Male:

JAKE DIXON, Senior-Track

* All-New England, 400

* All-State, first-team, 400

* Class A state champion, 400

* SMAA All-Conference, first-team, 200

* SMAA All-Conference, first-team, 400

* SMAA All-Conference, first-team, 4×400 relay

Dixon departs Cheverus as one of the finest athletes ever to grace one of the state’s most accomplished programs and his legacy lives on due to his record-setting performance.

Dixon, a Falmouth resident, didn’t even start out as a running aficionado, as his first love was soccer, but by junior year, it was clear his glory would lie in running as fast as he could.

“Sophomore year was the turning point,” Dixon said. “I realized that I could take it to the next level. I focused and learned to love track a lot.”

Dixon was named Cheverus’ Winter Male Athlete of the Year in 2013-14 as a junior after winning and setting a new indoor record in the 200. Last spring, Dixon finished first in the 400, with a then-school record-setting time of 48.93 seconds, helping the Stags win their first state title since 1998. In February, Dixon was second in both the 200 and 400 indoors, then he set about turning heads this spring.

Dixon came in to his final high school season planning to make history.

“I didn’t run as I’d hoped indoors and I was determined to break the 400 record,” Dixon said. “I ran at the Dogwood Classic in Viriginia before the season and won the 400 in 48.93, which was two seconds faster than what I ran indoors. I trained with (Lake Region’s record-setting standout) Kate Hall’s trainer, Chris Pribish, and it showed that my hard work was paying off.”

Sure enough, on June 6, at the Class A state meet, Dixon won the 400 in 48.45 seconds and he now holds the state record. Dixon also placed second in the 200 at that meet. Dixon then capped his high school career by coming in third in the 400 and eighth in the 200 at New Englands (his time of 22.19 seconds in the 200 was a personal best). He qualified for the Nationals in the 400, but opted not to run due to an injured leg muscle.

Dixon graduated with eight individual state titles (six outdoors and two indoors), nine school records, five state records and one team championship.

Dixon’s next act will be at the University of Virginia, where he plans to run the 400 and the 4×400 relay and study either biological science or pre-dental. 

While Dixon likely still has much greatness in his future, it’s at the high school level, that he won’t be forgotten. Jake Dixon, Cheverus’ Spring Male Athlete of the Year, got better and better and bowed out as the best of them all.

Coach Steve Virgilio’s comment: “Jake is one of the most talented athletes I have ever coached. I have worked with male and female athletes at the youth, high school and collegiate levels, I have coached school, conference, state and all-time Maine record holders, I have coached regional and national qualifiers, all regional performers, All Americans and national champions and Jake is not only as talented as any high school athlete I have ever coached, he is one of the most prodigious and accomplished high school track athletes Maine has ever seen. Jake had a major impact on our track and field program but his impact was felt beyond the campus. Jake changed Maine high school track and field. He set a precedent for the sport and the state. Jake changed our program, its expectations and accomplishments. He changed his teammates. He changed me. I’m fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Jake and watch him transform from a freshman who couldn’t even beat some of the other freshmen in the league to a collegiate scholarship athlete who ran faster than anyone in Maine has ever run in five different events. He made the Cheverus program better and because of that, others will benefit and flourish.”

Previous winners:

2014 Isaac Yeobah (track)

2013 Thomas Lawson (lacrosse)

2012 Louie DiStasio (baseball)

2011 Nic Lops (baseball)

2010 Jack Terwilliger (track)

2009 Mick DiStasio (baseball)

2008 Topher Pochebit (lacrosse)

2007 Todd Keneborus (baseball)

2006 Michael Antoniou (lacrosse)

2005 Ben Michaud (track)

2004 Ben Michaud (track)

Female:

ABBY BIEGEL, Senior-Lacrosse

* SMAA All-Star, second-team

* SMAA All-Academic team

Biegel was the top offensive threat on another competitive Cheverus squad this spring and while the Stags weren’t able to reach the state final for the third year in a row, she scored some pivotal goals.

Biegel grew up in Gorham and made her mark in several different sports in high school, playing soccer, volleyball, ice hockey and running track, but it was on the lacrosse field that she had her greatest success.

As a sophomore, Biegel scored a goal in the state final as Cheverus edged Massabesic for the program’s first championship. She was a key offensive threat again as a junior, as the Stags got back to the state final before losing to the Mustangs in a five-overtime marathon.

After graduation took its toll on the program, Biegel came up huge as a senior. Biegel had a team-high four goals in a come-from-behind win at Portland, scored three times against Windham, twice against Bonny Eagle, twice against Gorham, twice in a win over Deering and produced four more goals in a victory over McAuley. In Cheverus’ epic four-overtime loss to Portland in the Eastern A quarterfinals, Biegel had two goals and two assists, including a goal in the second overtime to help the Stags rally to keep the game going.

For the season, Biegel led Cheverus with 23 goals. She added six assists and did a lot of other things that didn’t show up in the box score that helped her team stay competitive.

Biegel said that she’s driven by her peers.

“My teammates motivate me,” Biegel said. “I love the girls I played with. We depended on each other. We knew it would be challenging this year, but we always have people who step up. I was sad when the season was over, but everyone gave 100 percent.”

Biegel, who also belonged to Cheverus’ Key Club, Homefront Club and Home Team, is spending part of her summer in Haiti building houses. She will attend Plymouth State in New Hampshire next year and plans to play lacrosse.

Biegel was a key contributor on the lacrosse field throughout her high school career, but as a senior, she got the recognition she so richly deserved. Abby Biegel, Cheverus’ Spring Female Athlete of the Year, was everything you wanted a senior leader to be.

Coach Jennifer Wescott’s comment: “Abby was crucial on the draw control. The thing I loved about Abby this season and what made her successful, is she never stopped wanting to be better. She was a hard worker and a good teammate. She was a player her teammates could trust to get the job done. She’ll be missed next year.”

Previous winners:

2014 Brittany Bell (softball)

2013 Alex Logan (lacrosse)

2012 Meredith Willard (lacrosse)

2011 Paige Lucas (lacrosse)

2010 Theresa Hendrix (softball)

2009 Theresa Hendrix (softball)

2008 Theresa Hendrix (softball)

2007 Dana Proscia (lacrosse)

2006 Dana Proscia (lacrosse)

2005 Meaghan Morris (track)

2004 Kate McLaughlin (track)

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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