Knox-led Bears regain Class C crown in track> Boothbay Region girls join Maranacook as champions

When Matt Knox first joined the Maranacook High School track team, he ended up a state champion. Four years later, he’s leaving the the team the same way.

Knox, now a senior for the Readfield-based Black Bears, capped a long and distinguished middle-distance career in the Class C ranks by winning three events outright, anchoring his team’s 4×400 relay team to a state record victory, and leading Coach Stan Cowan’s team to its third state Class C championship in the last four years.

Maranacook outpointed Orono 89-66 1/2 for the title. In the girls meet, Boothbay Region eked out a two-point victory over Georges Valley of Thomaston 44-42.

The title meets were held at Cameron Stadium in Bangor Saturday.

Individually speaking, the day belonged to Knox, whose shaved head allowed him to stand out in the crowd without his on-the-track accomplishments.

Knox defended his state title in the 800 (1:59.1) and also won the 400 (50.7) and long jump (20-5 1/2). Then, in the final event, he anchored home Maranacook’s 4×400 relay team to a state-record clocking of 3:32.1.

Knox’s performance, coupled with the first-place finishes of Jason Baack in the shot put and Neal Gleason in the pole vault made the Black Bears impossible to beat.

Orono, the team with the best shot, put up a fight with Greg Sivik picking up a win in the 200, a second in the 100, and anchoring a relay victory. Bill Beutel added another first in the triple jump but the Black Bears’ depth proved a little better than that of the Riots.

Sam Wilbur of Mattanawcook in Lincoln came close to pulling off a rare distance triple with victories in the 1600, 3200, and a third behind Knox in the 800.

Winthrop’s Greg Stewart was another double winner in the javelin and discus.

The Seahawk girls knew that Georges Valley of Thomaston had the premier girl athlete in Christina Strong. While Strong was winning the 100 and 300 hurdles, Boothbay used three different athletes to put up the same numbers (plus two), mainly in the field events.

Sarah Brewer won the triple jump and while Sandra Maddocks won the javelin. Maddocks was also second to Strong in the 100 hurdles and picked up a third in the shot put while Brewer earned a sixth in the long jump. Tammy Campbell was third in the 400 to round out the Seahawks’ scoring.

In addition to Strong, double winners in the girls meet included Anna Struck of Winthrop, who set a state record in the high jump (5-4 3/4) and won the 400, while Kim Doucette of Old Orchard Beach won the 100 and 200.