CUMBERLAND — Greely High girls’ track and field coaches John Folan and David Dowling have won 13 Class B state indoor titles together since 1991, but it’s been seven years since their last championship.
Many on this season’s team are optimistic that the Rangers can break the drought this winter.
“I’m feeling very confident, and the girls on the team are. And Coach Folan, he seems to want it more this year, which is really awesome,” said Alyssa Coyne, a three-time state champion as a thrower and vaulter.
“He thinks we have a good chance to win. And he seems more excited.”
Dowling and Folan said Orono looks like the favorite in Class B. But the coaches are encouraged by the addition of two runners who will bolster middle distance for the Rangers: Junior Katherine Leggat-Barr and freshman Carolyn Todd, the Class B state cross country champion and runner-up this fall.
Leggat-Barr came out for indoor track this winter instead of playing basketball again because she wants to work on her leg speed for cross country. (She’ll continue to play lacrosse in the spring.)
“I’m excited to train with her. Katherine is so good,” said Todd, who ran track in middle school. “Everyone’s excited. And Coach Dowling is a great coach. He gives us interesting workouts.”
During the 1990s, Greely twice won three state indoor titles in a row: 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998. Then from 2001 to 2006, the Rangers won six straight.
But this year’s upperclassmen only know the era of Waterville, the five-time Class B state indoor track champions and nine-time Class B state outdoor champion. And now Orono, third in Class B last indoor season, has emerged as the top challenger.
“Orono returns their entire scoring team from last winter, and added transfer Tiara Tardy, formerly of Mattanawcook Academy (the defending 800 and 2-mile champion),” Folan said. “Orono has won the Class C outdoor title for three years in a row. Some think they will be the best team in the state regardless of class. Orono covers practically everything.”
Greely has high expectations that come with a strong tradition in girls’ track.
“We tell them we’ve had some stars before them: Kirstin Sandreuter and (national shot put champion) Becky O’Brien, who did great things,” Dowling said. “But we tell them to just do their best individually. That’s how we compete as a team.”
Despite any pressure, the mood was upbeat at a recent practice.
While Coyne, the defending state shot put champion, was working out with throws coach Dennis O’Brien (who has coached Greely throwers to 19 state shot-put titles), Dowling was working with Leggat-Barr and Todd.
“Katherine is already impressing me. Before Foot Locker (the cross country regional championships) she did a workout on the track with two-times a mile at 5:24 and 5:25. That’s not bad,” Dowling said with a grin. The winning time in the mile at last year’s state indoor meet was 5:38.
And Coyne was all smiles as she sprinted in the gym with her pole-vault pole at practice. She said her coaches have a more intense spirit this year, as does she.
“My goal is to throw over 40 (feet),” said Coyne, who won the shot put last winter with a throw of 39-0.
“Now I’m consistently throwing over 40 in practice. That’s new. I’ve been lifting a lot, going to the gym after practice. It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it. I feel a lot stronger.”
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