DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Orono High School girls dominated the Class C track and field championships Saturday at Foxcroft Academy. The Orono boys had a closer meet, but the result was the same as last season — a pair of state title for the Red Riots.
The Orono girls scored 168.5 points to easily win their fifth consecutive state crown. Runner-up Sacopee Valley finished with 62 points, while George Stevens Academy was third (43.75).
The Orono boys scored 78.6 points to edge Washington Academy (63). Lisbon took third place with 48 points.
The Orono girls won nine events, including all three relays, setting state records in the 4×100 (50.18 seconds) and 4×400 (4:05.00). Orono’s Tia Tardy set a state record in the 800 (2:13.03), leading a Red Riot sweep of the top three spots in the event.
Two boys records fell in the meet. Orono’s Jake Koffman shattered the discus record, throwing 189 feet, 9 inches. Four of Koffman’s throws beat the previous record, 169-01, set by Justin Whitney in 1980. In the 300 hurdles, Traip’s Evan Porter set a record with 39.57 seconds.
Maine Central Institute senior Curtis McLeod won the boys shot put with a throw of 52-10.75. McLeod’s winning throw came in the preliminary round and held up through the finals. McLeod was concerned with how Koffman, recovering from a wrist injury, would throw. The right-handed Koffman had recently competed left-handed and thrown 45 feet, McLeod said. Koffman took second with a throw of 52-2.75.
“It was close, again. It’s always close with us,” McLeod, who took second in the discus, said. “I knew he was going to throw well today.”
McLeod was the second straight MCI thrower to win the shot put, joining former teammate Eric Hathaway, who won the event last year. McLeod pointed to freshman Christa Carr, who took fourth in the girls shot put, and predicted continued success for the Huskies throwers.
“It’s great to keep that tradition at MCI. It’s a tradition that’s going to stay for a while, I believe,” McLeod said.
Kents Hill senior Anne McKee won the girls 3,200, with a time of 11:45.23. It was the second title in the event for McKee, who also won the state 3,200 as a sophomore. McKee pulled ahead on the first lap, and steadily increased her lead throughout the race, finishing 33 seconds ahead of Ella Brown of St. Dominic.
“I wanted to see around 100 (meters) if anyone would take the lead, but everybody wanted to hang back. So I decided to take what I would and live in the moment, go for wherever it takes me,” McKee said. “I was really nervous the whole time. I think that fueled me to keep going. I guess they were trailing a lot more than I thought.”
Hall-Dale’s Jon Whitcomb won the boys high jump with a jump of 6-feet. While pleased with the win, Whitcomb said he never felt comfortable with his marks, which affected his performance.
“I tried for 6-2, but my mark was feeling off all day. It just wasn’t happening. I was having trouble mentally, because my mark felt so weird,” Whitcomb, whose personal record is 6-3, said. “It was hard to just go with it and trust my mark. It just didn’t feel right.”
Seeded third in the girls discus, Shenciaray Black of Carrabec said she didn’t expect to win. But when her first throw in the finals went for a personal and school record of 108-6, Black knew she had a shot at the state title.
“It felt like one of the best throws I’ve ever had. They announced it, and I just lost it. I was so excited,” Black said.
Orono’s Lauren Stoops won titles in the 100 (12.72), and 300 hurdles (45.71).
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
<URL destination=””>tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
</URL>Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story