Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

COLLEGE CONNECTION: Fontaine off to flying start

By Bill Stewart bstewart@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

Luke Fontaine says he feels like a new runner.

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OFF TO THE RACES: Cony High School graduate Luke Fontaine finished third in the University of Miami’s opening meet, leading the Hurricanes to a second-place finish at the Florida Gulf Coast University Invitational with his time of 20 minutes, 42.40 seconds on the four-mile course.

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He certainly looked like one Saturday when the University of Miami kicked off its cross country season at the Florida Gulf Coast University Invitational.

Fontaine, an Augusta native and 2010 Cony High School graduate, finished third, completing the four-mile course in a blistering 20 minutes, 42.40 seconds. He helped the Hurricanes to a second-place finish at the meet.

Fontaine was also the top Miami male finisher at the race, which he hopes serves as a springboard to continued success this season.

"I was surprised," Fontaine said. "Our goal was to get to 20:40 or run a 5:10 mile pace. We started off slow in the first mile. I think I was a 5:18. I tried to pick up the pace in the second mile and at the two-mile mark, I was 10:40. So I really picked it up."

And that, said Miami assistant coach Damon Griffiths, is what the Hurricanes hope Fontaine can do during his sophomore season.

"He came in here this fall in excellent shape," he said. "He maintained a high level of fitness coming into the fall season. This year, I'm expecting him to challenge to be one of the top three guys on the team. Last year, he was like No. 5 or No. 6. I'm hoping he can continue to progress."

Fontaine acknowledged it was quite a transition from high school to the Division I competition he faced at Miami, which competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"The first year I was trying to learn," he said. "I just wanted to get that first year under my belt. My coach helped me a lot. He taught me how to run. I was running on my heels and he taught me to run on my toes, on the front part of my foot. It was more apt to give me faster times. I trained really hard, too."

Added Griffiths: "The first year was more of a transition. He wasn't used to training for (8-kilometer) races or (10-kilometers). Coming off his track season in high school, his base wasn't as high as it was for some of the other runners. Now, he's able to handle the college training. I definitely expected Luke to come back this way. I knew he was determined. The key right now is for him to continue to work hard and to take advantage of every opportunity we have. He needs to keep the momentum."

In late June, Fontaine competed in the USA Track and Field Junior National Championships in Eugene, Ore. He finished 12th in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:01.20.

He credited that performance with providing ample motivation heading into his sophomore season at Miami.

"Making finals out there was a big boost," he said. "I definitely feel more confident than I did last summer."

The Miami cross country team has struggled in ACC competition over the past four years. The team hasn't finished higher than 11th at the conference championship meet during that time.

Griffiths, however, said the Hurricanes are poised for improvement this season.

"The team goals are to be in the middle of the pack at the conference championship meet," he said. "I think we are good enough and deep enough to get that seventh, eighth or ninth spot if everyone clicks on the same day. We want to make history."

Bill Stewart - 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com