Class B Boys State Track & Field Indoor Championship Preview


Class B Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview


Boys

Welcome to our event-by-event Class B State Meet preview. Check out your favorite event to see who some of top ranked runners are. Included for each event is a potential 'dark horse' candidate: a competitor who we think could pull off the biggest upset and outperform his/her seed. The state meet record for each event is also included. Enjoy and feel free to comment your thoughts, predictions, dark horses, or corrections.


55m: With last year's state champion Evan Porter on the shelf with injury, and #2 seed Oneko Lowe not competing the title is up for grabs. Troy Crawford of Old Town enters as the top seed at 6.74, he placed second to Lowe at the EMITL Championship last week. Ben Smith of Winslow won the KVAC title two weeks ago in 6.94, he has a best of 6.79. Foxcroft Academy's Evan Chadbourne will be one to watch he has improved from 7.07 down to 6.83 throughout the course of the season, and was third in the EMITL Championship last weekend.

Dark horse: Jacob Tomm (Freeport) has run the 55m just 2 times all season, the last time back on 1/6 where he recorded his personal best 6.95. Tomm has done well in the shot, 200m & long jump this year as well, and his explosiveness makes him our pick to make the podium.

State meet record: 6.53, Denzel Tomaszewski (2013)



55m Hurdles: Last year there were only 7 boys hurdlers entered in the state meet, this time around that number has doubled. Defending champion Evan Porter is on the sidelines, but his teammate Samuel Simonds (8.34) is hoping to carry on the tradition and claim the title this time around. Simonds struggled last time out at the WMC Championship where he placed third running 9.09. Hermon's Zachery Beaton is on fire right now, he has improved his time from 9.15 down to his personal best 8.55 at the EMITL Championship last week where he finished third. York's Zach Westman was the runner-up at WMC's with his personal best of 8.59. KVAC Class B champion Jack Hansen is just a freshman but last time out he ran a 8.63, and showed he's a big meet performer.

Dark horse: Gavin Poperechny of Greely enters as the 9th seed with a time of 9.10. He is coming off a strong effort at the WMC Championship that saw him finish 4th overall. He has improved his time each time out this season, and with the Rangers looking to close the gap to MDI, he's our choice to surprise

State meet record: 7.68, Donald Boyer (2013)





200m: State leader Michaiah Robinson of Washington Academy will look to win his first indoor state title. Robinson is coming off his best performance of the season at EMITL where he clocked 23.11. His main competition will come from fellow EMITL athlete Troy Crawford of Old Town. Crawford was the state runner-up in this event a year ago, and was the runner-up to Robinson last weekend with a strong 23.39. KVAC champion Ben Smith of Winslow ran 23.54 in his conference championship win.

Dark horse: Steve Fitzpatrick of a junior from John Bapst placed 4th in the EMITL Championship running a 24.29, just .02 of his seasonal best. He has the 10th fastest time in the field, after a 12th place finish a year ago he's primed to make a top 7 run.

State meet record: 22.67, Nate Martin (2009)




400m: The state meet record of 50.65 could be broken as Washington Academy senior Michaiah Robinson the state leader in the event is coming of a win at the EMITL Championship where he ran 50.60. EMITL runner Griffen Marstiny will be looking for at least 8 points for MDI title hopes, he has a best of 52.75 on the season. Ben Smith of Winslow is the the only other runner in the field that has broken 54 seconds, his best is a 53.98.

Dark horse: NYA's Henry Quesada last year's 800m state champion is seeded 10th in the field with a best of 55.49. Quesada is our dark horse pick to make a run at a podium spot, he's got the experience and talent to move up the ranks.

State meet record: 50.65, James Sawyer (2005)



800m: This should be one of the better individual races of the day as state leader John Hassett of George Stevens Academy looks to break into the 1:56 range and take a shot at the state meet record of 1:56.12. Hassett won the EMITL title using a blistering kick over the last 250m to clock 1:57.09. Orono's Jacob Fandel who was the runner-up to Hassett last weekend, will be looking for a better race, he has a seasonal best of 1:58.95. Joining the fray is KVAC Class B Nick Dall of Waterville, just a sophomore he has run under the 2 minute barrier this winter with a best of 1:59.60. Throw in senior Josh Bloom of MDI as the fourth seed at 2:00.04, and you have a race capable of some very fast times.

Dark horse: Xander Bartone of NYA has been hurt much of the season, but he came on strong to finish third in WMC Championship running 2:11.86 to earn a spot in the state meet. Bartone who finished 3rd a year ago in the 55m, has a 52.3 speed for 400, and has a personal best of 2:06.1 for 800m. He's out pick to surprise.

State meet record: 1:56.12, Kevin Floster (2005)




Mile: This should be the Luke Laverdiere show, the Yarmouth junior is seeded 18 second faster than second seed Max Stickney of Greely. Laverdiere the defending state champion has a best of 4:19.18 to his credit this winter should be able to run whatever race he wants and record the W. Stickney will be aiming to score 8 important points for his team as they seek the team title.

