In sprints and over long distances, on a track and across uneven ground, runners of many varieties produced some of the most significant moments in Maui County sports over the past 12 months.
Dakota Grossman, now a junior at Seabury Hall, remained the most dominant of Hawaii's current girls high school distance runners, adding a trio of state gold medals - in cross country, and at 1,500 and 3,000 meters during the track season - to bring her total haul to six.
Baldwin claimed its first boys track and field team title, helped by Keelan Ewaliko winning the 200 and running in the 400 relay - with a discus gold by Pasoni Tasini added in for good measure.
Article Photos
All-American triathlete Ryan Koss.
ARNIE KOSS photo
Chelsea Reilly of Oakland, Calif., broke the Front Street Mile women's record, and Mari Kauri of Finland did the same in the Maui Ocean-front Marathon.
Running was also a key element in the achievements of Kula teenager Ryan Koss, a USA Triathlon All-American honorable mention recipient who qualified for the 2013 International Triathlon Union world championship in London.
At the professional level, Lesley Patterson bettered her Xterra World Championship Off-Road Triathlon women's course record, while Javier Gomez added an Xterra title to his silver medal from the London Olympics.
Also showing he is still fleet afoot was Shane Victorino - the St. Anthony graduate set a career high with 39 stolen bases in his ninth major league season, which was spent with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers. Earlier this month, the outfielder signed with the Boston Red Sox.
Maui's other big leaguer, catcher Kurt Suzuki, changed franchises for the first time in his nine years as a professional ballplayer, traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Washington Nationals.
Among the other firsts was the debut of eight-player football as an official Maui Interscholastic League sport - the inaugural title went to undefeated Seabury Hall, which also claimed its first MIL baseball championship.
King Kekaulike had a pair of unprecedented achievements, going unbeaten in boys volleyball for its first league title in the sport, and making its first trip to the state tournament in boys basketball.
Danielle Jefferies produced Maui Preparatory Academy's first state championship of any kind, in swimming.
Illinois romped to the EA Sports Maui Invitational title in Lahaina, and Steve Stricker became, at age 44, the oldest winner of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.
The county lost two significant contributors to its sports scene - longtime Baldwin wrestling coach Garner Ivey, and venerable game official Earl McFarland.
A pair of long MIL streaks came to an end - the Lahainaluna water polo team lost for the first time in 53 matches, and Baldwin's 40-game unbeaten run in girls soccer was halted.
A still-active streak is among the stories to keep an eye on in 2013 - the Lunas are undefeated in girls basketball in their last 79 games, a league record for any sport.
Grossman, too, can keep adding to her accolades, with a chance to become Hawaii's second four-time state champion in cross country, and break the MIL mark for total state gold medals.
There's much more to look forward to as well - Seabury swimmer Renny Richmond bidding for national high school records, Kaluka Maiava continuing his NFL career and myriad other athletes at their sports' most elite levels competing on Maui throughout the year.
Exactly what will happen is anyone's guess, but after the accomplishments put up by so many in the last 12 months, it's safe to expect some more historic runs.
* Brad Sherman is at sports@mauinews.com
