Deal Closer
Monsulick runs down foes with patented late kick
Copyright © 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
The Monsulick Kick. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
But like most good sports phrases, the story is even better.
Steve Monsulick's strong finishes in 3.1-mile running races this fall became one of the top stories of cross country season. The Maranacook Community School senior used his extraordinary finishing kick to pass Belfast High School's Levi Miller in the final meters of three memorable races this season, and none was probably more impressive than at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference finals on Oct. 18 when Monsulick sprinted by Miller at the finish line.
"It was probably his best strategical race," said Maranacook coach Mike Verrill. "He ran it just right."
Monsulick was nearly flawless the entire fall season. He was undefeated going into the Class B final, and after a disappointing sixth-place finish in the states, when he burned himself out trying to chase Greely High School's Ben True, Monsulick bounced back the following week with an impressive 29th-place showing in the New England Regional championship meet.
Monsulick was simply the fastest high school runner in the area this fall, and for that reason is the easy choice for 2002 Kennebec Journal Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. It is the second straight year that Monsulick has won the award.
"I'm very happy how it went," Monsulick about his senior season. "I had no idea how good I would do. Things just kind of fell into place for me."
The cross country community found out pretty quickly how good Monsulick was when he beat Mt. Blue High School's Matt Dunlap, Morning Sentinel Boys Runner of the Year, and Cony High School's Marc Beaudoin in the season-opening Scot Laliberte Co-ed Invitational at UMaine-Augusta on Aug. 30. With impressive victories at the Maranacook Invitational, the Renee's Run at Colby College, the conference meet and the regional finals, Monsulick established himself as one of the state's premier runners when he outkicked Miller of Belfast in many of those races.
Beating Miller, the top sophomore runner in Maine, in three out of five races was probably the best measuring stick of Monsulick's success. Miller went on to finish seventh overall in the New England meet.
"I'd have to put him up there with some of the best runners we've ever had at Maranacook," said Verrill about Monsulick. Verrill was around when the Black Bears ran off with six straight Class B titles starting in the 1980s.
This fall was Monsulick's breakout season in many ways. He added significant miles to his summer training runs and came into the season in the best shape of his life. In what might have been his most impressive stretch of the fall, he traveled up to Dover Foxcroft during the regular season and won at 5K road race by outsprinting a field that included veteran runners. The day before, he was the fastest senior at the Mt. Blue Relays. In the conference and regional finals the following two weeks, he beat Miller in the final stretches.
Monsulick, a fluid runner with a naturally long gait who is particularly strong running up and down hills, is already looking forward to taking athletics to the next level. He's applied early decision at Bates College, where he hopes to continue his cross country running and skiing career.
"Steve will go down as one of our fastest, most resilent runners at Maranacook," said Verrill. "His record speaks for itself."
Joe Halpern — 621-5636 jhalpern@centralmaine.com