LEWISTON — Running in just her second championship race of her high school career, Thornton Academy freshmen Mia-Claire Kezal admitted she was a little nervous before she toed the line for the 800 meter race at the Class A outdoor track championship meet at Lewiston High School.

“I was stressed before the meet,”  Kezal said. “But I told myself, ‘Just stop – I’ve been here before – so just have fun with it.’”

Kezal, who entered the 800 as the fourth seed, appeared to show no signs of stress as she outkicked South Portland’s Anna Folley, who was seeded first, over the final 50 meters to win in a personal-best time of 2 minutes, 18.82 seconds.

“I just really wanted to stay with Anna, and hopefully have the better kick at the end,” said Kezal. “I’ve been running against her all indoor and outdoor season so I was just trying to do the best I could.”

Kezal’s 10 points helped the Trojans earn a third-place finish (68.5 points). Cheverus, behind three individual wins from sophomore standout Victoria Bossong, scored 100 points to win its third straight title, while Gorham was second with 71.

Thornton junior Jaigan Boudreau finished second in both the discus (120-06) and shot put (37-04), while Sabria Merrifield added a third-place finish in the 100 (12.82).

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In the boys’ meet, Thornton Academy senior Travis Snyder, an All-American, broke the all-time state record in the pole vault as he cleared 16 feet 9 ¼ inches on his final attempt, breaking the previous record of 16-09 set by David Slovenski of Brunswick in 2008. Snyder also won the 110 hurdles (15.15), 300 hurdles (40.70) and finished fifth in the long jump (20-07) to score 33 points for Thornton.

“Overall, I thought it was a pretty good day,” said Snyder. “My hurdles were average, but I thought my pole vault was really good, and to get the state record in it feels really nice.”

Behind Snyder’s individual display, along with All-American teammate Jason Montano, who won two events, the Golden Trojans engaged in a back-and-forth team battle between Scarborough. But the Red Storm, behind three individual wins from standout sprinter Jarett Flaker, outlasted Thornton, 110-98, to win its third state title in four seasons.

Scarborough coach Derek Veilleux was thrilled to have Flaker on his side after the junior missed last year’s meet with a hamstring injury.

“He (Flaker) was huge for us today,” Veilleux said. “Him not competing last year was a big blow for us, and it was really upsetting for him. But he was tremendous today like he has been all season.”

Flaker won the 100 (10.91), 400 (49.64), 200 (22.49) and led the Red Storm to a come-from-behind win in the 1,600 relay, the final event of the day, to secure the championship.

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Montano won the shot put (59-7 ¾) and discus (164) for the second straight season, as he and Snyder combined for 53 of Thornton Academy’s points. The Trojans also got 14 crucial points from junior Maxamus Spaulding, who finished second in the 300 hurdles (40.88) and third in the 200 (23.20)

Biddeford’s Sam Mills was the top local finisher in the 3,200 meters as the senior took fifth in a personal-best of 9:48.55.

“My expectation was that it was going to go out fast,” said Mills. “It feels awesome to go under 9:50, I’m really psyched.”

Other local standouts included Massabesic senior Syeira New, who won the girls 300 hurdles (45.50), and Bonny Eagle senior Aiden Willey, who finished second in the 1,600 (4:29.25) and sixth in the 3,200 in a personal-best of 9:53.67.

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