Falmouth runner-up, NYA fourth; Greely fifth, Falmouth six in girls’ meet
By Michael Hoffer
Monday’s Class B indoor track and field state championship meet at Bates College in Lewiston showcased the best that Forecaster Country has to offer.
On the boys’ side, local teams and individuals won nine of the 14 events and the Greely Rangers captured the state championship with 92 points.
Falmouth was a distant second with 67. North Yarmouth Academy capped its stellar year by tying Gray-New Gloucester for fourth with 38 points. Freeport tied Orono for 18th place with six points. Yarmouth tied Central and Foxcroft Academy for 25th with one point.
There were no local winners in the girls’ meet, but plenty of excitement nonetheless. Waterville edged York 67-65 for the crown. Greely came in fifth with 50 points. Falmouth was next with 37. Freeport finished in a tie with Mattanawcook and Traip for 12th place with nine points. NYA had one point and tied Foxcroft and Lake Region for 20th.
Yarmouth did not score.
SUBHEAD-Greely glory
While the Greely girls’ team has been the state’s premier program for years, the boys’ squad has awaited its turn in the spotlight. After a runner-up finish last winter, the Rangers won their first title since 2003 and their fourth overall.
Greely’s 3,200 relay squad (seniors James LePage and Andy Fitch and juniors Logan Price and Mark McCauley) came in first in 8 minutes, 32.30 seconds.
Individually, the Rangers produced three winners. Senior Nate Martin took the 200 in a new-record time of 22.67 seconds. Senior Peter Colesworthy raced to the title in the 55 hurdles (7.93). McCauley was tops in the 800 (1:58.63).
Martin was also runner-up in the 55 (6.65) and the long jump (20 feet, 5 inches). Price was second in the mile (4:34.97) and third in the two-mile (10:04.96). LePage came in third in the mile (4:36.07) and third in the 800 (2:04.58). Senior Ryan Storey placed fifth in the high jump (5-10) and seventh in the pole vault (10 feet). McCauley finished sixth in the two-mile (10:15.14). Sophomore Sam Mason was seventh in the 400 (54.23).
Greely’s 800 relay team (junior Ted Russell, junior Matti Ingraham, Colesworthy and Mason) placed fifth (1:40.00).
Falmouth was dominant on the field side as senior Kristopher Floridino took the shot put (50-3.25) and senior Tom Winger won the long jump (21-7.50) and triple jump (42-11.25).
The Yachtsmen were runners-up in both relays. Junior Mike Serunian, senior Jamey Epstein, senior Scott Gardner and sophomore Will Wegener were second to Greely in the 3,200 (8:39.91). Winger, Wegener, junior Alec Dunn and junior Kellen MacDonald finished behind Gray-New Gloucester in the 800 (1:35.04).
Senior Dallin Thomas was second in the pole vault (12 feet). MacDonald finished fourth in the 55 hurdles (8.36) and fourth in the 400 (52.50). Dunn was fifth in the 55 hurdles (8.39). Wegener was sixth in the 400 (53.59).

BODY{font:10pt Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;}”The Greely boys were a very tough matchup for us, but many of our athletes came
through with big days,” said Falmouth coach Jorma Kurry. “This was especially difficult after we were hit by
illness in the days leading up to the meet. Our relays were key. Kris, Tommy and Dallin were great in the field events. Our hurdlers ran very well too to boost our team points.

BODY{font:10pt Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;}”We graduate a lot of points in Kris, Tommy and Dallin, as well as Jamey Epstein
and Scott Gardner, but we should be strong next year with Kellen, Alec, Will, as
well as Reid Pryzant, Mike Serunian and Michael Gardner coming back with
experience in this meet. We expect to challenge Greely next year, continuing a
great rivalry.”

NYA featured the brilliance of junior Henry Sterling, who won the mile (4:31.21) and the two-mile (9:59.35). Senior Sam Fear was second to Floridino in the shot put (48 feet, 1.75 inches) and runner-up in the high jump (6-4).
The Panthers were sixth in the 3,200 relay (seniors Alex Coffin, Steven Lentine, Joe Warren, Victor Churchill; 9:06.22).
Freeport’s points came from senior pole vault Connor Yost, who was third (12 feet).
Yarmouth got a seventh-place finish from junior Ebrahim Fazeli in the 55 (6.88).
SUBHEAD-Girls’ action
The Greely girls had won 13 of the past 18 state titles, but had to settle for fifth this time around.
The Rangers came in second in the 800 relay as senior Hannah Young, senior Jessa Steinman, sophomore Emily Christensen and junior Abby Diehl had a time of 1:52.26.
Senior Hillary Cederna was runner-up in three events: the 200 (27.00), 400 (1:00.32), and long jump (16-8.25). Diehl finished third in the 55 hurdles (8.85) and fifth in the 200 (27.82). Junior Hannah Werneth placed third in the shot put (36-1.50). Senior Aimee Burgess came in sixth in the shot put (34-2.50).
Greely was seventh in the 3,200 relay (Steinman, Young, freshman Melissa Jacques and LePage; 10:40.73).
Falmouth’s effort was keyed by senior Abby Smith, who was second in the pole vault (8-6). Sophomore Adrienne Michalakis was fourth in the 55 (7.61). Freshman Jenna Serunian had a fourth-place finish in the shot put (36-0). Junior Rachel Brown was fifth in the 800 (2:32.71). Junior Francesca D’Alfonso finished sixth in the 800 (2:33.75). Freshman Rosemary Nurse finished sixth in the high jump (4-8) and was also sixth in the 55 hurdles (9.44). Junior Adriana Fox was seventh in the long jump (15-8). Senior Ali McClellan was seventh in the 200 (27.89).
The Yachtsmen were third in the 800 relay (McClellan, Brown, Fox, Michalakis; 1:53.02) and fourth in the 3,200 relay (sophomore Maggie Parrish, D’Alfonso, junior Erin Morris and Brown; 10:16.03).

 “The girls team did well, finishing top-10 again despite huge
graduation losses,” said Kurry. “Again we were led by the relays, both
setting seasonal bests and the 4×200 team getting a school record. We
graduate some great senior leaders, but we will be strong again next
year and look forward to BODY{font:10pt Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;}challenging the teams ahead of us this year.”

For Freeport, its 3,200 relay team, consisting of senior Robin Gleason, senior Caroline Davis, junior Adrian Baker and senior Andrea Goodrich, was second to Cape Elizabeth in 10:15.44. The Falcons other point came from Davis, who was seventh in the two-mile (12:24.75).
NYA's point came from its 800 relay team (senior Danielle Walton, junior Hannah Bewsey, junior Hilary Gibson, senior Alison Carpenter; 1:58.53).
SUBHEAD-New Englands

The indoor track season has one final stop for select local athletes. On March 6, the New England championships will be contested in Boston. 

BODY{font:10pt Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serSports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
NYA senior Sam Fear showed his form in the high jump Monday as he was runner-up at the Class B state meet. (John Jensenius photo)
Falmouth senior Abby Smith soared to a second place finish in the pole vault at Monday’s state meet with a top vault of 8 feet, 6 inches. (John Jensenius photo).