There appears to be more parity than usual in the Class C girls track and field ranks this spring.

Especially on the girls side, where six-time defending champion John Bapst of Bangor, Orono, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and Fort Kent are all expected to field solid teams.

After finishing an impressive second in the Class C state championships last spring, the Red Riots are certainly hungry for more this year.

Coach Chris Libby has a strong compliment of athletes returning to a team that expects to be in the hunt for a Penobscot Valley Conference title, and possibly more.

“I think the girls that came back are looking forward to repeating that success we had last year, and hopefully even improving on it,” Libby said before the Riots hosted Old Town in an exhibition meet Friday.

Among the key returnees are hurdles/triple jump specialist Holli Kennison, who enjoyed a strong indoor campaign in qualifying for New Englands in the hurdles.

Chelsea Wagner and Shelby Wheeler join Kennison on arguably one of the PVC’s top hurdle crews. Wagner placed in both the 100 and 300-meter hurdles in the state championships last spring while Wheeler had a solid freshman campaign indoors.

The Riots also have a strong contingent of distance runners in Lauren Wheeler, Kalie Hess and Lauren Minutolo while defending state 200-meter champion Kate Bulteel heads up the sprinting crew and reigning javelin champ Wesley Osterhout leading the throwers.

Osterhout is also a strong competitor in the pole vault, as she scored at the state meet last year.

“Orono’s always good, Libby’s a great coach, they’ll be right there,” John Bapst coach Bruce Pratt said. “Orono’s the frontrunner.”

While the Riots certainly have all the right tools to be the top team in the PVC come late May, they’ll have to clear the hurdle that is John Bapst to reach that plateau.

“They’re still going to be dynamite,” Libby said. “Bruce always gets those kids in a position to win championships.”

Even though the Crusaders lost some valuable pieces to a team that nipped the Riots by less than six points at last year’s PVC championships, they have plenty of firepower returning.

“Year after year they keep reloading, this year probably isn’t going to be any different,” said Libby. “Bapst will provide some tough competition.”

Pratt’s Crusaders will field one of the region’s top distance runners in Kim Spencer and pole vaulter Angel Nelligan, who won a state championship indoors.

After that, there’s a puzzle that he’s trying to solve.

“I’m still trying to figure out who these new kids are,” Pratt said. “It’s tough when so many of them are new. For the most part, it’s a really good bunch so we’re happy.”

Maggie Bryan, who was injured at the end of the winter season, should provide Bapst with solid points in the middle distance events and EMITL shot put champ Danielle LeClair in the weights.

One thing that should benefit both teams are their respective tough schedules.

Bapst opens it season Friday against Caribou and Brewer at Pendleton Street Field, while Orono hosts always-tough Old Town, Ellsworth, and defending PVC ‘C’ boys champ Foxcroft Academy.

The Crusaders probably have the tougher schedule of the two, with them facing Mount Desert Island and Bangor later this spring, but Pratt wouldn’t have it any other way, with the Rams, Witches and Trojans being three of the top girls teams in the large school division.

“We need to spend more time running against the Bangors and Brewers, we’re lucky we see [them] a few times,” he said.

Mattanawcook and Fort Kent could be sleeper teams come postseason time.

The Lynx have one of the conference’s deepest distance crews, led by Renee LaFlamme, Jana Larlee and Hannah Ruhl, while the Warriors boast defending 100-meter champion Jamie Pelletier, also a solid long jumper.

“The great thing about the PVC is anything could really happen,” said Pratt. “Orono scares me, Fort Kent scares me.”

Ryne impressive in debut

Brewer High School sophomore Amanda Ryne wasn’t nervous when she took the ball for her varsity pitching debut as the Witches battled Nokomis in their KVAC softball opener at Nokomis Monday afternoon.

Ryne, who one-hit the Warriors in a 5-1 Brewer victory, kept her poise and mixed up her pitches soundly.

“I just relaxed and just went for it like a regular game,” said Ryne, who walked only three while striking out seven.

“I just got psyched for it and went for it,” said Ryne.

Ryne was locked in a scoreless duel with Warriors’ ace Patrice Cianchette through the first two innings before the Witches broke through for three runs in the third, which was more than enough.

“I guess I got a little bit more comfortable [after that],” Ryne said.

Ryne’s pinpoint control stood out the most.

“She pitched very, very well, she only had one inning that she got behind the batters,” said Brewer coach Harry “Skip” Estes.

Ryne is one of six pitchers that Estes will have at his disposal this spring.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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