Local runners, jumpers and throwers once again shined the brightest at Friday’s Western Maine Conference indoor track and field championship meet at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

The Falmouth boys took first place with 176 points, easily outdistancing runner-up York (104). Greely, led by dazzling performance from senior Mark McCauley, was third with 66. NYA (39) came in seventh, Yarmouth (22) was 10th and Freeport (11) placed 12th.

On the girls’ side, Greely wasn’t able to win the meet for an 11th straight year, as its 147 points left it four shy of York. Falmouth (77) came in third, Yarmouth (12) finished 11th, Freeport (11) was 12th and NYA (9) placed 13th.

Yachtsmen take it

The Falmouth boys earned their title thanks in part to six individual first place finishes and a pair of relay victories. The junior relay squad was tops in 1 minute, 40.13 seconds. The senior team won with a time of 1:35.48. Reid Pryzant took the junior 55 hurdles (8.4 seconds) . Kellen MacDonald was first in the senior 55 hurdles (8.15). Will Wegener won the senior 55 (6.7) and the senior 400 (53.27). Jacob Buhelt was first in the junior 200 (24.59). Alec Dunn was tops in the senior 200 (23.65).

The Yachtsmen’s open relay team (8:42.01), Sam Bennett in the pole vault (10 feet), Dunn in the senior 55 hurdles (8.35), Buhelt in the junior 55 (7.01), Jimmy Polewaczyk in the junior 200 (25.02), MacDonald in the senior 400 (53.34) and Mike Serunian in the open 800 (2:05.93) were runners-up.

Polewaczyk was third in the junior 400 (56.39). Azad Jalali placed third in the 800 (2:10.71). Charlie Swerdlow was third in the two-mile (10:35.62). Justin Hovey came in third in the pole vault (9 feet) and fourth in the open triple jump (37-2.5). Toby Aicher came in fourth in the junior 400 (57.61). Reilly Bayer was fourth in the pole vault (9 feet). Shreyas Joshi came in fifth in the junior 55 hurdles (10.67). MacDonald placed sixth in the senior high jump (5-4). Pryzant was sixth in the open high jump (18-6).

“The boys had a very strong meet,” said Falmouth coach Jorma Kurry. “Will, Alec and Kellen led us with big wins. Reid and Jacob had great junior division performances as well. Our vaulters were strong and like the girls’ team, all the boys’ relays had season-best times.”

Greely got a performance from McCauley that was as good as anyone in the country this winter. And that’s not hyperbole. McCauley set a new record in the 800 with a time of 1:54.16, which is the lowest in that event anywhere in the United States this season. That was his lone individual event, but McCauley was also a member of the Rangers first-place open relay (8:39.25).

Michael Burgess won the senior shot put (47-11). Austin Spencer finished second in the triple jump (38-7.5). Logan Price placed third in the mile (4:29.60). Sam Mason came in fourth in the senior 200 (24.47). Jack Fellows was fourth in the senior shot put (45-10.75). Jacob Isaacson came in sixth in the junior 55 (7.4) and sixth in the junior 200 (25.66). Stefan Sandreuter placed sixth in the mile (4:56.82). Matti Ingraham was sixth in the senior 400 (55.33).

Greely came in third in the senior relay (1:39.37) and finished fourth in the junior relay (1:45.32).

“The boys’ meet finish was pretty much as expected,” said Rangers coach John Folan. “They set themselves up to be competitive in the state meet. Mark was stellar. Logan performed excellently in the mile despite some discomfort. The 4×800 team of McCauley, Matti Ingraham, Andrew Hunter and Liam Campbell remained unbeaten for the campaign. Mike and Jack continued to lead in the shot put. Burgess’ throw put him at the top of the state Class B list. Sam continued posting solid times in the 200.”

NYA was paced as usual by senior Henry Sterling, who won the mile (4:21.69) and the two-mile (9:44.02). Cam Rayder was tops in the junior shot put (34-10.5). Alex Coffin was runner-up in the junior 400 (56.19). Jake Burns was sixth in the junior 55 hurdles (10.79).

Yarmouth’s senior relay team was second to Falmouth (1:38.68). The Clippers also got points from Asa Arden, third in the long jump (19-5) and sixth in the senior 55 (7.09), Colby Shields, fifth in the senior shot put (37-2) and sixth in the senior 200 (24.77), Travis Merrill, fifth in the senior 55 (7.05) and Mike Johnson, fifth in the senior 400 (54.57).

Freeport’s points came from Griffin Day (fourth in the two-mile, 10:36.99), Charlie Lehmer (fifth in the triple jump, 36-1.25), Taylor Saucier (fifth in the 800, 2:11.39), Miles Boucher (sixth in the 800, 2:11.86) and its fifth-place senior relay team (1:43.20).

Four points short

Greely had won the girls’ conference title every year this century, but its reign came to an end Friday. Regardless, the Rangers once again had several stellar performances, winning four individual events and a relay.

Kaley Sawyer took the junior high jump (4-8) and the junior 55 hurdles (10.06) and was also fourth in the triple jump (31-4.25). Catherine Fellows was first in the junior shot put (26-2.75). Hannah Werneth won the senior shot put (36-00.75). Greely captured the open relay (10:38.04).

