Alyssa Williamson, a senior left-handed pitcher from Scarborough High School, has been named winner of the 2014 Miss Maine Softball award.
Williamson was to have been presented the award Thursday evening at the Maine Softball Coaches Association’s Senior East-West Games, but the contests scheduled at Cony High School in Augusta were cancelled because of inclement weather and wet field conditions.
She will receive the award at a later date at Maine Hits in Scarborough, according to David Billings, MSCA president.
Williamson, who previously was named Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year for softball, led coach Tom Griffin’s Scarborough club to the No. 1 seed in the final Western Maine Class A Heal point ratings and a berth in the regional championship game, where the Red Storm fell to Thornton Academy of Saco 2-1.
Scarborough finished its season with an 18-1 record.
Williamson compiled a four-year batting average of .489 with 104 hits, 18 home runs and 108 RBIs to go with a 22-0 pitching record and a 0.74 earned run average in 150 innings with 208 strikeouts and 77 hits allowed.
Williamson has accepted an athletic scholarship to continue her softball career at Division I Drexel University of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Other finalists for this year’s Miss Maine Softball were Amber Kelly of Noble of North Berwick, Emily McKenney of Madison, Erin Brayden of Thornton Academy, Kaylie Andrews of Traip Academy of Kittery and Kylie Knight of Messalonskee of Oakland.
Ellsworth distance runner wins Gatorade honor
Distance runner Dan Curts of Ellsworth has been named the state’s 2014 Gatorade Runner of the Year for boys track and field.
The 5-foot-11-inch senior won three individual championships at the Class B state meet this spring, leading the Eagles to a third-place team finish.
Previously named Maine’s 2012-13 Gatorade Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, Curts won the 800-meter run with a time of 1 minute, 56.41 seconds; the 1,600 in a state-record 4:09.88 and the 3,200 in 9:42.51.
His winning time of 8:51.24 in the 3,200 earlier this spring at the Loucks Games in New York broke a state record and ranked as the nation’s No. 5 performance among prep competitors in 2014 at the time of his selection.
Curts also has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom. In addition to donating hundreds of hours as a summer camp counselor, he has volunteered at the annual Mount Desert Island Marathon and as part of Welcome to My Home, a homelessness outreach and advocacy initiative.
“Not only is he an outstanding athlete, but he also shows a great deal of sportsmanship,” said Sarah Gardner, head coach at rival Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln. “He always cheers on and congratulates other athletes whether they are on his team or a complete stranger. He sets a great example for others, and I know many of my athletes look up to him as an athlete. He is a great example of what an outstanding track and field athlete is.”
Curts has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at Iowa State University this fall.
