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For the most part, coaches always want to look at the big picture in track and field.
Sometimes, that involves a smaller school competing against some of the bigger schools in the state – and holding their own against them.
That is one of many reasons John Bapst of Bangor has been largely successful in Class C this decade, as the girls won five consecutive state championships and are the six-time defending Penobscot Valley Conference champions.
It is apparent that success is translating to coach Bruce Pratt’s boys team this spring, as the Crusaders not only finished third in a six-team meet at Lawrence High in Fairfield last Friday involving all Class A and B teams, but they finished ahead of defending Class A state champ Bangor, which Pratt believes hasn’t happened in his eight-year head coaching tenure.
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “When we can race a Bangor, Brewer, Lawrence or Lewiston, someone like that, it really helps our team a lot.”
With the PVC and Class C state championship meets on the horizon, it was pivotal the Crusaders get to compete against not only top-notch teams like Lewiston, one of the favorites in Class A this spring, and defending Class A state champ Bangor, but some of the state’s top individuals.
“When you’ve got 85 kids on the team and you know you can win a meet just by showing up by sheer numbers, you’re not getting the real challenge,” said Pratt, who has been involved with track at the school for 15 years.
The Crusaders not only stood toe-to-toe with some of the state’s larger schools, but they established three Lawrence facility records in the process.
Chris Fogler blazed to a 39.53-second clocking in the 300 hurdles, Derek Smith delivered a throw of 165 feet, 11 inches in the javelin while Bapst’s 4×400 relay of John Cooper, Sean Gilbert, Shane Hass and Jeff Sanford won in 3:38.31.
“Being among guys and girls that are that good was really good for us, I think it was really good for the kids,” Pratt said.
Like the girls, the Crusader boys have had a great deal of success this past decade, winning the last Eastern Maine regional championship back in 2002, but Pratt noted Friday’s performance was special.
“That’s the best single boys performance since I’ve been the head coach,” he said. “It was outstanding. The thing that was great, top to bottom, it was really good.”
Pratt admitted his team was nervous going into the meet, but not only was its confidence boosted big-time, the bus ride home to the Queen City mirrored that of a state-championship celebration.
“I’ve never had a bus do as much singing and have as much fun, even when we won state titles, because I think they were very apprehensive,” he said.
The competition will only get better for the Crusaders in their final championship tune-up, as they’ll square off with large-school favorites Bangor and Hampden Academy Friday afternoon at Hampden.
Sub 5 workouts under way
If you’re looking for someone to team up with for a speed workout, the Sub 5 Track Club’s summer track workouts are under way.
The workouts started May 7, and are held at Brewer’s Pendleton Street Track every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
The one exception is May 28, when the PVC junior varsity championship meet will be held at the facility.
Festivities start with a group warmup jog at 6, and the workouts usually wrap up by 7:15. Feel free to bring the kids along, as free babysitting services are available.
The workouts range from 400-meter economy reps to 1,600-meter lactate threshold intervals, and everything in between.
Club coach Glendon Rand is available to answer any questions runners may have from 5:30 to 6. For more information on the sessions, give Rand a buzz at 825-3396.
rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net
990-8193
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