Meaghan Crowley was runner-up in the triple jump (32-8.75) and fourth in the long jump (14-11.5). Taylor Hicks came in second in the senior 55 (7.82). Kelsey Saunders finished second to Sawyer in the junior high jump (4-8). Abby Bonnevie was runner-up in the pole vault (7-6). Molly Fitzpatrick came in second in the long jump (15-7). Emily Christensen was third in the senior 55 (7.87). Anna Whitaker placed third in the long jump (15-6.5) and sixth in the senior shot put (28-10.5). Katherine Harrington was third in the senior shot put (33-9.5). Abby Diehl placed fourth in the senior 55 hurdles (9.33) and fifth in the senior 200 (28.14). Stella Keck finished in a three-way tie for fifth in the pole vault (6-6). Melissa Jacques was fifth in the 800 (2:35.79). Bethany Powers was fifth in the triple jump (30-0) and sixth in the senior 400 (1:07.32). Sarah Ingraham came in sixth in the junior 55 hurdles (8.19). Sarah Fitch placed sixth in the 800 (2:36.00). The Rangers were also second in both the junior (1:58.11) and senior (1:53.08) relays.

“Considering the youth of the girls team, only 4 seniors, I thought the kids had an excellent meet,” Folan said. “They basically achieved their seeds and frankly, a coach can’t ask for much more. There were lots of excellent performances: Molly Fitzpatrick, Anna Whitaker, Meaghan Crowley, Kaley Sawyer, Bethany Powers, and Kelsey Saunders all scored in the jumps.. The 4×800 relay was a pleasant surprise with their win and fast time. They were Crowley, along with Sarah Fitch, Dee Little, and Melissa Jacques. Throwers Catherine Fellows, Hannah Werneth, and Katherine Harrington performed well. In the sprints, Taylor Hicks had a strong day in the 55, as did Emily Christensen and Whitaker. Abby Bonnevie continues to make strides in the vault.”

Falmouth’s effort was spearheaded by its first-place senior 4×200 relay team (1:52.37). Rachel Brown was runner-up in the senior 400 (1:02.96). Katie Sparks finished second in the senior shot put (34-4.25). Sarah Sparks was runner-up in the junior shot put (22-9.75) and fifth in the junior 200 (29.47). Amy Webster came in third in the pole vault (7-0) and fifth in the senior 400 (1:06.81). Summer Greenwood was fourth in the junior 55 hurdles (11.25). Adrienne Michalakis came in fourth in the senior 55 (7.89) and was sixth in the senior 200 (28.41). Francesca D’Alfonso came in fourth in the 800 (2:34.52). Erin Morris was fifth in the two-mile (12:49.96). Jena Mannette came in fifth in the junior 400 (1:08.99) and was sixth in the long jump (14-1.75). Jaclyn Scott placed sixth in the senior high jump (4-2).

The Yachtsmen were second to Greely in the open 3,200 relay (10:40.83) and came in third in the junior 4×200 relay (1:58.29).

“The girls had a good meet, led by Rachel Brown,” Kurry said. “Finishing in the top 3 was our goal, knowing York and Greely are much deeper than we are. All our relays had season-best times. Kate and Sarah Sparks, Adrienne Michalakis, Francesca D’Alfonso, Erin Morris, Amy Webster all performed very well. Newcomer Jena Mannette scored in three events. Next week will be fun, pushing ourselves to see what we can do. We will aim to be top-10. The girls’ team is small this year, but has steadily improved.”

Yarmouth’s points came from Lizzie Fischman (runner-up in the senior 200, 27.97, and fifth in the senior 55 hurdles, 9.41), Josselyn Richards-Daniels (sixth in the mile, 6:10.57) and its sixth-place senior 4×200 relay team (2:03.37).

For Freeport, Adrian Baker placed third in the senior 400 (1:03.37), Ciera Wentworth came in sixth in the senior 55 (7.97) and the senior 800 relay team placed fourth (1:57.06).

NYA was paced by Hannah Bewsey (second in the senior high jump, 5-0) and Moira Lachance (sixth in the junior high jump, 4-0).

States

The Class B state championship meet, featuring each local team, will be held Monday at Bates College in Lewiston, beginning at 10 a.m.

In the boys’ competition, Falmouth and Greely are in the mix.

“We’ll be aiming high (at states) and expect to be in a tough fight with Greely, as well as Waterville and Hermon,” Kurry said.

“In the state meet, Falmouth will be the favorite, but the meet could be close with Eastern power Hermon, as well as Waterville and Greely in the mix,” said Folan. “Erskine and Hampden have some scorers as well.”

On the girls’ side, don’t rule out Greely’s chances.

“York appears to be the early favorite, but once again the meet could be very close with Waterville, Greely, Old Town, and Orono all posting good numbers,” said Folan. “In both meets, the winner will likely need help from other teams to achieve those goals.”

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

Greely’s Kaley Sawyer clears an obstacle en route to victory in the junior 55 hurdles Friday. Sawyer and her teammates fell just short of York in the team standings.

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Yarmouth’s Asa Arden soars toward a third-place finish in the long jump at Friday’s Western Maine Conference indoor track meet.