Tia Tardy is pulling up stakes and moving to a new high school again this fall.
But no matter where she goes, the Lincoln native shows off her considerable running skills.
The multiple-time high school cross-country and track and field state champion added another accolade to her impressive list of accomplishments Friday, when she claimed the girls title in the inaugural Beach to Beacon High School Mile at Fort Williams Park.
Tardy was part of an elite field for the race, which was held in conjunction with Saturday’s 19th running of the Beach to Beacon 10K road race. Only 11 girls competed in the high school mile, with Tardy posting a time of 5 minutes, 32.31 seconds.
Katherine Leggat-Barry of Cumberland finished second, three seconds behind Tardy, while Emily Carty of Fryeburg wound up third with 5:44.90.
John Hassett of George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill captured the boys mile championship, clocking a 4:37.35. He won a duel with Jeremiah Sands of Falmouth, whose time was 4:40.55. Nick Dall of Waterville took third in 4:54.19.
There were 10 racers in the boys mile field. Hassett last spring won the Class C state title at 1,600 meters and finished third in the 800 meters. He was the Class C outdoor champion at 3,200 meters in 2015.
Hassett also claimed the Class C regional and state cross-country crowns last fall.
Tardy, a 10-time Maine state champion in multiple events and the 2016 New Balance Nationals emerging elite indoor mile champion, is gearing up to make the transition to new surroundings.
Her cousin and training guru Paul Nantkes confirmed Saturday that Tardy will be changing high schools in September. Tardy, who has spent her entire life living in Lincoln, attended Orono High School last year to take advantage of its music and other programs.
However, she will spend her senior year at Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor.
“The (paper) mill in Lincoln shut down last October,” Nantkes explained. “Tia’s father works in Hancock, Maine, now and the family will live there.”
Nantkes said MDI cross-country coach Desiree Sirois is related to the family, which should help ease the transition.
“Tia is super excited,” he said. “Desiree is awesome. Tia also has many friends at MDI.”