If you’ve run a half-mile in Kendra Lobley’s shoes … well, you probably haven‘t done those sneakers justice.
Lobley turned the 800 meters into her trademark event while competing for Poland Regional High School, winning three Class B state championships.
For successfully defending her outdoor title in this year’s state meet, nearly getting her hands on two more gold medals and dominating her events all season, Lobley is a runaway choice for Sun Journal all-region girls’ track and field athlete of the year.
Marie Dufresne-Dixon of Edward Little and Danielle Bumann of Monmouth also were considered for the honor.
“This season was everything I could have hoped for,“ Lobley said. “The coaches gave it all they had and were committed to us. We gave it everything we had every day at practice. The most gratifying thing for me was how we completely bonded as a team.”
Poland enjoyed the most successful season in the history of its girls’ program, finishing third in the Western Maine Conference and tying for fifth in the state.
Lobley was the Knights’ most prolific performer on both those sunny Saturdays.
She celebrated a rare, perfect, 40-point day in the WMC meet, sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and anchoring a 4×800 relay victory.
“That was just a really great day. I had the goal of not running just for myself to win and to get the best possible times, but to pace myself and get the most points for the team,” Lobley said. “And I was able to do that.”
States provided a bittersweet swan song.
Poland’s distance relay squad was disqualified for a rules infraction after posting the fastest time of the day.
“It’s something we had to deal with,” Lobley said. “We had to just take satisfaction that we ran a great race and won it in our mind.”
The timing made it worse for Lobley. She had to turn around almost immediately and compete in the solo 1,600.
Still smarting from the team disappointment, Lobley couldn’t out-kick Waterville’s Bethanie Brown.
“Mentally that was one of the hardest races I’ve ever had to run,” Lobley said. “I gave it everything I had, but Bethanie is a great competitor and I just couldn’t catch her.”
Lobley’s closest pursuer in the 800 was nearly two seconds behind. That was a marked difference from last season, when she edged Cape Elizabeth’s Rachel Nichols.
The champion credited new indoor head coach and outdoor distance coach Kristin Ross with her development as a senior.
“She ran a 4:53 mile in college,” Lobley said. “She told us that if you want succeed you have to work the same every day. She really pushed us and got the most out of us.”
Lobley also won the 800-meter indoor state championship as a junior and was one of the region’s top cross country runners, placing fourth in the Western Class B meet as a senior.
Although she has carved out her reputation by covering distances, Lobley will set a new standard in that regard later this summer.
She’ll travel to Tennessee to begin courses and competition at Lipscomb University.
“It’s a Christian college in Nashville,” Lobley said. “The coach, Bill Taylor, sent me a recruiting letter right after I ran the New England cross country race. I visited the campus and I love it. It’s Division I. I’m going to do cross country and track. It’s exciting.”
Lobley plans to study biochemistry and chemical engineering.
koakes@sunjournal.com
Sun Journal All-Region Team
Girls’ Track and Field
Angie Bulgin, Lisbon
Danielle Bumann, Monmouth
Lexi Clavet, Edward Little
Morgan Copp, Poland
Nicole Court-Menendez, Lewiston
Anna Doyle, Winthrop
Marie Dufresne-Dixon, Edward Little
Abby Dunn, Edward Little
Kayla Gaudin, Dirigo
Breanna Harlow, Gray-NG
Emily Hartnett, Edward Little
Emma Houston, Mt. Abram
Lindsey Jacques, Livermore Falls
Sadie James, Mt. Abram
Frankie Lally, Edward Little
Kendra Lobley, Poland
Mary Kate Masters, Edward Little
Tara Metzger, Lisbon
Briana Moore, Lisbon
Amanda Peterson, Gray-NG
Kelly Philbrook, Edward Little
Emily Ranucci, Edward Little
Karen Rice, Winthrop
Sarah Small, St. Dom’s
Sophie Spiller, Poland
Emma Turton, Poland
Lindsey Whitney, Lisbon
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- Kendra Lobley of Poland Regional High School.
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