The indoor track postseason began Saturday at the Portland Expo with the 79th SMAA championship meet and will culminate Monday at the state championships.

The fun began early Saturday morning with the boys’ SMAA competition. When it ended, Deering had 107.33 points, good for second behind Scarborough (139.67). Cheverus, thanks largely to its distance and throwing dominance, placed third with 82 points. Portland, behind the brilliant effort of junior Imadhi Zagon, had 46 points and came in sixth.

In the girls’ meet, won by Thornton Academy with 120 points, Deering placed fourth with 82, Cheverus was fifth with 56, McAuley came in seventh with 29 and Portland was 11th with 14.

Many male highlights

Deering’s boys saw their 10-year undefeated streak in league competition come to an end last month, but the Rams were certainly in fine form Saturday.

Deering got victories from Tony Sen in the 45 junior hurdles (6.4 seconds), Carleton Allen in the 45 senior hurdles (6.16) and from its 4×210 open relay team (1 minute, 38.90 seconds).

Runner-up performances included Sam Balzano in the open 300 (36.60), Renaldo Lowry in the senior 200 (25.00) and the Rams senior 4×280 relay squad (2:18.70).

Balzano was third in the senior 40 (4.98), Isaac Wipfler came in third in the senior 400 (57.50) and Charlee Dupee placed third in the senior 800 (2:08,20). Allen finished in a three-way tie for fourth in the senior 200 (26.20). Lowry came in fourth in the senior 40 (4.99). Anthony Villarreal placed fourth in the open 300 (36.90). John Hardy was fourth in the open 600 (1:24.40). Josh Carland finished fourth in the junior 200 (26.60). Matt Kimbell was fourth in the junior 40 (5.17).  Sean Perry finished fourth in the junior 800 (2:15.50). Gabe Turner was fifth in the junior 800 (2:16.90). Jared Bell finished fifth in the junior shot put (36 feet, 2.5 inches). David Nguyen was fifth in the  senior 45 hurdles (6.46). Laug Luka placed fifth in the senior 800 (2:10.00). Tom Hart came in sixth in the junior 40 (5.2).

Cheverus was led by victories from senior John White in the senior shot put (51-1.25), senior Taylor Dundas in the mile (4:44.30), junior Jack Terwilliger in the two-mile (10:19.00) and senior Andrew Snyder in the open 600 (1:20.20). Snyder won the George Vinall Award as the top open division performer.

Senior Beau Michaud was runner-up to White in the senior shot put (49-8.5). Senior Tim Woods came in second in the senior 800 (2:06.80). Senior James Rutter tied for second in the open 300 (36.60) and was sixth in the senior shot put (44-10.75). Freshman Jackson McMann finished third in the junior 45 hurdles (6.69). Senior Charles Place came in fourth in the senior shot put (45-5). Senior Max Bulger placed sixth in the two-mile (11:02.30). The Stags were fourth in the junior relay (1:09.60) and sixth in the senior relay (2:24.10).

As expected, Zagon dominated for Portland, winning the senior 40 (4.87), senior 200 (tying a meet record at 24.50) and placing third in the open high jump (6 feet), giving the Bulldogs 26 of their 46 points. Zagon was named the John Corcoran Award winner as the top senior division performer. Junior Abde Ahmed came in second in the senior 400 (56.50). Freshman Tatum Gale was fourth in the junior shot put (36-5). Portland was second to Deering in the open relay (1:39.70).

Girls

The Deering girls got a win from Tricia Stewart in the junior 200 (28.90) and from its 4×210 junior relay (Stewart, Samantha Regios, Nicole Mason and Delaney Loring had a time of 1:55.80). The Rams also had three runner-up performances, including Stewart in the junior 40 (5.55) and Veronica Mitchell in the junior 45 hurdles (7.07) and open 600 (1:40.10).

Loring came in third in the junior 200 (30.0) and fifth in the junior 40 (5.72), Jane Farrell was third in the open 600 (1:42.00) and the senior relay team (Fiona Densmore, Georgia Hutchins, Farrell and Amanda Masse) also came in third (1:53.80). Densmore tied Gorham’s Emily Southard for fourth in the open 300 (43.50). Whitney Adell was fourth in the junior 200 (30.20). The open relay team (Kristin Pollard, Mitchell, Katie Donlan and Adell) placed fourth (4:23.60). Sarah Savage finished fifth in the senior 400 (1:06.40). Basketball standout senior Claire Ramonas placed fifth in the senior shot put (34 feet, 00.75 inches). Stewart came in fifth in the open high jump (4-10). Masse was sixth in the senior 200 (29.70).

“I was very pleased with the effort of all the athletes,” said coach Kevin Campbell. “We more than doubled our team score from last year. Kids all across the board had their season’s best times or distances and many of the girls scored higher than their original seed position. Super frosh Tricia Stewart, who was awarded the trophy for the league’s top junior division performer of the year, fought back from an injury in the high jump to finish second in the junior 40 and win the junior 200. She also anchored the winning junior relay team. All three relay teams also ran season’s best times.

“We hope to score double figures at the state meet. Stewart is highly ranked in the long jump and the relay teams have a good chance of scoring. Claire has been throwing for us during the regular season and expects to throw in states. She is also among the top ranked throwers, although an injury sustained during the basketball team’s last regular season game may affect her performance.”

Cheverus got wins from Fiona Hendry in the mile (5:22.20), Liana Rubinoff in the two-mile (11:52.20) and Caroline Summa in the high jump (5-2). Summa was runner-up in the senior 200 (28.40) and fourth in the senior 40 (5.59). Lizzie Gwilym finished third in the junior 800 (2:31.30). Katie Shapiro was fourth in the junior shot put (27-8.75). Alex Dion placed sixth in the senior 400 (1:07.70). Audrey Grinnell was sixth in the senior shot put (32-10.25). The Stags’ open relay team (Dion, Hendry, Summa and Gwilym) came in fifth (4:24.20).

For McAuley, Allina Verrillo won the senior shot put (36-9.5). Christina Leake was third in the junior 400 (1:06.30) and fourth in the junior 40 (5.71). Lauren Fecteau was third in the two-mile (12:30.60). Taxiarhira Arbatzis came in fifth in the two-mile (13:10.90). Lulama Hawkes placed sixth in the junior shot put (26-9.5).

Portland’s points came from Eleni Anderson, who was runner-up in the junior 400 (1:06.00), Kalli Daggett, fourth in the senior 800 (2:33.50), Alex Thompson, sixth in the open 600 (1:47.80) and its senior relay team (Marianne Anderson, Neala Broderick, Daloris Covington and Mary Nyembo placed sixth in 2:02.50).

States

The Class A state meet for both boys and girls is Monday, Feb. 15, at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. McAuley will compete in the Class B meet the same day at Bates College in Lewiston.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net

Cheverus’ Fiona Hendry had no peer in the mile at Saturday’s SMAA championship meet, winning the race in 5 minutes, 22.2 seconds.