improved more in 2010. Recently she ran stride for stride with Cheveru's Fiona Hendry in a meet at Gorham, both ended with the same time 18:46, a new personal best at 5k. Mia is one of the top lacrosse athletes in the state, and is being heavily recruited to play Div 1.
Accomplishments
2009 Class A State Meet 6th place
2009 Western Maine Regional 10th place
2009 New England XC meet 57th place
2010 Season
5000m
20:41.00
SMAA: Marshwood, Gorham @ McAuley
5000m
18:46.00PR
SMAA: Cheverus, Massabesic, Thornton @ Gorham
3Mile
19:19.00PR
SMAA: Kennebunk, McAuley, Gorham@ Sanford
5000m
19:12.00
Jack Wilkinson Invitational
Dacie Manion Mnaion has been ripping up Eastern Maine all XC season; scoring wins at the Caribou Invitational & last week's Sectional XC Invitational. Dacie has yet to be pushed this year, so it'll be interesting to see how fast see can run at Belfast.
Accomplishments
2009 Class B State Meet 3rd place
2009 Eastern Maine Class B Regional Champ
2009 New England XC 31st place
2008 Class B State Meet 8th place
2008 Eastern Maine Regional 4th place
2010 Season
5000m
19:25.74PR
Sectional XC Invitational
2.xMile
18:12.52PR
Mattanawcook, MDI, OT, PVHS, Schenck, Stearns @ Orono
3Mile
19:05.00PR
Katie McMahon McMahon has been very consistent and fast in 2010. She's coming off a course record run at Mt. Ararat two weeks ago, and a fine 19:20 clocking on her home course last week.
Accomplishments
2009 Class A State Meet 4th place
2009 Class A Eastern Regional 3rd place
2009 New England XC 47th place
2008 Class A State Meet 13th place
2010 Season
5000m
19:20.43
KVAC: Morse, Mt. Blue, Mt. Ararat, Lawrence @ Brunswick
5000m
19:59.03
KVAC: Brunswick, Morse, Winslow, Rockland @ Mt. Ararat
5000m
19:18.00PR
KVAC: Ox Hils, Gard, Brw, Brun, Cony, Mt. B, Mar, Ban @ Lawrence
5000m
20:02.00
KVAC: Lewiston, Brunswick, Cony @ EL
4000m
16:23.34PR