AUGUSTA – The Orono girls ran away with their first state championship in 26 years, and the Sacopee Valley boys nosed out North Yarmouth Academy to claim their second state title in three years at the Class C track and field championships Saturday at Alumni Field.

The Red Riots, who have finished second twice in the past decade, finished 543/4 points ahead of John Bapst and Traip Academy, scoring points in 13 of 19 events.

“A lot of our kids performed well, not for themselves but because they wanted to perform well for the team,” Orono Coach Chris Libby said. “It was the theme of the week and the girls were awesome with it.”

The top five girls’ teams were Orono 126¾, John Bapst 72, Traip Academy 72, Lisbon 59 and Maine Central Institute 39¾.

In the boys’ meet, the Hawks nailed down their 21/2-point win over the Panthers by finishing third, just behind NYA, in the 1,600-meter relay, the last event.

“That’s sort of the way we do business,” Sacopee Valley Coach Nate Carpenter said. “We sort of nickel and dime our way.”

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The top five teams in the boys’ meet were Sacopee Valley 64½, NYA 62, Lisbon 59, Orono 55 and Maranacook 37.

Freshman Abby Weingang and junior Kayla Marquis each won two events for Orono.

Weingang won both hurdle races, and Marquis finished first in the high jump and pole vault. The Riots also captured the 1,600-meter relay.

Sacopee Valley’s lone win came when Ryan Moulton won the triple jump with a distance of 41 feet, 6 inches on his final attempt. But the Hawks scored in 12 of 19 events.

“We don’t have that stud, per se,” said Carpenter, who has four state titles in his 18 seasons at Sacopee Valley. “We know that two points here and three points there is the way we’re going to do business if we’re going to win.”

Miguel Caballero of Orono was the only triple winner in the boys’ meet, sweeping the 100, 200 and 400. He also finished second in the long jump to finish with 38 points, tops in the meet.

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Matt McClintock of Madison set meet records while winning the 1,600 and 3,200.

In the 1,600, McClintock sliced more than two seconds off the meet record set by Brian Bonsey of Falmouth in 2003. McClintock’s time of 4 minutes, 16.4 seconds was more than five seconds faster than his winning time in last weekend’s Penobscot Valley Conference meet.

With his time of 9:16.92 in the 3,200, McClintock, the valedictorian of his class who will enroll at Purdue in the fall, cut more than 13 seconds off a record set by Scott Roberts of Maranacook in 1986.

Taylor Watson of Maranacook won 110 and 300 hurdles.

In the girls’ meet, Carsyn Koch of Washburn won the 800 and 1,600. Koch outkicked Abby Mace of Maranacook down the last straightaway to win the 1,600 in the time of 5:11.63, more than 16 seconds faster than her previous personal best.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH

 


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