Orono’s Millard hits the heights Winthrop sweeps C titles, Riot girls 2nd

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ORONO – In prepping for the high jump, Maria Millard did more stretching and run-throughs than actual hurling herself over the bar.

Waiting for the rest of the field to clear lower heights, Orono’s Millard ran through the turf infield of the Beckett Family Track Complex at the University of Maine. She did back arches, touched her toes, stretched her arms to the dark, rainy sky while other competitors huddled under umbrellas. Then she soared over the bar to win the high jump title at Saturday’s Class C state outdoor track and field championships.

Millard also went on to win the 300-meter hurdles and then anchored the Red Riots’ winning 1,600 relay team as Orono claimed the runnerup spot in the meet, which featured all three classes at the same complex.

Orono’s finish was the closest any Eastern Maine Class C team would come to winning a state crown. Winthrop swept the boys and girls meets.

The Rambler girls racked up 106 points to win the title. Orono scored 76 points and Cape Elizabeth, the 2000 champion, was third.

The Winthrop boys had a tougher time holding off Traip of Kittery, but the Ramblers got four individual wins from Clyde Moody for the crown, their first since winning three straight from 1993 to 1995. The Rangers earned 61 points for second place and Eastern Maine champion John Bapst of Bangor was third with 52.

Although the day clearly belonged to the Winthrop track and field program, North Yarmouth’s Bridget Gagne garnered plenty of attention.

The Brown-bound senior had her eye on the mile, the third of the day after Classes A and B finished their races. None of the highly seeded big-school girls could break the sub 5-minute barrier.

After a close Class B race finish, Gagne steeled herself for a duel with top-seeded Samantha Pelletier of Seacoast Christian in South Berwick. The NYA standout found herself behind Pelletier early.

But Gagne fought back, passing Pelletier on the third lap and holding her off with a push down the final stretch. After taking a few breaths, Gagne walked over to the clock. A look of shock crossed her face when she saw 4:59.20 flash on the screen.

The time broke a 1982 record of 5:00.30 set by Michelle Hallett of Central Aroostook in Mars Hill.

“I was so surprised. I wasn’t sure I could do it,” Gagne said. “I strained my quad [thigh] last week and I had it taped, so I gave it all I had. … I had wanted to lead the first lap, and then let her come back in the next three and see who could outkick who. I knew as soon as I passed her she would pass me back. I could hear her and see her in the corner of my eyes.”

Pelletier’s 5:03.10 was still a personal best and her win in the 3,200 represented her fastest time this year. Like the crowd, Pelletier enjoyed watching the three mile races.

“I’m excited with the depth in the 1,600, all through the state of Maine, in all the classes,” she said.

Gagne also broke her own state record in the 800 and was second in the 200.

Meanwhile, Millard won the high jump, sailing over the 5-0 mark on her first try. After second-place finisher Katherine Alexander of Winthrop had been eliminated, Millard had the bar set at 5-3 but was unable to clear it. She jumped 5-2 at last week’s regional.

Orono got solid performances from its top-line talent. Theresa Alvarez was fourth in the 1,600 and 3,200 and ran a leg of the first-place 1,600 relay. Erin Lynn was third in the 100 hurdles and the pole vault. Ellen Vollmers was second in the pole vault and fifth in the discus.

Freshmen Olivia Alford and Michaelee Westhoven also ran on the relay. Westhoven was also third in the high jump, Alford was fourth in the 400, and a Red Riot team was second in the 400 relay.

“We’re really proud of how we did, especially with such a small team,” Millard said of the seven girls at the state meet. “The freshmen did a great job.”

Jen Laney of Winthrop won the shot put and the discus.

In the boys meet, Winthrop’s Moody sprinted to top finishes in the 100 and 200, and claimed wins in the high jump and triple jump.

The Crusaders felt they had a chance to win the state title, especially with three strong relays.

But Bapst coach Bruce Pratt was of a few Class C boys coaches who were upset when the high jump was moved from the pavement on one end of the field to the middle of the AstroTurf because some of the Class B competitors had been slipping in water. The B competition was completely re-run, and Pratt wanted the Class C competition, which went off earlier in the meet, re-run as well.

“We felt like, if they can re-run Class B, why not re-run Class C?” he said after the meet. “We had the same problem [with a slippery surface]. … I mean, that cost us the state meet.”

Pratt said he was also upset he was unable to tell his athletes that they were allowed to use longer spikes. The athletes were sequestered for the high jump at the time.

Referee Don Berry explained that the equipment was moved because of safety concerns, and the Class B competition hadn’t finished when meet officials decided to move the event. The Class C high jump couldn’t be started over because it had been completed.

“The rain had started again [during the Class B high jump] and it was at the point where it was a safety issue,” Berry said. “We can’t re-run an event that had already finished, and Class B wasn’t over at that point.”

Berry said the University of Maine gave permission for longer spikes to be used because of the weather, and that the information had been available before the meet.

Bapst’s top high jumper was eighth, but Moody won that event and Jamie Finneran of Traip tied for second.

The Crusaders did have some fine individual performances, and a Bapst team of Ian Connole, Darian Higgins, Nick Snyder and Ian Hunt won the 3,200 relay. Matt Jameson was second in the 300 hurdles and Regan LeBlanc was second in the javelin.

Pat Tarpy of Yarmouth was a dual-event winner, taking the 1,600 and the 3,200. It was especially sweet for him after losing both of those events last year.

“It pushed me to work hard and race faster,” said Tarpy, who is also headed to Brown. “It was like inspiration and frustration at the same time.”