Abby Spector answered the phone at 5 p.m. in her dorm room at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Her voice told the story. The phone call awoke her.

“We just returned from a tournament and we never seem to get enough sleep,” Spector said groggily.

The current New England Women’s Golf Association champion and six-time winner of the Women Maine State Golf Association championship has just completed the fall golf season at UNC. She said her junior year at the school was much better than the year before.

“Things are really going well this year. It’s probably my best semester academically and for golf,” Spector said.

The Waterville native spent much of her sophomore season suffering through lower back pain. She has been pain-free this season and although she said her game has been up and down, it is improving.

“In our home tournament, my team placed second. It’s our best finish since I’ve been here. I was fifth overall and top on my team,” Spector said.

She points to the Lady Paladin Invitational at Furman University as evidence of her “up and down” season.

“It was really disappointing because I was so looking forward to [the tournament]. But my evil twin showed up for the second round.”

Spector shot 87 that round but bounced back for a 75 in the final round.

Her junior year has also been buoyed by the opening of a new golf facility at the school.

“It’s right in the middle of where we practice. It’s a beautiful facility. They have our names on a gold plaque over our lockers,” she said.

Spector has another year to enjoy the new facilities before she begins preparing for the LPGA in earnest.

She says the WMSGA tourney will remain on her schedule as long as she is an amateur despite her dominance of the event.

“I think playing in any tournament is good for me or any golfer. There is always some degree of competition. Whenever you’re playing in competition, there’s pressure and there’s experience gained from it,” Spector said and then added with a laugh, “Plus the experience of dealing with the press is good.”

Yeah, there’s always that.

Chico is the man

The name James “Chico” Hernandez has graced these pages before. The Washburn resident has traveled the world participating in sombo wrestling championships.

Now the 47-year-old Hernandez is in a new competition. He is competing to have his picture on a box of Wheaties Energy Crunch cereal.

“I’m in the final 10 out of thousands across the country who got involved,” Hernandez said from his office at the Supermax prison in Warren, where he works as a correctional and social worker.

General Mills, the maker of the cereal, came up with the contest titled “Everyday Champions.”

“The idea was to identify someone in each state who excels athletically and also gives back to the community in terms of volunteering,” Mark Zim said.

Zim works for Alan Taylor Communications of New York City, the marketing firm that is handling the contest for General Mills.

Entrants wrote an essay describing their athletic accomplishments and their community service.

“I’m a terrible writer. But I guess I got an ‘A’ on this paper,” Hernandez said.

Zim said that 51 winners were identified – one from each state and the District of Columbia. After further interviews, that number has been whittled down to 10.

“Five finalists will be selected. The winner’s picture will be on the front of the box and the other four will be on the back,” Zim said.

Just by being selected as one of the original 51, Hernandez’ name will appear on the box.

“My feelings are that I have a good chance to get to the next round. Then, if I make the cut I’m on the box,” Hernandez said. “I’m psyched. I’m jumping out of my skin.”

Don Perryman’s Local Spotlight column is published each Wednesday. He can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or at dperryman@bangordailynews.net