Boothbay region schools held a Special Olympics skills contest Nov. 4 in place of the annual Central Maine Soccer Contest canceled earlier this year. The 19 Special Olympians took to the Boothbay Region Elementary School fields in four divisions after practicing for two months. While games and scrimmages were not held due to social distancing, the athletes were split onto the two fields wearing masks and keeping six feet or more apart.

Former Community School District Special Education Director and Special Olympics coach Toby LeConte said athletes were divided into the four divisions based on ability levels and submitted pre-scores. LeConte said the adults were trained by Don Dixon while the high school-age athletes had the combined coaching efforts of Mary Pawlowski, Suzy Taylor and Paulette Carter. Roberta Blaney, Earl Brewer and Tanya Thibault trained all elementary school athletes.

Said LeConte, “They all were excited to see and be with their friends and each other. Enormous thank-you’s go to Kathryn Hibbard, a longtime volunteer, Diane Reed, Karen Cronk, Caitlyn Cronk, and all the parents. Many, many comments were heard: ‘The best!’; ‘It’s freezing!’; ‘There was supposed to be no wind’; ‘He’s my best friend!’; and ‘Look what I won!’”

Results:

Division 1: First place Ronda LeConte; Joey Ranco, second; Valerie Giles, third; Zander Blake, fourth; Isaac Pray, fifth; and Amber Hyson, sixth.

Division 2: Grace Giles, first; Matt Farnham, second; Donny Dunning, third; and Danny Miller, fourth.

Division 3: Vincent Giles, first; Anthony Angelico, second; Peter Brewster, third; John Rankin, fourth; and Blake Chadwick, fifth.

Division 4. Cole Walby, first; Chloe Joneth, second; and Jameson Brooks and Raiden Hutchins, third.