BREWER – For Lindsay Burlock of Caribou, the best part about Monday’s Hershey state championship meet at the Pendleton Street track wasn’t winning a state championship in the 100 meter dash.

“I like it because I get to travel all the way down here and meet all kinds of people,” said the 14-year-old freshman-to-be at Caribou High.

Burlock had plenty of chances to meet up with old friends and make new ones. Nearly 150 athletes ages 9-14 participated in the meet, which featured the first and second place finishers from the regional meets in each event. Athletes were divided into three age divisions.

The regional meets were held two weeks ago in Westbrook, Saco, Caribou, Auburn and Bangor.

The athletes were vying for the chance to represent Maine at the Hershey National championships, slated for Aug. 11 in Hershey, Pa.

A regional meeting to determine who will represent Maine will be held July 19. The state champions in each event will be compared to winners from British Columbia, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. Only five athletes from Maine will be selected for the prestigious meet.

Five years ago Burlock was one of the fortunate ones, as she earned a selection in the 400-meter dash in the 9- and 10-year-old age group.

Now Burlock will have to wait and see if she is chosen for a second time. But even if she’s not, Burlock still enjoyed every part of her day Monday – including rising at 6 a.m. so she could complete her paper route before making the 350-mile round trip with her parents.

Fort Fairfield’s Hilary McNamee’s name will be entered into the regional athlete pool in three events: the 100, 400 and long jump.

The 10-year-old competed in the Hershey state meet last year, taking a second in the long jump. Since then, she has worked hard to improve her speed and her strength.

“I’ve really pushed myself to do better,” McNamee said. “I like the exercise I get from running.”

McNamee said she practices track and field about three hours per week. She also plays basketball, soccer and softball. Basketball is her favorite sport and she attended a basketball camp in Fort Fairfield last week.

The athletes from the Presque Isle Parks and Recreation Department enjoy one event most of all – the 400-meter relay.

Presque Isle teams won four of the six age divisions in the relay: the boys and girls 9-10 division, the girls 11-12 division and the girls 13-14 division.

“Our kids like to do [the relays],” said Presque Isle programmer Dick Gardner. “They talk about the relays before their individual events.”

Katie DeLong anchored the victorious 11-12 team to its second title in a row.

“It feels good that we’ve done well every year….I like [the relay] because there’s not as much pressure on you. It’s more of a team effort,” she said.

DeLong didn’t seem to have much trouble handling pressure, as she sprinted home with a win in the 100 meters and also captured the long jump.

Teammate Rachel Blackstone led off the relay and placed second in the 400-meter dash. It took a heroic effort from Bath’s Jessie Knowlton to defeat Blackstone, who had run to three consecutive state championships in the 400.

Blackstone and Knowlton ran in different heats, and both girls won their heat. Blackstone competed first and clocked 1 minute, 13.34 seconds, pacing herself and not taking the lead until the final bend.

Knowlton, on the other hand, led from the outset and crossed the line in 1:08.21.

It was Knowlton’s first appearance at a Hershey state meet, but the 12-year-old is a veteran of the running scene.

“I’ve been running since I was two,” she said.

Knowlton said her father, Rick Knowlton, got her interested in running. She trains two days per week and also plays soccer and basketball. Her best time in the 400 is 1:06, and she has run 5 minutes, 44 seconds for 1,600 meters.

Tim Whiton of Portland showed his experience in the 13-14 1,600-meter run. Though he fell behind by more than 50 meters early in the race, he gradually worked his way through the field and took the lead on the final curve, timing 5:40.76. The 13-year-old has been running summer track for five years.

“I was just hoping they’d die off,” he said.

Whiton said he was still sore from attending roller skiing camp in Cumberland last week. Besides his aching muscles, he had plenty of pavement burns on his arms and legs to show for his efforts.

