Lisbon XC runner emerges from shadow
In 2004, Lisbon’s Tyler Clark played second fiddle as a sophomore to teammate and state champion Dan Suthers. This season he took center stage.
Clark took the Class C triple crown with consecutive victories in the conference, regional and state races and earned the Sun-Journal boys cross country athlete of the year.
Clark’s only loss on Maine soil this fall came at the Festival of Champions race in Belfast. He was nipped at the wire by Ellsworth’s Corey DeWitt. In that race, he ran 1:04 faster than his time in the 2004 state meet on that same course when he finished fourth.
“I felt stronger (this year),” says Clark. “I had more confidence. I ran a really good race in the Moxie 5k (in July). I knew from there, I was going to have a good season.”
Clark was dominant in his races. In the Mountain Valley Conference championship in Augusta, he beat runner-up Danny Soltan of Winthrop by 16 seconds. In the West Regional championship at the Twin Brooks course in Cumberland he defeated St. Dom’s Justin Richardson by 22 seconds. Clark pulled away from Richardson on the “Devil’s Inferno” hill in the state meet at Leavitt Area High School and won by 18 seconds as the Greyhounds captured their third consecutive team title.
Clark is especially strong running up hills. To some competitors he appears to sprint up them. With the hill work the Greyhounds do along with Clark’s individual workouts, those hills can sometimes be too easy.
“It’s his inner drive,” says Lisbon coach Hank Fuller. “He knows how to push. He has a sense of how hard he has to work, and he’s not afraid of taking on anyone. Everything’s a challenge and he loves a challenge.”
– Dave St. Hilaire
Poland golfer worked to improve game
POLAND – Keegan Fennessy didn’t know he was born with natural golf talent. In fact, his game was mediocre at best just five years ago.
As a freshman, Fennessy joined the team at Poland Regional High School. The game became his passion.
“I set goals,” said Fennessy. “Over the summer that year, I worked my butt off. I took lessons and worked on my game.”
As a sophomore, Fennessy started every match, and as he went through his second summer, he noticed a rapid development.
“It was pretty fast,” said Fennessy. “My short game, my ability to drive the ball further. I figured that maybe I had a gift, and could use it.”
Last summer, Fennessy started playing in Maine junior events, making it to the quarterfinals of the Maine Junior Championship and making the cut at the Maine Amateur.
“He’s been the cornerstone of this team for three years now,” said Poland coach Dan Novak. “He’s not the kind of guy who came in here his first year, was the best player and rested on his laurels, either. He’s made himself into a better golfer every year.”
Fennessy took top Class B honors this season with a 70, and he won the Bill Cheverie Award, given to the player with the lowest stroke average in relation to par each season in the WMC. Over the eight matches which qualified Fennssey for this award, he was plus-.625 to par on average. His closest competitor was at plus-1.8.
For his accomplishments, especially during the Class B state championship at Natanis, Fennessy is this year’s Lewiston Sun Journal player of the year.
– Justin Pelletier
Livermore Falls ace thrived in new role
Taryn Flagg of Livermore Falls is the 2005 field hockey player of the Year
The senior was a dominating force at the center-forward position, and was instrumental in leading the Andies to two-straight trips to the Class C regional final.
At the beginning of her junior year, Flagg switched from center halfback to the front line. With her new emphasis on offense, Flagg responded by scoring 21 goals and assisting on 13 others.
“At first, the change was hard, as I was used to playing both offense and defense throughout the whole game,” Flass said earlier this year. “Now, I still play both at times, but my biggest focus is offense.”
She continued her development this fall as one of the state’s top snipers, finishing the seaosn with 25 goals and 12 assists. Flagg created matchup problems for defensive-minded opponents and earned a reputation for her aggressiveness and ability to advance the ball.
Her background as a center halfback made her dangerous near the net. Not only does she have a rocket of a shot, but Flagg was especially gifted in setting up her teammates with scoring opportunities, evident by her 25 assists over the past two seasons.
She was selected to the Mountain Valley Conference first team, in addition to All-State and All Academic honors by the MFHA.
– Bob McPhee
Heavy training doesn’t hurt Oxford Hills’ racer
Not too many girls in Maine work harder than Oxford Hills’ Mandy Ivey. During the cross country season, she ran with the team along with doing Nordic skiing workouts and weight training. That hard work paid off as she finished third in Class A.
For her performance this fall she has been named the Sun-Journal’s girls cross country runner of the year.
Ivey peaked twice during the season. At the Belfast Festival of Champions race on Oct. 1, she blew away the competition.
“I led the whole way,” says Ivey, who plans on attending Colby and competing in both cross country running and Nordic sking. “I didn’t see anyone. I felt really strong. I knew there were some good competition there, so it was nice to win.”
Her rigorous training seemed to take its toll in the following weeks. Coaches from other schools questioned whether she was training too hard. Her workouts seemed endless.
In the summer months, she trained as much as 16-17 hours per week. During the cross country season she ran five days a week with her team. One day on the weekend, she’d roller ski to prepare herself for the Junior Olympic skiing circuit. During free time from school, she would do her strength training.
“Her dedication is to be the very best she can be,” says Oxford Hills coach Larry Coulombe, who has coached Ivey since the seventh grade. “She works hard. At times she overtrains, but she has such a burning desire.”
“Now and then I’d say, Mandy you’re doing too much,’ she’d just nod her head and keep running.”
At the KVAC championship in Augusta, Ivey finished second. The next week at Belfast she finished third in the regional race.
“At the KVAC race I didn’t know what happened,” says Ivey. “I couldn’t even run. I felt like I was walking. I finished second but it felt horrible.”
