High school sports aids friendship Memories from seasons on and off the track will last a lifetime

As the new challenge of attending college approaches, the past several weeks have been filled with memories of a bond of friendship nurtured through participation in high school sports.

When I was at Fenway Park in Boston earlier this month, I realized that a good friend would be leaving for New York University in a couple of weeks. All through the top of the seventh inning of that game, while the Baltimore Orioles bashed Boston’s bullpen, our friendship ran through my head.

It was in 1988 on a hot, humid August Sunday morning that I first remember meeting Rebecca Breau at St. Teresa’s Church in South Brewer. We’ve been “southsiders” throughout our childhoods, have lived just a half-mile apart and shared the joys of competing on the same high school track and field teams.

During our freshman year at Brewer High, we were part of coach Dave Jeffrey’s immortal Orange Wave, which was great for its value of learning to compete, but even better for the chance to make new friends.

It was a rough going that first year for me, but Becca progressed well in the jumps and hurdles while I was trying to find a niche as a mid-distance runner. Of course, we remember that year as the year Easterns got snowed out.

Our respective teams have won one Eastern Maine championship in those four years, with the boys winning in 2001 and the girls this past year. I was still battling to try to score some points, but it was a memorable year team-wise, as we went undefeated through the regular season and knocked off rival Bangor for the title.

This past year, both our boys and girls teams had undefeated regular-season campaigns, and Becca and I were looking forward to helping our teams finish with one more “W” in Easterns.

On our side, Hampden and a dropped baton in the 4×200 got in the way, and Hampden distance star Brian Herasymchuck’s three wins were too much to overcome. But I thought this was the year the girls would finally break the ice.

After coming so close two years in a row, losing to Hampden in 2001 and Bangor in 2002, the Brewer girls beat the Broncos 122-88 and got their championship.

They were led by 28-point performances by Heather Clark and Danielle Lainez, while Becca had strong performances in the long jump, 200 and triple jump, scoring 14 points.

OK, so we (the guys) came in second. It was a big disappointment, but I was happy for the girls, who finally got their title. And beating rival Hampden was the icing on the cake for them.

For me, it was an example of what just a little extra may have accomplished as I was .24 of a second from qualifying for states in the 800, and less than a second from placing. And the guy who was sixth? He was from Hampden. Ouch.

At the state meet the next week the girls placed third, but they ran with a lot of heart. Thornton Academy captured first.

On the boys’ side, the 4×800 team was sixth, nipped by Bangor at the line but earned a berth in New Englands when Waterville decided not to go. Team-wise, Deering ran away with the crown, and the 4×800.

As the final season of spring track drew near, the realization was hitting us that we’d be graduating high school in two short months. And later on that spring, to celebrate my 18th birthday, Becca had this idea to go swing dancing. I’m not even joking.

It turned out to be a fun, new experience, and I felt motivated to run well the next day in an outdoor track meet. Our team defeated eventual PVC champion Ellsworth 171-90 while Becca and her sister Sarah, a freshman and another good friend, performed well at their spring dance show.

Things started to get a little stressful as the year and meets wound down, though. We experienced “senior-itis,” but that’s just another thing we overcame.

About two weeks later, in the PVC Championship, I ran the one 800 I’d like to have back for my whole senior year. I was expected to win my heat, and finished a disappointing fourth. I thought my season was over.

However, Becca said, “congratulations, you ran well, you got into states.”

All I was thinking was, “yeah, right.”

Becca has been the type of friend who could not only help motivate you to always run a little faster, but also help you smile and break out of the doldrums after a bad race.

So, after stressing about it for a few days, I found out that I had sneaked into states, as the LAST RUNNER! OK, so Deering star Donny Drake, the state’s top-ranked 800 runner, had sprained his ankle in a baseball game (you can play two sports at once at Deering), and that sort of opened the door for me. I was just glad it wasn’t over.

Becca and I had good showings in our last meet, on a rainy, misty day at Thornton Academy in Saco. She qualified for New Englands in the triple jump, notching a leap of 33 feet, 7 inches, good for fifth while I ran a PR in the 800 of 2 minutes, 10 seconds.

Our seasons became more meaningful when we both received coaches awards for outdoor track after having done the same for indoor.

The meets will always be remembered but it was stuff off the track that also made the season fun such as scarfing down 18 scoops of ice cream at Dysart’s, singing songs on the bus, movie nights, and just building team unity.

We’ve been through many wins and losses and snowstorms, and sometimes reverted to our childhood like the time kidding around at the PlayPlace at the Waterville McDonald’s after states. Those little things make friendships memorable and will keep them strong as new adventures at college beckon.

In the months ahead, even though I’ll be at the New England School of Communications in Bangor and Becca will be 440 miles away at NYU, the bond of friendship formed through sports will remain.