Coach Dean Hall hopes this is the year his Greyhounds claim their first elusive state title, with the State Class C meet set for Saturday at Cony High School in Augusta at 10 a.m.
Hall raved about the closeness of his team and “their will to win.” The longtime track coach feels his Greyhound girls have a legitimate chance of winning the Class C title after cruising to the 2012 MVC championship with a whopping 181 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Madison by 115 points.
“Our highest ever finish at states is third, and we expect to compete with Traip Academy (the 2011 champs) for the title this year, along with a team a lot of us favor in Orono.”
The girls boast of several high seeds. Lindsey Whitney is the top seed in the 1600-meter race/walk (8:24.99), while Gabby Ouellette and Kaitlyn Doustou lead the field in the high jump with matching 4-10 leaps.
Kayla Angelico is second in the javelin (111-08), and Moore is the No. 2 seed in the shot put (34-09).The4x800relayteamof Thomas, Olivia Bulgin, Angelica Bulgin and Angelico are seeded third (10:45.50), with Angelica Bulgin third in the 800 (2:28.53).
“The weather conditions (the forecast calls for rain), and the pressure of graduation the next day (Lisbon High School’s graduation is Sunday) can take its toll. You just never can tell,” said Hall.
On the boys side, Hall said “we have less bullets, but the ones we have are very powerful.”
Hall referred to Morgan Reeves, who is seeded first in the triple jump (41-10.25), and second in both the pole vault (12-06) and long jump (21-03.50).
“Morgan expected a lot from himself coming into the season, and he has certainly delivered,” said Hall. “He has the capability of winning all four of his events, counting the relay.”
The Greyhounds come in with Tyler Bard and Ben Kates as the top two seeds in the 1600 race/walk,whilethe4x100 relay team of Reeves, Quincy Thompson, Zach Splude and Aaron Halls are seeded third (46.73). Also in the top eight are Kyle Sheehan (fifth, 300 hurdles), the4x400relaysquad (Garrett Starr, Charles Adams, Thompson, Ben Kates, fifth) and Halls (seventh, race/walk).
Freeport, Wiscasset
Though Freeport competes throughout the season in the Western Maine Conference meets against mostly Class B schools, the Falcons compete in Class C for states.
Kelsey Grant is seeded in the top five in two events (third, 100, 13.49; fourth, javelin, 104- 04), with the Falcons strong in therelays.Inthe4x400, Freeport (Ciera Wentworth, Elly Bengtsson, Hayley Steckler, Emily Martin) is seeded thirdat4:27.63, whilethe4x100 squad (Abby Roney, Grant, Katie O’Neil, Steckler) is fifth at 55.48.
Other Freeport athletes to watch are Margo Ruby (ninth, 400), Martin (10th, 400), Bengtsson (10th, 1600), Wentworth (sixth, 800), Roney (sixth, 200) and Grant (ninth, 200).
The Freeport boys are deep in the 800, with runners Taylor Saucier (fourth, 2:03.76), Harrison Stivers (eighth, 2:07.07) and Zach Merrill (10th, 2:08.53) seeded in the event.
Stivers is seeded second in the400at52.06, whilethe4x800 team of Saucier, Stivers, Ian McGhie and Merrill are second (8:38.08), just two seconds behind top-ranked George Stevens.
For Wiscasset, Kyle Shute is seeded eighth in the 1600 race/walk (8:44.25), Joe Chapman 10th in the long jump (19- 01) and Michaela Trudeau 11th in the race/walk (10:01.61).
North Yarmouth Academy also competes in Class C. Brunswick native Ryan Salerno is the top seed in the javelin with a qualifying throw of 162- 02. Alex Coffin of Freeport is third in the 800 (2:03.04), while Bath’s Rudy Guliani is fourth in both the 1600 (4:38.26) and 3200 (10:22.54).
Also, Brunswick native Hillary Detert of NYA will compete in the 1600 and 3200.
Class A at Windham
A deep Class A field will be at Windham High School on Saturday (10 a.m.), with Brunswick coach Dave DeLois and longtime Mt. Ararat leader Diane Fournier hoping for several individual victors and topfive team finishes.
The Brunswick boys boast of two top-seeded athletes. Alex Nichols is the No. 1 seed in both the 400-meter run (49.91 qualifying time) and 200 (22.69), while Mitchell Black’s 800 time of 1:58.18 (the only sub-two minute qualifier) leads the field by more than two seconds.
“Alex posted a personal-best time in the 400 last time and gives us a chance in his events, while Mitchell has been strong all season in the 800, triple jump and (4 x 800) relay,” said DeLois. “Our goal as always is to do the best we can and improve every day. So far, the kids have done that every week.”
Other Dragons seeded in the top-five are Jamie Ross (third, 800, 2:00.38; fifth, 1600, 4:29.01) and Black (fifth, triple jump, 41- 11.75). Also, the Brunswick 4 x 800 squad (Wilder Nicholson, Benson Worthington, Jamie Ross, Mitchell Black) is seeded third at 8:15.90.
Mt. Ararat’s McKenzie Gary is looking for some retribution after an injury during last year’s preliminaries knocked him out of the state meet.