Track & Field

YOUTH At Brewer Hershey Track & Field State Championship

BREWER – Results of Monday’s Hershey Track & Field state chaheld at Pendleton Street Track complex. (Field event results were not reported to the NEWS): 9-10 Girls

50: Ashley Gale 8.87, Erin Murphy 8.90, Katrina Whittier 9.07, (tie) Monica Amabile and Areri Cole 9.12, Logan Prescott 9.45; 100: Hilary McNamee 15.95, Jasmine McClougman 16.24, Wight 17.23, Allison Young 17.31, Tasha Worcester 17.54, Jacqueline Cone-Auslender 17.68; 200: Alison Blaisdell 36.24, Kayla Legassie 36.54, Logan Prescott 39.49; 400: Hilary McNamee 1:20.73, Kristen Willard 1:24.58; 400 relay: Presque Isle 1:09.91, Westbrook 1:11.44, Saco 1:11.71, Hollis 1:11.95, Houlton 1:13.69; 11-12 Girls

100: Kate Delong 14.95, Jasmine Green 15.51, Chelsea Leduc 15.56, Marina Robinson 15.96, Hannah Weber 16.31, Tammy Dayringer 16.36; 200: Chelsea Leduc 32.80, Sheena Escancy 33.38, Alison Feibel 35.02, Julia Violette 35.19, Melissa Small 36.52, Emily Palmer 39.09; 400: Jessie Knowlton 1:08.21, Rachael Blackstone 1:13.27, Laura Blanchard 1:13.34, Courtney Foley 1:19.18Mikayla Call 1:20.07, Kaitlin O’Donnell 1:22.54; 800: Laura Blanchard 2:49.25, Mikayla Call 3:01.30, Alice Bennett 3:04.62, Ashleigh Madden 3:30.39, Katelyn Enmann 3:32.81; 400 relay: Presque Isle 1:01.59, Saco 1:06.50, Fort Fairfield 1:10.49, Orono 1:12.16, Westbrook 1:15.32; 13-14 Girls

100: Lindsay Burlock 14.71, Betty Prest 14.80, Piers 16.43, Jenny Small 17.37; 200: Shepard 31.08, Monique Pelletier 31.08, Betty Prest 31.65, Jenny Small 35.83; 800: Julia Bachelder 2:51.71, Karla Stockmeyer 2:56.83, Ashley Gard 3:01.71, Melissa Hessert 3:05.06; 1600: Julia Bachelder 6:27.69, Melissa Hessert 6:43.38; 400 relay: Presque Isle 58.45

9-10 Boys

50: Alex Gale 8.40, Mark Carveil 8.50, Taylor Ross 8.89, Goan 8.95, Austin Rowell 9.19, Joseph Cappalino 9.25; 100: Kurt Prescott 15.39, Craig Cyr 16.11, Yeboah 16.27, John D’Haite 16.45, James Bates 16.56, Drake Smith 16.73; 200: Craig Cyr 34.32, Dylan Moulton 35.75, Drake Smith 37.30, Lowell Matthews 38.48, Conor O’Donnell 38.64, Steven Hatfield 44.99; 400: Kurt Prescott 1:08.03, Parker Hovey 1:12.81, Logan Russell 1:17.21, Yeboah 1:18.89, Joey Bard 1:18.90, Conor O’Donnell 1:26.79; 400 relay: Presque Isle 1:05.93, Houlton 1:09.45 11-12 Boys

100: Inbo Pac 13.89, Scott London 14.39, Brock Kilcollins 15.00, Zach Brown 15.05, D.J. Burnette 15.08, Seth Marquis 15.12; 200: Luke Rowell 32.47, Andrew York 32.60, Jon Demers 33.27, Zach Kubetz 34.42, Pochebin 34.65, Ryan Grant 37.47; 400: Inbo Pac 1:07.38, Sam Cobb 1:12.27, John Kosobud 1:19.12, Andrew Walton 1:20.31, Bradley Burlock 1:25.04, Zach Dennison 1:47.74; 800: Sam Cobb 2:51.69, Kevin McDonough 2:53.76, Bradley Burlock 3:16.83; 400 relay: Westbrook 1:03.64, Houlton 1:04.27, Bangor 1:04.52, Portland 1:04.86, Presque Isle 1:05.01 13-14 Boys

100: Robert Kilcollins 13.96, Broaddus 15.63; 200: Robert Kilcollins 29.84, Eric Holmes 33.12; 800: Wight 2:28.74, Kyle Alden 2:35.88, Alex Mangone 2:43.95; 1600: Tim Whiton 5:40.76, Kyle Alden 5:44.40, Alex Mangone 5:53.11, Kyle Enman 6:48.57; 400 relay: Westbrook 57.34