Rawcliffe lifts Hampden to championship

ORONO – Two weeks ago, Hampden Academy track coach David King approached versatile sophomore MacKenzie Rawcliffe and told her she had just become a long jumper.

Forget the fact that Rawcliffe hadn’t participated in the event since she arrived at HA. Forget the fact that she only had one week to perfect the event before the Eastern Maine Indoor Track League Championship meet.

“Mr. King said he needed a secret weapon,” Rawcliffe said on Saturday night, a shy, sly grin creasing her mouth.

On Saturday, King’s gamble paid off and helped pave the way to the Broncos’ first-ever EMITL girls title.

His secret weapon was victorious in her new specialty – the meet’s first event – classmate Chrissy Beal finished second, and the Broncos never trailed again.

Hampden scored 971/2 points to edge Brewer’s 911/2 and Bangor’s 73 in the 15-team field. Hermon (48) and Ellsworth (34) rounded out the top five.

The Broncos received 54 of those points from two star sophs: Rawcliffe amassed 26 with wins in the long jump and triple jump and a third-place finish in the 200. Distance ace Oriana Farley pitched in with 28 more by winning the mile and 800 and taking second in the two mile. She was named the meet’s outstanding performer.

Brewer coach Dave Jeffrey said that after watching Rawcliffe jump a week ago, he knew there was a good chance she could improve drastically … and rapidly. On Saturday, that happened.

“It was my biggest fear: Them going 1-2 in the long jump,” Jeffrey said. “And I knew we’d be digging out of that hole all meet long.”

King saw the chance to seize the early momentum, and took full advantage of the opportunity.

“[A good start] builds confidence in the kids, and makes them feel good about the way the meet is going,” King said. “But the opposite is true, too. I spread [word] as quickly as I could, that we’d picked up all those points.”

Farley said that performance – and the buzz it created – energized the Broncos.

“We were just basically ecstatic,” Farley said. “We knew that was a pretty good way to start off the meet.”

King said the decision to move Rawcliffe from the 400 to the long jump late in the season wasn’t as far-fetched as it might sound. In fact, he thinks Rawcliffe probably would have been successful in 11 of the 12 individual events.

“I was about to say that she could score high in any event there is, but I’m not sure about the shot put,” King said, referring to Rawcliffe’s thin build.

Jeffrey agreed, pointing out that Rawcliffe’s speed and jumping ability make her potentially dangerous in a number of events.

“MacKenzie Rawcliffe had an unbelievable meet,” Jeffrey said. “She’s got so much athletic talent.”

Farley’s effort in a difficult distance triple was impressive, as she kicked away from Brewer’s Heather Clark and Heather Jovanelli to win both the mile (5:17.02) and 800 (2:25.80). Jovanelli returned the favor by sprinting away from the field in the two mile.

Brewer pulled close with the 1-2 finish of Rachel Dowling and Michelle Baker in the shot put, but Hampden had too much of a cushion. The Broncos entered the final relay with a 13-point cushion, and only 10 points at stake for a potential first-place finish.

Bangor got two wins from Jana Savage (60, 200), but the Rams’ title hopes were hurt by the absence of their other top sprinter, Lauren Quaglia.

Quaglia has been nursing a back injury and is expected to begin practice again on Monday. Coach Maynard Walton said he figured she could have scored 18 points, which would have vaulted Bangor into contention.

“Health comes first,” Walton said.