PORTLAND – Scarborough picked up some pivotal points late to pull away and capture its second consecutive SMAA boys’ indoor track and field championship Saturday night at the Portland Expo.

Nick Morris won the open 600, Robert Hall captured the junior 800 and Tom Hague took the senior 800 for the Red Storm, who also won the senior relay to wrap up a convincing victory.

“The strength of our team is that it’s well-rounded,” said Coach Derek Veilleux.

“We really got a great effort from Nick Morris in the open 600. That got us going. He followed that up by being on the winning senior relay. Our distance runners did a great job. Joe Viola won the open 300 in a photo finish.”

Scarborough was locked in a tight meet with Deering and Bonny Eagle until the last three distance events, followed by the relays.

“Scarborough was the best team during the regular season and tonight,” said Deering Coach Dick Kress.

“They’ve beaten us two years in a row.”

The meet was closer than expected.

The Red Storm were heavy favorites going in but lost a multi-point scorer in Ryan Jamieson, who was sidelined because of a concussion.

Three weeks ago, one of Deering’s best sprinters, Sam Balzano, pulled a hamstring and was lost for the season, which also cost the Rams a lot of points.

The presence of both standouts would have made for an even more interesting meet.

Morris beat Joey Collins of Bonny Eagle in the 600 in one of the best races of the meet.

“We’ve had great battles and it was nice to win this time,” said Morris.

Scarborough finished with 119.50 points and Deering edged a fast-charging Bonny Eagle for second place, 98-97.

South Portland was fourth with 67 points and Cheverus took fifth with 61.

The teams and their state meet qualifiers will look toward the Class A state championship meet Feb. 21 at the University of Southern Maine.

“We’re going to start to get ready for that one,” said Veilleux.

Among the other winners for the Red Storm was Orin James in the high jump. James jumped 6 feet, 2 inches to fend off Imadhi Zagon of Portland, who cleared 5-10 but missed at 6 feet.

Scott Merrill of the Red Storm won the senior 400.

The Red Storm won the senior relay, finished second in the junior relay and tied for third in the open relay.

Zagon and Renaldo Lowry of Deering tied in the senior 40 and again in the senior 200, something veteran Deering assistant coach Bruce Koharian said he had never seen happen in the conference meet.

The Rams trailed by only two points late in the meet, but hurt their chances to make it close right to the end when they were disqualified in the junior relay for passing the baton outside the exchange zone.

Ethan Beaulier of Noble was the meet’s only double winner with victories in the junior 400 and 200.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com