Brewer boys, HA girls gain big victories Haluska, Peterson, Clark, Rawcliffe pile up points

BREWER – Eclectic, varied, competitive … warm.

These were the prime characteristics of Friday afternoon’s eight-team high school track and field meet at Pendleton Street Complex.

Everything from perennial powers (Brewer and Hampden Academy) to new kids on the block (Calvary Chapel Christian Academy), established standouts (Brewer’s Heather Clark and Hampden’s Brian Herasymchuck) to running rookies, and coaching institutions like Hampden’s David King to newcomers like Calvary’s John Mills were part of the colorful mix assembled on a sunny, clear spring day.

The Brewer boys and Hampden girls came away with impressive victories on one of the best days – weather-wise – for a meet so far this season.

The Brewer boys used both talent and depth to outdistance the Broncos. The Witches’ win was all but sealed up after four orange-and-black clad competitors finished among the top six in the triple jump.

“Today I knew coming in that the boys had a shot. I didn’t know if we’d come out on top, but I knew we’d definitely be competitive,” said Brewer coach Jamie Williamson. “I think today’s meet offered some of the most top-level competition we’re going to face before the [Phi Mu] relays and the PVC championship.”

Brewer juniors David Haluska and Dan Peterson led the charge as the Witches piled up a whopping 220 points to runner-up Hampden’s 164. Peterson turned in personal-best performances in all four of his events and came away with firsts in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles plus seconds in the triple jump and 4-by-400 relay.

“In the triple jump, I’ve never gotten my second phase right, but today I finally did and I jumped into 38-foot range. I had a good day,” said Peterson, whose leap of 38-3 easily eclipsed his former best jumps.

Haluska was first in the mile, second in the two-mile, and second in the 4-by-400 relay.

“There’s little difference between our two teams,” said Haluska, who ran the 4-by-4 for the first time. “This is a competitive meet and we came here to put up some really good times and qualify for PVC’s and states. Plus, we wanted to win on our home turf.”

Brewer’s Ryan Birkel won both the shot put and discus.

The Broncos were led by sophomore Trainor Kapler, who won both the 100 and 200, was lead leg of HA’s winning 1600 relay team and the anchor leg of the 400 relay squad.

Hampden’s girls used their superior depth in every other area to overcome a slight weakness in the sprinting events to score 160 points and easily outpace Brewer, even after middle-distance star Oriana Farley was scratched from two races due to a slight hamstring pull.

“It’s more a twinge than anything,” said Farley, who won the 400 and helped her 4-by-800 team take first as well. “We just wanted to play it safe.”

It’s easier to play it safe when fellow senior MacKenzie Rawcliffe is accounting for four of your team’s eight first-place finishes (in 100 and 300 hurdles, long and triple jumps).

The Witches were led by Clark, who won both the 1600 and 3200 runs as well as running the second leg of Brewer’s winning 4-by-400 relay.

Clark says running is a bit less stressful after accepting an athletic scholarship from Florida State University.

“To some extent it is, with the stress of school and meeting certain standards being gone,” she said. “But just because I’ve been given something doesn’t mean I’m going to let up or think I can call it quits now.”

Carole Perry from Narraguagus in Harrington pulled off a double by winning the 100 and 200 dashes.

Calvary Chapel has just four boys and no girls, but managed to come away with a second straight top-six finish in the Sabers’ second meet this week.

“I’m just glad we have a team,” said senior Brandon Cain. “We’re doing what we can and let God take it from there.”