It took the Falmouth boys’ track team six years to win its first Class B state championship, but No. 2 followed immediately as the Yachtsmen repeated with a 104-point performance at Windham High School Saturday.
Greely finished second with 76.5 points. Yarmouth did not score.
On the girls’ side, Waterville cruised to the title with 168 points, nearly double that of runner-up York (94). Greely (54.33) placed third and Falmouth (33) came in fourth. Yarmouth did not score.
Freeport and North Yarmouth Academy (the four-time boys’ champion) were scheduled to compete in the Class C meet in Foxcroft, but the weather was worse up north and that competition was postponed until Wednesday (we’ll have a report on that meet next week).
Almost perfect
As they have all season, the Yachtsmen boys got a stellar team effort at the state meet.
Senior Alec Dunn won the 110 hurdles (15.46 seconds), barely edging classmate Kellen MacDonald (15.47), who was tops in the 300 hurdles (39.93). Falmouth also won the 1,600 relay, as MacDonald, Dunn, senior Michael Gardner and junior Will Wegener produced a time of 3 minutes, 31.84 seconds.
Wegener was also runner-up in the 100 (11.30), 200 (22.80) and the 400 (50.54). Senior Charlie Swerdlow finished second in the racewalk (7:43.96). Sophomore Tim Follo was fourth in the two-mile (9:59.52) and sixth in the mile (4:32.78). Dunn was fourth in the 300 hurdles (41.28). Gardner placed fifth in the 400 (52.79). Senior Gabe Hoffman-Johnson was fifth in the long jump (19 feet-7.75 inches). Sophomore Reid Pryzant placed fifth in the triple jump (39-6.75). Junior Andrew Kowalsky came in fifth in the javelin (153-10) and seventh in the shot put (41-10).
The Yachtsmen were runners-up in the 400 relay (Gardner, Hoffman-Johnson, freshman Jacob Buhelt and Dunn, 45.09) and placed fifth in the 3,200 relay (freshman Azad Jalali, sophomore Thomas Edmonds, senior Mike Serunian and Gardner, 8:32.94).
“Our meet Saturday was almost perfect for the boys,” said Falmouth coach Danny Paul. “We met or exceeded our seeded positions everywhere. Greely gave us a great challenge, as we expected. Again we were led by Kellen, Will, Alec and Mike Gardner, all in the individual events and relays. The great team effort was completed by points from many many of their teammates. All of our relays competed well and we finished the meet winning the final event, the 1,600 relay.
“Overall the day was a success. Particularly because even athletes who did not score had great performances and kept our spirit and momentum going. As coaches, we all were very proud of the total team effort. After all the craziness of busing to Gray-New Gloucester to practice (Falmouth’s track was under construction this spring) and doing anything we could to overcome not having our own facility and weathering the usual chaos which spring presents, this bunch came together when they had to.”
Greely had its share of highlights as well.
The Rangers got victories from senior Mark McCauley in the 800 (1:57.20) and the mile (4:18.60), junior Michael Burgess in the discus (138-1), junior Jon Higgins in the javelin (168-1) and junior Tanner Storey in the high jump (6-2).
Burgess was runner-up in the shot put (49-4.5). Junior Alex Parenteau placed third in the javelin (164-7). Junior Jack Fellows finished fourth in the shot put (47-4). Junior Matt Davis tied for fifth in the pole vault (10-6). Senior Logan Price finished seventh in the 800 (2:05.00).
In the relays, Greely placed fourth in the 3,200 (junior Connor Regan, sophomore Nestor Taylor, Price and sophomore Isaac Emery, 8:29.78) and seventh in the 1,600 (Emery, junior Laurier Raymond, Taylor and Regan, 3:38.01).
“I have to say that I was delighted with the performances of both our boys and girls,” said Rangers coach John Folan. “The boys actually exceeded their state meet seeds. They did not lose the meet, Falmouth won it and kudos to them for an excellent meet. Many of our boys had season-best performances. Senior Mark McCauley was immense, as always, with his two state championship runs. He really took the team onto his shoulders. Logan Price was courageous. The field events were also outstanding, with Jon Higgins, Alex Parenteau, Tanner Storey, Jack Fellows, Matt Davis, and Mike Burgess accounting for 52 points. All are juniors. The relay teams also performed admirably.”
Yarmouth’s top performer was junior Asa Arden, who fell just shy of scoring with an eighth-place finish in the long jump (18-11.5).
Surprise showings
Both the Falmouth and Greely girls did better than expected.
The Rangers won the 3,200 relay (freshman Sarah Fitch, sophomore Melissa Jacques, sophomore Sara Schad and freshman Jessica Wilson, 10:04). Junior Katherine Harrington was the state champ in the discus (114-5).
Senior Hannah Werneth was the runner-up in the discus (111-10) and placed fifth in the shot put (35-7). Junior Anna Whitaker came in third in the long jump (15-10.5). Junior Meaghan Crowley was fifth in the long jump (15-3.25). Schad finished sixth in the 400 (1:02.45). Harrington was sixth in the shot put (35-3.5). Sophomore Emily Curato placed sixth in the pole vault (8 feet). Sophomore Abbie Bonnevie finished in a three-way tie for seventh in the pole vault (7-6).
Greely’s 400 relay team finished third (junior Stella Keck, Whitaker, freshman Kathleen McKersie and junior Emily Christensen, 52.94). It’s 1,600 relay squad was sixth (Wilson, Fitch, Schad and Jaques, 4:25.34).
“The girls far exceeded expectations,” Folan said. “Vaulters Abby Bonnevie and Emily Curato scored. The throwers, as always, were immense in the discus and the shot put. The distance quartet of freshmen Sarah Fitch and Jessica Wilson, along with sophomores Melissa Jacques and Sara Schad, were a surprise. Jumpers Meghan Crowley and Anna Whitaker performed well. Tenth place in the high jump was Kaley Sawyer, only a freshman. Everyone returns except for Hannah Werneth. The future seems promising.”
For Falmouth, sophomore Jenna Serunian was runner-up in the shot put (38-00.25) and placed third in the discus (111-3). Junior Kate Sparks came in third in the shot put (37-9). Sophomore Evelyn Perry was fourth in the long jump (15-7.25). Junior Amy Webster placed fifth in the pole vault (8 feet).
The Yachtsmen also came in fifth in both the 1,600 (sophomore Jena Mannette, freshman Olivia Hoch, senior Francesca D’Alfonso and senior Rachel Brown, 4:24.35) and the 3,200 (D’Alfonso, Hoch, sophomore Catherine Hebson and Brown, 10:10.36) relays.
“The girls’ fourth place finish was beyond expectations,” Paul said. “We were hoping for seventh or eighth. We were led by Jenna Serunian and Katie Sparks, both throwing personal bests in the shot put.”
With virtually all of its points returning in 2011, Falmouth should be right back among the top teams again.
Yarmouth’s top performance came from its 3,200 relay team, which placed 14th (freshman Megan Decker, freshman Emma Pidden, freshman Joss Richards-Daniels and junior Chloe Sarapas, 11:15.26).
New Englands
Select local athletes will take place in the New England championships this coming Saturday in New Britain, Conn.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
Sidebar Elements
Falmouth senior Alec Dunn races to victory in the 110 hurdles at Saturday’s Class B state meet in Windham. Dunn’s win helped the Yachtsmen repeat as state champions.
Greely’s state champion 4×800 relay team, featuring (from left) Melissa Jacques, Emma Wilson, Sara Schad and Sarah Fitch, won its race in 10 minutes, 4 seconds.
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