Krystal Douglas of Mt. Ararat won both races. Ivey and Douglas have been friends and competitors for a while and have a friendly rivalry.
“Krystal and I have battled since the seventh grade,” says Ivey. “I’d never beaten her in a state meet.”
Douglas jumped out to a quick lead, leading by 45 seconds, said Ivey.
As Douglas tired, Ivey gained ground and passed her. Feeling strong, she out kicked Deering’s Ashley Morgan and sprinted to third place overall. At the finish line she was more excited than tired. She’d peaked again at the right time.
“I’m not a sprinter,” says Ivey. “I outkicked (Morgan) and felt good the whole race.”
– Dave St. Hilaire
Lewiston All-American scored 86 career goals
LEWISTON – Laura Martel still remembers how it all began.
Her first goal in a record-breaking career came a few days into her freshman season.
“I got tripped in the box, and I had a PK,” said Martel. “A penalty kick was my first goal in high school.”
Martel was taken down on a partial breakaway and was stunned when Coach Jeff Akerley had her take the penalty kick. Martel had been pressing to get her first goal until that moment.
“I was kind of nervous,” said Martel. “It was like our second or third game. The seniors had been telling me that I had to calm down out there and (the first goal) would come. It finally did, and it was a PK. I had to settle down and put it in the bottom of the net.”
The goals kept coming for Martel. She finished with 86 goals and 44 assists in her four years, earning just about every honor a player of her caliber could achieve. Her senior year, she finished with a career-high 27 goals to go with eight assists and is the Sun Journal Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.
“It’s sad that it’s over,” said Martel, Maine’s All-American selection and an Eastern Maine selection for the third straight season. “It’s gone by way to fast. It seems like I was just putting on that No. 9 uniform and going out for my first game. Now 86 goals later, you’re done.”
Martel has possessed tremendous skill and a nose for the net, but she says she couldn’t have done it without the players around her.
“You can’t do it by yourself,” she said. “I’ve had four great years. I had great players around me – Amy Sarrazin, Katie A. Morin, Katie L. Morin, Kelsey Varney. As it’s gone, I haven’t had it easy, but I’ve had players that have backed me up all four years. This year we had 10 seniors, Mallory Long, Allie Morin, Katie Nadeau and Megan Paradis, they all backed me up. They knew I was going to be guarded by a number of players. One game, I had like six. The team worked around that and worked together.”
Martel took on a more significant leadership role this season and helped Lewiston reach the Eastern A semifinal. Now she hopes to take her footwork to the University of Maine. Martel has not committed completely to the Black Bears, but hopes to by the end of the year.
Martel attracted interest from schools like Quinnipiac, Florida State and the University of Southern Florida. Maine has pursued her for the last two years. She visited the school last fall and liked what she’s seen and heard.
“I was definitely open to anything, but as I got closer to making my decision, Maine was still talking to me and telling me how they’d love to have me play there.”
Though she didn’t get the scholarship offers you might expect with someone with her resume, Martel is happy how her college search has played out.
“I’m not totally disappointed because I’m going to a great school,” she said. “I get to represent my state and my family gets to come watch me. I think that’s all worth it.”
– Kevin Mills
Lisbon goalie backstops young Greyhounds
LISBON FALLS – There would be times that Mike Wilkins would arrive home battered and nearly bloodied.
He also knew it was part of his job.
Wilkins was a soccer goalkeeper. With a young up-and-coming Lisbon team in front of him, he knew he had to do whatever it took to help his team win.
“I had to block every shot,” said the senior Greyhound. “I don’t know how many times I’d come home with bruises on my hands, my fingers, my shins, my face. In the Maranacook game, I came out for the ball, and I got kicked in my face. It felt like my nose was broken and my jaw was broken. If the adrenaline wasn’t there, I’d have been hurting.”
Without Wilkins there’s no telling how Lisbon might have fared. The Greyhounds went 1-11-2 a year ago despite Wilkins’ efforts in goal. This year, the team went 9-6-1, the most wins in the program’s history. Lisbon finished sixth in Western B and beat Maranacook before losing in the semifinals to Yarmouth, the eventual state champion.
Because of his talents as a netminder and his impact on his Greyhounds, Wilkins was named the Lewiston Sun Journal Boys’ Soccer player of the year.
Lisbon’s hopes for a turnaround began last summer. Wilkins and teammate Nate Osmond talked about taking a giant step forward.
“I stepped up a lot,” said Wilkins. “I tried to be a leader and a role model. Me and Nate Osmond, we practiced together, and we decided we needed to step it up in order to have a great season.”
Wilkins had already taken on a large role the year before. Despite the Greyhound’s struggles, Wilkins kept Lisbon in most matches.
“Coach told me it was going to be in my hands and that I would have to step it up,” said Wilkins. “My coach would always practice every day with just me. He did one-on-one drills for the first 45 minutes of practice with just me. That made me better.”
This year his weight training made him stronger. He kicked further and reacted quicker. After an overtime loss against Winthrop, Barden challenged his team. Wilkins and the other seniors responded.
“He said that if we wanted to go some place, we needed to start stepping it up, and we need to have leaders,” said Wilkins. “After that, all of our seniors got together. We’d come to practice early. It made us focused, and we realized that we had a talented team here. I think we lost once after that.”
– Kevin Mills
Wilkins has never been afraid of a challenge. As a sophomore and junior, he’d play forward in the JV games before taking over the goal in the varsity matches.
“I was a leading goal scorer, and it was awesome,” said Wilkins, who started playing goal in middle school after the starter got hurt. “It just made me want to practice more. When I’d be out in the field playing JV, it was about having fun. Then when it’s the varsity game, it was time to focus.”
Kevin Mills
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