ORONO – With 440 yards to go in his leg of the 4×880 relay, Casey Quaglia heard the Bangor High track team’s motto from distance coach Jamie Cooke in the form of encouragement.
Go. Go. Go.
Quaglia knew it was his cue to take off, and less than 60 seconds later, the Rams were in the record books.
The senior standout ran a 1-minute, 57-second last leg as he and teammates Riley Masters, Joel Parent and Stephen Salinas set an Eastern Maine Indoor Track League record at 8:26.98 during two multiteam meets at the University of Maine field house Saturday.
The previous record by Ellsworth’s team of Lucas Sitterly, Kris Tracy, Erik Maleck and Eric Rudolph of 8:29.51 was set in 2002.
Quaglia did have some slight doubts before the race.
“We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to do it,” Quaglia said. “Stephen Salinas had been sick all week, [but] he really ran well, he stepped it up, and so did Joel, he ran the fastest 800 he’s ever run in a 2:09.”
The Rams’ boys and girls teams won the team competitions in the “A” meet with 221 and 172 points, respectively.
In the “B” meet, the Old Town boys and Orono girls won the team titles.
In Meet A, the Hampden boys finished second among seven teams with 73 points, Brewer was third with 63, George Stevens of Blue Hill fourth with 28 and John Bapst of Bangor fifth with 22. Sumner of East Sullivan scored 18 and Ellsworth tallied 6.
Bangor sprinter Cam Cormier continued his assault on the record books as well, setting a record in the 400 meters in 50.76, breaking Gunner Siverly of Bucksport’s record of 50.98 set in 2003.
Cormier also won the 60 in 6.81 seconds and teamed up with Tony Martinez, Chris Illingworth and Curtis Coleman to set a record in the 4×220 relay at 1:34.23, breaking a 19-year-old mark held by Ellsworth at 1:34.7 (hand time).
“Cam’s just been doing amazing, he’s showing us all how its done,” Quaglia said. “We all look up to him.”
Quaglia and Masters each bettered their 2-mile performances, with Quaglia posting a 9:53.85 and Masters a 9:58.14.
“I wasn’t planning on running for time today, just going for second place,” Masters said.
“Riley and I, we just have something, we work together so well,” Quaglia said. “He leads it and it helps me, then I help keep him going.”
Masters lowered his 800 time by two seconds, winning in 2:04.80.
Hampden Academy’s Jonathan Lenz won the long jump at 18 feet, 91/2 inches and was second at 40-31/2 in the triple jump, which was won by the Rams’ Jimmy Clukey in 41-73/4.
Bangor’s Robert Seccareccia continued to inch closer toward 50 feet in the shot put, winning with a heave of 48-101/4.
In the girls meet, Brewer finished second in the team ranks with 117 points. John Bapst was third with 68, Hampden fourth with 42, George Stevens fifth with 15 and Ellsworth scored 10.
Bangor’s Jennie Lucy ran a tough 400-800 double and won both events in 1:02.79 and 2:31.36, respectively, pulling away from Brewer’s Brooke Madden (2:33.40, second) in the 800’s final lap.
Lucy also ran anchor on the 4×220 relay, teaming up with Kendra Lenz, Catherine LeClair and Brittany Chapman for a 1:54.83.
“We’re a pretty fast team, I think we’re really shooting to do well in states,” leadoff runner Lenz said.
Lenz would win the long jump for Bangor in 15-31/4 while Catie Zielinski’s 32-51/2 won the triple jump.
“We’re a really strong team, Lenz said. “We don’t have a lot of seniors but we still have a lot of potential and a lot of heart.”
Dee Wilbur continued her undefeated season in the hurdles for the Rams, cruising to the win in 9.72 seconds.
Brewer sprinter Sarah Risser continued her strong season with two victories, taking the 60 in 7.87 and the 200 in 28.29.
In Meet B, the scrappy Orono girls clawed their way to a team victory over rival Old Town, 1231/2 points to 116. Mount Desert Island’s 72 was good for third, Mattanawcook of Lincoln was fourth (54), Bucksport fifth (24), Hermon sixth (191/2) and Foxcroft seventh (19).
The Coyotes won the boys meet with 146 points to Orono’s 89. Foxcroft was third with 72, MDI fourth (49), MA fifth (24), Bucksport sixth (16) and Hermon seventh (11).
In the girls meet, the Red Riots picked up pivotal points in the jumping events to pull away from the Coyotes.
The Red Riots’ Ariel Meaker, Lauren Wheeler and Kate Kelley went 2-3-4 in the pole vault while Holli Kenison and Julie Normand took second and fourth, respectively, in the long jump.
Kenison was second in the triple jump behind teammate Megan Curtis (32-11/2).
Old Town junior Hilary Maxim continued her outstanding season, clocking an impressive 5:18.38 in the mile, which she says is a personal record on the UMaine track.
“I ran 5:14 at New Englands [in Boston] last year but in here it’s PR,” she said.
Maxim, who also won the 2-mile in 11:58.05, says she’s shooting for 5:10 in the mile.
“I hope so, it’s going to take a lot of heart, hard work and just giving it everything I’ve got,” she said.
MDI’s Mariah Grover won the high jump with a leap of 5-4.
In the boys meet, Orono’s James Berry won three events, including 13 feet in the pole vault. He also won the hurdles in 8.12 seconds and the 200 in 24.50.
Wes Comeau, Sam Petrie and Brandon Gastia shined in helping lead the Coyotes to the team victory.
Petrie finished second in the hurdles and pole vault and won the high jump, clearing 5-10. Gastia also cleared 5-10 in the high jump, taking second, as Petrie attempted to clear a higher distance at 6 feet.
Gastia won both the long and triple jumps with leaps of 20-1/2and 41-111/2, respectively.
Comeau was third in the 60, second in the long jump and ran on the 4×220 relay team, which finished second.
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