Cormier, Rams seek first track title

It happened for him in soccer. Now can it happen for Cam Cormier in indoor track?

For Bangor High’s record-breaking sprinter, leading the Rams to a State Class A indoor track and field title would equal a similar accomplishment on the soccer field last fall: earning a first-ever state title for the Rams’ program.

“It would be amazing, it would top my senior year,” Cormier said after Saturday’s Eastern Maine Indoor Track League championships.

Bangor, Brewer and the rest of their Class A track foes will take to the Slovenski Complex at Bates College Monday in a quest for a state championship, starting at 10 a.m.

State championship meets have not been nice to EMITL boys’ teams over the last 40 years.

Since the first state indoor championships were contested in 1968, only two EMITL boys teams have won Class A state titles: Old Town in 1994 and Brewer in 1996.

The Rams, however, seem to have the perfect blend of talent, speed, depth, and most important of all, distance runner Casey Quaglia says, team chemistry.

“We all like each other we all help each other out on and off the track,” he said after last weekend’s EMITL championships. “I’m proud to say I’m on this team.”

Bangor will be led by its top athletes in Cormier, who is the top seed in the 60, 200 and 400, as well as Quaglia, but Quaglia says the key will be Riley Masters, who has had a superb season.

“Riley’s going to step it up big time for us,” Quaglia said. “I think this team’s got a great chance.”

Masters and Quaglia will join Joel Parent and Stephen Salinas on the 4×880 relay, the same group that set an EMITL record of 8:26.98, good for a top seed.

Quaglia and Masters are seeded 1-2 in the mile, while Masters holds the top spot in the 2-mile and Quaglia the third.

Other key athletes for coach Maynard Walton include Kyle Vanidestine and Jimmy Clukey in the jumps, Curtis Coleman in the sprints and Robert Seccareccia in the shot put.

Bangor’s chief challengers will be Gorham out of the SMAA and Lewiston out of the KVAC.

Even though Scarborough is a heavy favorite to run away with the girls’ meet, the Witches and Rams have both strong relay teams and individuals.

Brewer boasts two of the top relay teams in the state, including its 4×880 team of sophomores Katie Snow, Brooke Madden, Caitlyn Wilson and freshman Bekah Clark.

The Witches are seeded third behind state record-holders Scarborough and Topsham-based Mount Ararat, and Madden says they have a great shot at qualifying for the New England Championships, if all four runners can get their splits in the low-2:30’s or high 2:20’s.

“It’s going to take all of us running in the low 2:30’s,” Madden said.

Snow added that clean handoffs and fast starts will be pivotal.

“There’s going to be a lot of people, we don’t want to get cut off or stuck in the middle of a handoff,” she explained.

Wilson and Clark showed their excitement.

“It’s exciting because not a lot of freshman get to go this far,” Clark said, while Wilson, a newcomer to indoor track this winter, added “I’m really excited, there’s a lot of competition out there and we just want to blow it all away.”

Brewer’s 4×220 quartet of Colleen Carr, Kira Giroux, Erika Cote and Britany Albert set an EMITL record last weekend, and should also contend for a top-three spot.

EM champ Bangor has a strong girls 4×220 team of its own, and one of the best young hurdlers in the state in Dee Wilbur.

Jennie Lucy is seeded second in the 400 and third in the 800, and will also run the 4×220. The Rams’ junior is a threat to win both the 400 and 800, which she did at the EMITL championships.

Cony of Augusta pole vaulter Bethany Dumas is seeded at 11 feet, 9 inches, and will more than likely obliterate her state record of 11-2. Her best performance so far this winter was 12-3 on Jan. 31.