“McKenzie is always a contender,” said Mt. Ararat boys coach Ryan Holmes. “He has had an amazing four-year career at Mt. Ararat and has worked incredibly hard to get back from the injury last spring.
“He ended the KVAC Championships winning the 100, long jump and triple jump, while placing second in the 200 by tenths of a second. At the state meet this year he has a strong chance to win the 200, and could be the top point-getter of the meet.”
Gary is seeded fifth in the 100 (11.36, just .05 behind top-seeded Hassan Mohamed of Lewiston), second to Nichols in the 200 (22.73), second in the long jump (21-04) and fourth in the triple jump (43-0).
Senior Andy Reifman-Packett renews his rivalry with Messalonskee’s Harlow Ladd in the 1600 on Saturday. Ladd is seeded first at 4:25.71, with Reifman Packett just two seconds behind at 4:27.78.
Reifman-Packett is seeded ninth in the 3200 with a qualifying time of 10:07.
Mt. Ararat’s Seth Bryant is seeded sixth in the 800 (2:02.30), whilethe4x800relay(Nathan Bryant, Seth Bryant, Jacob Demosthenes, Nathan McKenzie) is seeded eighth (8:33.09).
In the Class A girls meet, Brunswick’s Alexis Dickinson comes in seeded second in the 100 at 12.54, just one-tenth of a second behind Scarborough’s Nicole Kirk, who is also the topseed in the 200 (25.28), with Dickinson fourth at 26.22.
Brunswick’s4x100relay squad (Allison Hill, Bridget Horan, Cassandra Murano, Dickinson) is seeded fifth at 52.21.
“Alexis should do well in her events, while Allison Hill is solid in the hurdles (100 hurdles, fourth, 15.85),” said DeLois. “We hope to do well as far as placing. I expect Edward Little, Scarborough and Bangor to be the top teams.”
Anna Cowan and Murano are seeded sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 400, while long-distance runner Katie McMahon is fourth at 11:22.92. Also seeded fourth for Brunswickisthe4x800relay squad of Teresa Murphy, Jasmine Boyle, McMahon and Cowan at 10:13.68.
“Injuries have not helped us this year,” said Fournier of her girls squad. “Nicole Ross had mononucleosis and has been a bit behind where she should be, but is still a competitor. Maddison Prescott is nursing a hamstring issue, and some of the kids had a bout with stomach problems lately.
“But, I still feel the Mt. Ararat girls can finish in the top-five if everything goes right.”
Ross is seeded fifth in the 400 (1:01.45); Kelly Lynch fifth in the 3200 (11:35.05) and seventh in the 1600 (5:19.49); Prescott sixth in the triple jump (33-05), and ninth in both the long jump (15-05) and 100 (13.24); and Lizzie O’Neal is eighth in the 100 hurdles (16.73).
Freshman Olivia Swan is the top-seeded Mt. Ararat girls athlete, coming in fourth in the high jump (5-01), while the Eagles’ 4 x 800 relay squad of Kelly Lynch, Brennie Radulski, Emmie Cox and Swan are eighth at 10:37.35.
Class B
Morse heads to Mt. Desert Island on Saturday (10 a.m.).
The Waterville girls have won the past five Class B titles, while the Purple Panther boys have taken home the trophy four of the past six seasons, including last year, with Falmouth winning the 2009-10 titles.
This year’s large Waterville squad is a championship contender again, with Morse coach Shawn Guest saying individual glory is the goal for the Shipbuilders.
On the girls side, Kerry Cummings is the No. 1 seed in the 1600 race/walk. Her qualifying time of 7:34.70 is nearly 23 seconds ahead of her closest competitor.
“Over the last four years, Kerry has been a captain and has never once complained,” said Guest. “In years past, she had to race against top race/walk athlete Abby Dunn of Edward Little and just couldn’t best her. Kerry is one of my all-time favorite kids, and I will be there cheering her on when she wins the race/walk.”
Also, Savannah Simmons- Grover looks to contend in both the high jump and javelin. She is seeded second in the triple jump (5-01, just behind Yarmouth’s Jocelyn Davies’ 5- 02) and fourth in the javelin (98- 07).
“Savannah has done well in her first two years of high school track, and she has a great chance of winning the high jump,” said Guest. “She will need to have her best throw to win the javelin, but she can definitely place.”
Morse’s best chance of points among the boys is the high jump.
Joel Harris is seeded third at 6-0 (Elijah Locke of Gray-New Gloucester is seeded first at 6- 04), while D’Vaughn Meyers is the 11th seed at 5-08.
“If Joel is on his mark, he can win the high jump,” said Guest. “(Assistant coach) Mike Rice has done a great job coaching the boys in the high jump.
“To me, once you get past the regionals and to the states, it is all a bonus, and as a coach, there’s not too much I can say to them,” said Guest. “I just hope all of the Morse kids who compete Saturday can medal. It is something they will always remember.”
State Track Meets Saturday, 10 a.m.
State Class A — At Windham
State Class B — At Mt. Desert Island.
State Class C — At Cony High School.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less