Class A State Meet Preview
Girls Team Outlook: After 8 years of dominance by the Red Storm of Scarborough, there should be a new girls team champion this year in Class A. The teams in contention for the 2013 title are Thornton Academy & Bonny Eagle from the SMAA & the Bangor Rams of the EMITL. All three teams are no strangers to success, as they have been near the top of Class A in recent years. Thornton Academy is the last team to win a Class A team title other than Scarborough coming back in 2004. The Trojans come into the meet as the favorites, they are strong in the jumps, and hurdles, plus have distance standout Charlotte Pierce. The Ramns of Bangor who finished 3rd a year ago, have another strong team led by standout Grace MacLean who could win 3 events. Bangor will be counting on their pole vaulters as well. The Scots of Bonny Eagle have one of the best distance teams in the state and for them to emerge as the champions they will count on them to carry a heavy load, along with sprinter Audrey Weyand.
Individual Athletes to Watch
Grace MacLean (Bangor Sr.) The senior has been dominate this season, she has the fastest time in the state in the 55m hurdles 8.50, the next fastest is 8.85. MacLean also has the top high jump mark in the state this season with a 5-6 clearance, Grace won and set the existing Class A state record her freshman year 5-6 1/4. She is also the top seed in the long jump, she is coming off a EMITL record and personal best leap on Monday of 17-6 3/4, the mark is better than the Class A record of 17-6 1/2.
Charlotte Pierce (Thornton Academy Sr.) Pierce the Columbia bound senior will be counted on to carry a heavy load for the Trojans at the state meet as she is running the mile, 800, & 2 mile. Charlotte's the top seed in the mile with a 5:07.49 & 2 Mile 11:26.09, along with being the #2 seed in the 800m at 2:21.29. Pierce has shown she can run multiple fast races in the same meet as she did the same triple at the SMAA championships. She hasn't won an individual state title yet so she's got 3 chances on Monday.
Teal Jackson (Brewer Sr.) Jackson the dynamic sprinter from Brewer has been as fast as ever this winter. Earlier this season Teal broke the Maine all-time best for 400m when she clocked 57.85. On Monday Jackson ran the fastest time in the state for 200m to break the EMITL record with a 25.61 clocking. Teal is the top seed in all three sprints 55m, 200m & 400m, she'll be trying to win her first individual indoor state title.
Record Watch
Girls 400m- The state meet record of 57.88 by Claire Franco run back in 2008 could go down as Brewer's Teal Jackson has run 57.85 already this season. Jackson likely won't have anyone to push the pace so this will be a solo effort if she tries to make a run at it.
Girls 800m- Deering's Edie Pallozzi has opted to run only the 800m race, and no doubt she'll take this opoortunity to chase another individual state title, but also the state record. Her last time out Pallozzi was very aggressive the first 400m, going out in 64 seconds, she would hold off for 2:19.50 which has her the #1 seed. That race might have been a test to see the perfect pace to set, and if she can adjust the first 400m, the state record of 2:18.44 set by Scarborough's Kaitlynn Saldanha back in 2007 could be wiped from the record books. Also in the race are Nyajock Pan, Charlotte Pierce & Samantha Cox who all have 2:21 seeds but will be on their 2nd races of the day.
Girls 200m- Teal Jackson will be after the 200m record as well. The 25.80 mark of Kristin Slotnick of Brunswick was set back in 2007, Jackson is coming off her personal best of 25.61 just last week, she'll have to get out hard and stay relaxed over the final 50 meters to get the record.
Long Jump- Bangor's Grace MacLean will be looking to add another state record to her resume. Grace is coming off a personal best on Monday in the long jump at the EMITL Championship where she broke the league record with her 17-6 3/4, the exisiting record in 17-6 1/2 set by former Biddeford standout Maria Curit in 2010.
Event to Watch
Girls Long Jump- This is one of the first event of the meet starting at 10am, but the team title implications are large with Thornton Academy & Bangor squaring off. Top seed Grace MacLean expects to bring the Rams 10 points, while Katerina Dagher is the 7th seed. TA counters with Amanda Arnold who is the #2 seed, along with #4 seed Carly McKenna & #6 seed Anna Mehlinger. This event could set the tone of the day for both teams. Interestingly enough #5 seed Milena Opielowski of Cheverus would have attended TA if she would have stayed in public school.
