The track season is nearing its zenith; this past Friday’s Western Maine Conference Championship gathered better than a dozen schools from around Southern Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s Costello Sports Complex in Gorham. Falmouth, traditionally strong, did particularly well as a team, taking first on the boys’ side of things and third on the girls. Likewise, York showed strong; both their boys and girls finished second.

WMCs were especially important for teams this year, as the track schedule is actually quite short – five regular season meets only, one of which was recently cancelled due to the weather. WMCs is thus a critical, last opportunity for athletes to qualify for States.

“We’re winding down one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve ever coached,” said Gray-New Gloucester head coach Todd Mercer. “This group of athletes has set goals and worked hard at reaching them all season long.

“I have to credit the team leadership,” Mercer said. “Especially team captains Ashley Hutchinson, Dillon Sullivan, Nichole Lowell, Alex Nelson, Emily Dawkins and Adam Dumas for the culture of hard work and dedication they created this season.”

Lake Region coach Mark Snow was thorough in his praise, nodding to a long list of names, including Keyana Prescott, Danica Chadwick, Catherin Christiansen, Sam DeSouza, Audrey and Addie Blais, Thomas Noble, and of course Kate Hall, faster than a speeding bullet and able to smash sundry jumping records in a single bound.

Snow summed himself up nicely when he said, “Both [the boys and girls] teams scored the most points at this meet in my five years as their coach. I’m very proud of their performances.”

Boys team scores

1. Falmouth, 168

2. York, 129

3. Fryeburg, 78

4. Greely, 44.5

5. Yarmouth, 38

6. Traip, 31

7. Cape Elizabeth, 26

7. North Yarmouth, 26

9. Wells, 23

10. Gray-New Gloucester, 22

11. Poland, 19

12. Kennebunk, 18

13. Freeport, 15

14. Lake Region, 8

15. Sacopee Valley, 5.5

Girls team scores

1. Greely, 122

2. York, 98

3. Falmouth, 95

4. Traip, 56.5

5. Lake Region, 52

6. Fryeburg, 50

7. Cape Elizabeth, 42

8. Gray-New Gloucester, 33

9. Yarmouth, 31

10. Wells, 28.5

11. Freeport, 17

12. Poland, 13

13. North Yarmouth, 11

14. Kennebunk, 2

Selected senior and open division boys individual scores

200-meter: 1. Nick Sanzari, Falmouth, 23.75; 9. Adam Dumas, GNG, 24.83; 11. Tim Brigham, Cape, 25.12

400-meter: 1. Tucker Corbett, York, 51.25; 2. Adam Dumas, GNG, 52.92; 10. James Saucier, Freeport, 58.16

4×200-meter Relay: 1. Falmouth A, 1:34.64; 7. Freeport A, 1:46.80; 8. Lake Region A, 1:56.77

Shot Put: 1. Darren Shi, Yarmouth, 47-02.00; 5. Nate Weare, Cape, 40-00.50; 6. Ramsey Dodge, Freeport, 39-11.00

800-meter: 1. Spencer Brown, Falmouth, 2:04.24; 9. Dillon Sullivan, GNG, 2:15.51; 13. Max Greenwood, Freeport, 2:21.81

One Mile: 1. Mitchell Morris, Cape, 4:32.37; 3. Ben Garcia, GNG, 4:37.45; 6. Chandler Vincent, Freeport, 4:42.77

Two Mile: 1. Bryce Murdick, Falmouth, 10:12.47; 4. Henry Jaques, Freeport, 10:38.01; 8. Jared DuPerre, Cape, 10:59.55

Long Jump: 1. Liuke Yang, Fryeburg, 19-05.00; 6. Nick Wilson, Freeport, 18-03.75; 18. Hunter Lillard, Freeport, 16-00.00

Triple Jump: 1. Xiaoyu Victor Yang, Fryeburg, 40-09.50; 10. Theo Snow, Lake Region, 34-09.00; 12. Nick Scarlett, Lake Region, 32-05.75

Selected senior and open division girls individual scores

200-meter: 1. Emma England, Falmouth, 27.73; 8. Emily Latulippe, Freeport, 29.70; 11. Courtney Broderick, Freeport, 30.38

400-meter: 1. Elora McCCuddy, Traip, 1:00.80; 4. Maddie Squibb, Freeport, 1:04.95; 9. Karla Shufelt, GNG, 1:15.51

55-meter Hurdles: 1. Jocelyn Mitiguy, Greely, 9.09; 4. Morgan Carpenter, Cape, 10.46; 7. Keyana Prescott, Lake Region, 12.26

4×200-meter Relay: 1. Falmouth A, 1:54.77; 6. Freeport A, 2:00.57; 11. Lake Region A, 2:10.53

High Jump: 1. Emma Egan, Yarmouth, 5-02.00; 2. Morgan Carpenter, Cape, 4-08.00; 4. Katie Oberholtzer, Cape, J4-08.00

Shot Put: 1. Alyssa Coyne, Greely, 39-01.50; 2. Tram Ho, GNG, 33-01.00; 3. Emily Dawkins, GNG, 30-07.50

800-meter: 1. Eva Brydson, Cape, 2:29.16; 2. Audrey Blais, Lake Region, 2:34.34; 9. Chloe Hight, Freeport, 2:46.56

One Mile: 1. Anna Lastra, Fryeburg, 5:30.29; 7. Samantha Feenstra, Cape, 5:50.48; 11. Isabella Shampine, GNG, 6:01.42

Two Mile: 1. Izzy Evans, Greely, 12:12.24; 5. Samantha Feenstra, Cape, 13:04.50; 7. Midori Kwan, Cape, 13:31.66

4×800-meter Relay: 1. Falmouth A, 10:27.17; 3. Cape A, 10:27.96; 5. Freeport A, 10:31.71

Pole Vault: 1. Alyssa Coyne, Greely, 8-06.00; 5. Scout Ray, GNG, J7-00.00; 8. Ashley Hutchinson, GNG, 6-06.00

Long Jump: 1. Kate Hall, Lake Region, 19-07.25; 7. Hannah Schnyder, Freeport, 14-11.25; 16. Danica Chadwick, Lake Region, 12-08.75

Triple Jump: 1. Katherine Bullock, York, 33-06.00; 7. Morgan Carpenter, Cape, 30-05.50; 10. Danica Chadwick, Lake Region, 28-00.00

Class A States are slated for Feb. 16th at USM; Class B should take place that same day at Bates.

Lake Region’s Danica Chadwick clears a hurdle in the junior event.Jaley Martin runs a 55-meter prelim for GNG.Kate Hall blitzes through the senior girls 55-meter Dash. Hall ultimately won the event, as she often does; this time, she did it in 7.07 seconds, .7 seconds faster than second-place Emma Egan of Yarmouth.Anna Espling of GNG dashes up the track in a 55-meter prelim.