On June 22, The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram will honor the state’s best high school athletes at our annual banquet. A player of the year for each sport will be honored and we’ll name our male and female Athletes of the Year. What makes this year so special is that it’s the 25th year of honoring Maine’s best, so we will be catching up with all our Athletes of the Year since the first banquet in 1988. Today, we honor the winners from 1993.

SANDI CARVER, Jonespsort-Beals

IN HIGH SCHOOL: Outstanding three-sport athlete who starred in basketball, volleyball and softball. Threw four no-hitters as a senior and pitched a two-hitter in the Class D championship game. Also led the Royals to their first state basketball title.

SINCE HIGH SCHOOL: Became captain of the University of Maine basketball team and played alongside Amy Vachon and Cindy Blodgett. A nursing major, she became a critical care nurse in the Eastern Maine Medical Center Intensive Care Unit and is working toward a master’s degree in nurse anesthesia at the University of New England. She and her partner, Suzanne, have two girls, ages 4 and 7, “who keep us entertained always.”

WHAT IT MEANT TO WIN: As an athlete, I found it hard to take credit for “hard work,” when it wasn’t “hard” or “work.” It was fun – working diligently toward goals is gratifying, especially when you leave the court or field completely exhausted. Having said that, I would still say it was a huge honor to be recognized next to my peers for the accomplishments that sports offered me.”

JAMIE COOK, Kennebunk

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IN HIGH SCHOOL: Starred in football, basketball and track and field, winning a Class B state title in football and twice being named Maine Sunday Telegram Male Athlete of the Year.

SINCE HIGH SCHOOL: Became the Big Ten decathlon champion at Penn State and competed in the 2004 Olympic trials. Coached at Penn for 10 years before joining the staff at the University of Oregon in 2010. Married with two children, Calvin, 6, and Sara, 2.

WHAT IT MEANT TO WIN: “I always prided myself on working really hard and maximizing my potential. I saw a few people win it who were decathletes — Rob Pendergist and Ryan Werner — so I thought it would be cool if I could win it, too.”

 


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