HAMPDEN – Old Town coach Rod White will tell you it was “a bonus” moving Wednesday’s four-team track meet up from Tuesday.
Why? The weather went from crummy and foggy Tuesday to sunny and calm Wednesday, perfect for anybody “on the bubble” to get qualifying times for upcoming league and state championship meets.
“We definitely accomplished that,” a modest White said after his Indian boys captured the meet at the Sawyer Field track.
The Old Town boys outdistanced the Broncos 143-91. Elan of Poland wound up third with 41 while Hermon scored 13.
The girls’ meet was won by the host Hampden Academy Broncos, who edged Old Town 129-120. Hermon followed with 21 and Elan of Poland 20.
“The weather was a 360-degree turnaround,” White added.
Indeed, it was, and it was almost perfect timing, too, as this was most likely the last chance for most athletes to get qualified.
“Overall we did well,” White said.
The final regular-season meet is the Phi Mu Delta Relay Carnival at UMaine in Orono this weekend.
In the boys’ meet, the Indians scored points in many places. All three relay events were won by the Indians. Senior distance star Camden Gould was on the winning 4×400 team and finished second to teammate Andrew Reinzo in the 400.
“We gave [Gould] a break today,” White said. “He’s coming around.”
Young distance standout Travis Vicary captured the mile in 4 minutes, 52 seconds, and he could be someone to watch out for.
“Travis will be there in the 3200,” White said.
Vicary clocked a 10:13 in that race last week in Brewer.
Tyler Eastman won both the javelin and discus for the Indians and was second in the shot put while Matt and Sam Petrie went 1-2 in the high jump.
“PVCs will be close, with teams like MDI and Ellsworth involved,” said White. “If coaches make the right moves and kids perform, we’ll be right in it.”
Hampden’s Ramsey Lafayette continued to rise to new heights in the shot put, cranking a throw of 49 feet, 4 inches. “He improved by two feet, so that was nice,” said coach Dick Balentine.
Brad Simms captured the 110 hurdles and Trainor Kapler won both the 100 and 200. Scott Dorrity was first in the 800 while Old Town’s Nick Noonan was second.
In the girls’ meet, the Broncos won every event on the track except for the 800, both hurdle races and the 4×400 relay to overtake the Indians.
The 3200 relay team of Rachelle Bourgoin, Isabel Cravens, Amanda Gervasi and Molly Balentine registered a 10:25, while Balentine also won the mile in 5:33 and Gervasi the two-mile in 11:59.
“We’ve always had a good 4×8,” Dick Balentine said. “I’ve been pleased with both the sprinters and distance.”
Freshman Lauren Maltz took a couple of events for the Broncos, winning the 100 in 13.57 and the 400 in 1:03.63. Classmate Kimble Rawcliffe finished second in both hurdle races and the high jump.
“It’s nice for the young people to get a victory,” said Balentine. “We’ve got a good mixture of veterans and new people.”
Rawcliffe qualified for states in the 300 hurdles, according to Balentine.
“It was a nice day to have a meet,” he said. “We had some good times and some people qualify.”
Indians standout Cassie Hintz was given the day off, but will compete this weekend in the Phi Mu Delta meet.
“It was planned, and she’ll race in the open mile and distance medley mile in the relay meet most likely,” said White.
Sharon Fuller won two races for Old Town, the 800 and 100 hurdles. Hannah Marquis won the other hurdle race along with the javelin, and Fuller was on the Indians’ winning 4×400 team. The shot put and discus went to Kristen Paul.
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