Recruits bolster men; returnees key for women

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A year ago, Jim Ballinger went into every championship track meet expecting good things in several events … and great things in one special discipline: the high jump.

That’s because his University of Maine indoor track team – which had never had a 7-foot jumper in its history – had two leapers who were capable of clearing that height.

This year, things are different in Orono. Phil McGeoghan is gone. So is Derek Davis.

But Ballinger’s still smiling.

“Even though the men lost that event, I think we’ve picked up in other areas. You never replace those guys. You find other people who are just as exciting and competitive in other events.”

And that’s just what Ballinger has done. Bolstered by a strong men’s recruiting class and encouraged by the return of several top-notch performers on the women’s side, the longtime UM coach expects squads to be in the hunt for America East team titles come February.

On the men’s side of the ledger, Ballinger can’t contain his enthusiasm.

“I’m really happy with that [recruiting] class,” Ballinger said. “I’m all excited. I’m ready. I’m ready.”

The reason for that optimism: When Ballinger started recruiting for this year, he set some goals. Then he went out and met most of them.

“We had five kids we wanted to recruit, and we got four of them,” Ballinger said.

Among those were two of the top athletes in the state – Nate Holmes of Massabesic High in Waterboro and Brett McIntire of Brunswick – and the state’s top shot putter, Brunswick’s Luke Caron, along with pole vaulter/jumper Andrew Roy.

Caron isn’t eligible to compete this year, but Holmes and McIntire are expected to contribute immediately. Holmes won the last two 110-meter hurdles championships and holds the 55-meter hurdles state record for Class A.

McIntire won six state titles in the long jump, triple jump, and sprints in his career at Brunswick. He’ll join proven jumper Justin Drew of Scarborough for the Bears.

Another strength for the Black Bears will be the crucial middle distance races. With races contested at 400, 500, and 800 meters in most meets, strength in the middle distances can help teams pile up points.

The Bears have three talented 800 runners in Kenny Bettis (another Brunswick product), Ryan Harkleroad, and Matthew Kilbourn.

Joel Evans, Derek Semple, and Brandon Arbour should score in the 400 and 500.

Another strength: the distance corps, which will be led by Gabe Rivard, Joe Luchini, and Mike Lansing.

Among the uncertain areas will be the status of football players Royston English and Dave Cusano. Ballinger will have to see what their plans are after the football season ends; each could help in the sprints.

“[Cusano] will be here for five years, so he’s trying to figure out [his plans],” Ballinger said. “He’s gonna redshirt indoors or outdoors this year and indoors or outdoors next year, and then he’ll have a fifth year without football.”

On the women’s side, Ballinger expects his team to perform better later in the season. The reason: talent.

“We’ll probably be better in the bigger meets because of the good kids we have in the individual events,” Ballinger said.

While UMaine’s depth is a question mark, when the big meets roll around, teams rely more on front-line power than nickel-and-dime point-gathering.

And that means Meg Muller, Victoriya Rybalko, Angela Pulcifer, and Julie Williams will lead the way.

All four have established themselves among the best in New England in their events.

Muller is a multi-talented junior who can high jump, long jump, hurdle, and run the 400.

And Rybalko, a junior from Zaporzhye, Ukraine, is simply the best long jumper in New England: She won that event last February before undergoing surgery to repair a chronically sore ankle.

“This will be her first year without the pain since she’s been here,” Ballinger said.

But that hasn’t stopped her from leaping more than 20 feet, a school record.

Williams and Pulcifer are among the region’s top throwers, while Brooke DeForte is a senior sprinter from Portland who has scored in championship meets in the past.

Claire Poliquin, who also plays volleyball for the Bears, leaped 5-foot-8 in the high jump early last year and should also place well in big meets.

Local stars Jen Puiia of Brewer (400, 1,600-meter relay) and Katie Page of Nokomis in Newport (throws, sprints) should also contribute, as will senior jumper Sadie Shaffer of Morse High in Bath and distance aces Nicole Pelletier of Presque Isle and Kathryn Laverdiere of Old Town.