Broncos, Bapst PVC title favorites

The long and the short … uh, make that the big and the small of it at Saturday’s Penobscot Valley Conference Championship meet is Hampden Academy and John Bapst of Bangor.

The seedings suggest that purple and white will be the fashionable spring colors on display at the trophy presentation ceremony following Friday and Saturday’s championship meets at Mount Desert Island and Orono High School, respectively.

Large school meet action begins at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The small schools get going at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Hampden Broncos are favored to win both the boys and girls large school team titles while John Bapst looks like the team to beat in the small school meet.

Both programs will be in for a fight, however, especially in the small school ranks as Bucksport, Foxcroft Academy, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and Narraguagus of Harrington will mount strong challenges on the boys side, with Orono and Narraguagus looming as darkhorses in the girls meet.

In the large school meet, Hampden appears well-stocked to defend its 2002 girls title as Caribou and Bangor appear to be Broncos’ top rivals for the title. The boys will be looking for a little payback after MDI edged them by 5.67 points last year. Brewer and Old Town figure to be the chief hurdles Hampden must overcome.

On Friday, Hampden’s girls are led by MacKenzie Rawcliffe, who is top seed in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles plus the long and triple jumps; Oriana Farley (800-top seed, 1600 and 4-by-400 relay), Elizabeth Hassell (1600 racewalk), and Molly Balentine (4-by-800 relay, 1600 and 3200).

Other top girls individuals are Caribou’s Lindsay Burlock, who is the top seed in the 100, 200 and 400; Brewer’s Heather Clark in the 1,600, 3,200 and the 4-by-400; and Bangor’s Suzy Zitaner (pole vault, triple jump, high jump and triple jump).

Top boys to watch are Old Town’s Kalle Eko, the top seed in the 100, 200, long jump, and triple jump; Hampden’s Brian Herasymchuck (800, 1,600, 3,200); and Ellsworth’s Joey Dewitt (800, 1,600, 3,200).

On Saturday, some of the outstanding girls to keep an eye on include Orono’s Olivia Alford, who is seeded first in the 100, 200 and 400 and second in the 4-by-100 relay); John Bapst’s Katie Andrle (300 hurdles, 100, 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 relay) and Elaine Colwell (100 hurdles, 4-by-100); and Narraguagus’ Shelby Howe (1,600, 800).

Boys standouts include Bucksport’s Gunner Siverly (100, 200, 400 and 4-by-400); Narraguagus’ Saben Rossi (110 and 300 hurdles); and Foxcroft Academy’s Brandon Hall (high jump, triple jump, long jump and 100).