BREWER – Brewer indoor track and field coach Dan Juilli had an inkling that Teal Jackson might have a good day at a recent PVC/EMITL meet.

“She said, ‘I’m ready to run fast’ at her workouts leading up to the weekly meet,” said Juilli.

Did she ever.

Jackson ran the 400 meters in 57.85 seconds, not only breaking the league record but setting a mark for the fastest time ever in Maine. The previous state best was held by Clare Franco of Brunswick with a time of 57.88 at the 2008 Class A state championships.

“It makes me proud. I work hard and it shows what hard work can do,” Jackson said.

Veteran meet director Mary Cady said Jackson ran a nearly perfect race, and there was quite a scene when her time was posted.

“When the time popped up on the clock people started going ‘wow’ and applause broke out all over the fieldhouse.”

Jackson knew she had broken the league record but didn’t find out about the state best until later that evening at home.

“I knew it was close. My mom and I were checking online and when we found it we were so excited.”

Juilli said Jackson is a joy to coach.

“She’s down to earth, never down, never mad, so easy to coach, a fierce competitor and such a team player.”

And speaking of the team, Brewer spends many afternoons practicing in the hallways of the school. To run 400 meters, Jackson and others start at the end of the freshman wing, run to the end of the senior wing, then about halfway back. Corners and slick floors are just part of the deal.

It seems to work. Jackson went from hallway practices to setting the 200-meter league record last year (27.87). Now she’s got the league mark in the 400. That leaves the 55 for possible record-busting.

“The 55 is not my strongest, but it is a goal,” she said.

And there’s another goal — running the 400 again as fast, if not faster.

“I want to show people that my time was not just a one-time thing. I want to show that I can consistently run 58s and 57s.”

“Her goal now is to set the record time in the state championship,” noted Juilli. “I said, ‘well, you’re there. If you don’t, you still have the fastest time ever, that’s pretty good.’ But she said, ‘not enough’. She’s that type of competitor, ‘not enough.’ ” 

PARKER SANDERSON of Bangor had 13 goals and 17 assists in the Rams’ first eight games. Heading into Saturday’s games, he was tied for the state scoring lead with MHW’s Dan Condon. 

HERMON JUNIOR Raychel Alley tops the Big East Class B conference in scoring 17 points per game), assists (4 per game) and free-throw shooting (93 percent). She’s the daughter of Ray Alley, who was a 2,000-point scorer for Vinalhaven.