Kassidy Dill, Orono senior: Class C state champion, Dill placed 51st at the New England meet in Rhode Island. She posted a top-10 finish at the Festival of Champions in Belfast in early October.

Abby Hamilton, Yarmouth senior: Hamilton, the Class B state champion (18:05), placed ninth in New England and 20th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, both times finishing first among Maine runners.

Louise Holway, Kennebunk senior: In her first year of cross country, Holway was runner-up by less than half a second in both the Class A state meet and South regional, and was 32nd at the New England meet.

Katherine Leckbee, Mt. Ararat junior: The North regional and KVAC champion, Leckbee placed third in the Class A state meet in 18:42. She was 5 seconds shy of all-New England honors, finishing 29th.

Katherine Leggat-Barr, Greely senior: The two-time Class B state champion placed third (18:14) this year and was the second Mainer at New Englands, taking 12th overall.

Kathryn Miller, York junior: Miller placed sixth in Class B (18:57) and was one of nine girls in all classes who broke 19 minutes on the 5-kilometer course in Belfast.

Anneka Murrin, Yarmouth junior: Murrin placed fifth in Class B (18:46) and earned all-New England honors by virtue of a 24th place. She finished third in the Festival of Champions.

Malaika Pasch, Falmouth sophomore: The Class A state champion (18:22), Pasch placed 14th in New England – fourth among Maine runners. She was the Festival of Champions runner-up.

Tia Tardy, Mt. Desert Island senior: A two-time Class C state champion, she was the runner-up in Class B this fall after winning the North regional. She earned all-New England honors (24th) and was the Festival of Champions winner.

Carolyn Todd, Greely sophomore: Todd placed fourth at the Class B state meet (18:39) and earned all-New England honors by finishing 13th overall, the third Maine runner across the line.

Coach of the Year

Will Fulford, Biddeford: Since taking over a program struggling to field a five-runner team six years ago, Fulford built things up to the point where this fall, the Tigers had 15 girls and placed fourth of 17 teams in Class A South to qualify for the state meet for the first time in 22 years. Sadly, barely a month after the state meet, Fulford collapsed and died at 29 after a treadmill workout. “The girls improved drastically throughout the season,” said Dennis Walton, Biddeford’s athletic director. “Will was the reason so many of these girls gained a passion for cross country and distance running.”

– Glenn Jordan