Boys Team Outlook: The Red Storm of Scarborough will be seeking their 3rd consecutive title & 4th in 5 years on Monday, but it won't be easy to repeat. Rival Cheverus of the SMAA is primed to get back to the top spot, the Stags have won 17 state titles in their history during the indoor season, 15 in Class A & 2 in Class B, the last time they were champions was 1998. If those two team falter Brunswick, Lewiston, Edward Little & Bangor could sneak in to challenge as well. Scarborough has a balanced team this year who will look to get points in the throws, jumps, sprints, distance & relays. They will need a big day in the relays, as well as the pole vault where senior Alec James is the defending champion, & distance standout Robby Hall will be expected to score well in the Mile & 2 Mile. The Stags of Cheverus are balanced as well with several scoring opportunties across several events. The relays could be worth 20 points alone for Cheverus. They'll need to have a big day from sprinter Jackson McMann & 800m specialist Brady Foshay. The two squads have battled twice this season with the Red Storm prevailing both times. The teams are very similiar, so there isn't much difference between them, if it comes down to the 4x200m we could be in store for another exciting finish.
Individual Athletes to Watch
Alex Nichols (Brunswick Sr.) Nichols has been the best 200m/400m sprinter in the state this winter. The senior has clocked the state leading time in the 400m (50.17) & the 200m (22.89). Alex is the defending state champion in the 400m, where he has his eyes on the repat but more importantly the Class A state record of 50.37. His time in the 200m is a state elading mark, and the only runner below 23 seconds this winter in the event.
Jared Bell (Deering Sr.) Bell the Princeton bound senior has been dominate all winter long in the shot put throwing over 50ft every time out. His current state leading mark 55-4 1/2 is over 4ft further than the #2 seed. Last year Jared was the surprise state champion throwing 51-11 1/2 so he'll be looking to add another one this year.
Robert Hall (Scarborough Sr.) Hall enters the meet as #3 seed in the Mile, although he has run 4:26.83 this season at the GBTC invitational, that time has him the only one under 4:30 in the field this winter. Robert is also the top seed in the 2 Mile having run a best of 9:50.05. He won both event at the SMAA Championship two weeks ago. He'll be looking for his first individual state title.
Ethan Beaulier (Noble Sr.) Beaulier a senior is defending state champion in the 55m & 200m, he'll be looking to repeat in both events. Ethan is the top seed in the 55m 6.68, he won he title last year in 6.61 just off the Class A record of 6.60. The 200m will be tough to repeat as he is the #2 seed at 23.13, but does have lane 5 which should help him a bit. Beaulier won both events at the SMAA championships and is undefeated in both events this season. He'll also run a leg on the #3 ranked 4x200m relay team.
Connor Harris (Edward Little Sr.) One of the top jumpers in the state, Harris is the defending state champion in the high jump & triple jump. Connor has jumped a state best 6-6 in the high jump this season, and is the havy favorite to repeat. In the triple jump Harris has a best mark of 42-8 3/4 this season. He'll also be in the long jump where he's the #4 seed.
Tyson Goodale (Bonny Eagle Sr.) Goodale is the defending 55m hurdle champion, the senior enters the meet as the #2 in the event, but has shown that is a big meet he knows how to win. It will take a personal best to get it done most likely. Tyson is also the #2 seed in the long jump (20-9) & is the 4th best in the triple jump
Record Watch
Boys 400m- The mark of 50.37 by Cam Stevens is in danger of going down as Alex Nichols of Brunswick the defending state champion and current state leader has run 50.17 already this season. The record is a focus of Nichols so there is no doubt he'll be aiming for it. Biddeford's James Ociti should provide a challenge as well, the junior has run a best of 51.05 on the year but has also broken 50 seconds outdoors. The pace is sure to be fast and a record here is very possible.
Boys 55m- Defending state champion Ethan Beaulier will be in search of the 55m state record on Monday. Beaulier just missed the record by .02 last year en route to victory. Ethan has been dominate in the event this winter, and he'll be ready to go out on top with another win and hopefully a new record.
Boys 4x200m- The state meet record of 1:33.77 set by Brunswick in 1997 could be surpassed as well. Cheverus has already run a 1:33.60 this season, and has been under 1:34 twice. Scarborough could challenege the record as well, the Red Storm are the defending champions in the event have a best of 1:34.11 on the season. This would be the perfect ending to the meet, a race to decide the team champion and a new state record.
Event to Watch
200m- This will be an event to watch. With 5 guys with seed times of 23.47 of faster this will be one of the most competitive races of the meet. With state leader Alex Nichols of Brunswick leading the way at 22.89, defending champion Ethan Beaulier will be looking to defend his championship. Nichols will be in lane 4 trying to chase the speedy Beaulier. Add in the team aspect as Cheverus has Jackson McMann the #3 seed, while Scarborough counters with Ryan Jamison the #5 seed. McMann will be in lane 3, with Jamison in #2. Could see some very fast times in this race.