Dark horse: Ellsworth junior Matt Frost comes in as the 10th seed at 5:02.71, he's coming of a strong 7th place effort at the EMITL meet, and we think he has what it takes to make a podium run.

State meet record:4:19.66, Louie Luchini (1998)



2 mile: Just like the mile Luke Laverdiere is the heavy favorite as his 9:29.85 is almost 24 seconds faster than second seed  Nick Dall's 9:53.21. A year ago the junior from Yarmouth placed 3rd in this event, he'll be looking to take the top spot of the podium on Saturday. Luke has been un pushed all year in this event. Freeport's Henry Jaques is fit and ready for a fast time, he has a best of 9:54.70 on the year, he won the WMC title a week ago going 5:12-4:47 for splits as he tore away from the pack.


Dark horse: 
Junior Nick Reznick of MDI is our choice to surprise and make the podium. Reznick comes in the 10th seed with a time of 10:46.61, he will be looking to add to Trojans point total as they look to win the team title.

State meet record: 9:15.5h, Bruce Bickford (1975)



Shot put: Belfast senior Zach Dyer is the top seed, Dyer's best throw of the season is a 45-1 1/2 effort which he recorded in his win at the KVAC Class B meet. Cape Elizabeth's Luc Houle is coming off his best throw of the season a 42-2 1/2 effort that got him second place in the WMC. Freeport's Jacob Tomm was only a few inches back of Houle at the WMC meet with his third place 42-0 effort. The MDI duo of Samuel Hoff & Micah Hallett are seeded in thr 4th & 5th spots, these points will be important in the team title chase.

Dark horse: Waterville's Rasheed Parker a junior finished as the runner-up in the KVAC Class B Championship. Parker comes in the 9th seed with a best effort of 40-1 1/2

State meet record: 55'11", Dawson (1979)



Long Jump: Mt Valley senior Kyle Farrar has the farthest jump in the state this winter with his #1 seed of 21-7 3/4. With Farrar the heavy favorite, freshman Jack Hansen will look for some first year magic. Hansen won the KVAC title with a jump of 20-5 1/2. The only other jumper in the field over 20ft is Old Town sophomore Liang-Kang Lin who has a best of 20-1 1/4.

Dark horse: Orono's Tony Manev is the 8th seed with a best effort of 19-4 1/4 this season, He is coming off a strong 3rd place effort at the EMITL Championship.

State meet record: 22'7.75", Rob Pendergist, (1989)



Triple Jump: MDI senior Giovanni McKenzie enters the state meet with positive momentum after popping a Class B leading 43-3 to win the EMITL Championship a week ago. Mt Valley senior Kyle Farrar will look to challenge, he hasn't had a meet in three weeks so his legs will be plenty fresh, his best jump of the year is a 41-7 3/4. Yarmouth's Tucker Whitney had his best jump of the year when he won the WMC title with a 41-0 leap last week.

Dark horse: Ellsworth sophomore Atticus Deeny is seeded 10th with a best of 39-0 1/2. Deeny jumped that last weekend as he finished 4th in the EMITL Championship

State meet record: 45'11", Johnson (1985)



High Jump: MDI senior Noah Hutchinson has the best jump of the year in the state with a 6-4 clearance. John Bapst sophomore Gavin McDonald is the only other jumper in the field that has cleared 6-0, he did that last weekend at the EMITL Championship. Belfast freshman Jack Hansen will look to spoil the party, he has a best of 5-11 to his credit this winter.

Dark horse: This one is wide open with 6 different jumpers at 5-8, it is a toss up.

State meet record: 6'7", Rob Pendergist (1989)



Pole Vault: Greely's Sam Bonnevie is the top seed at 12-0, he struggled a bit at WMC's but still finished 3rd jumping 11-0. Waterville's Isaac Pellerin won the KVAC Championship with an 11-6 leap two week ago. John Bapst junior Brady Chadwick is the only other jumper above 11-0, his seasonal best is 11-6.

Dark horse: Orono's Matt Keresey is the 8th seed with a best of 10ft this season. He's coming off a tough EMITL where he no heighted, but we look for him to rebound this week and make the podium.

State meet record: 14'0.75", Brian Johnson (1986)



4x200: The top 3 teams are all under 1:37. Leading the way is Old Town at 1:36.20 which they ran in winning the EMITL title. Right behind them is Mt Desert Island at 1:36.55, while WMC Champion Fryeburg Academy has run 1:36.97.


Dark horse: Cape Elizabeth the 8th seed at 1:41.21 is our pick to break into the top 7.

State meet record: 1:34.33, Gorham (Lord, Sawyer, Wise, Nason) (2005)



4x800: This looks to be a two team race with Orono the top seed entered with a best of 8:46.52, while Greely is the number two seed at 8:49.03. 

Dark horse: Old Town as the #8 seed seems to be the team to watch.

State meet record: 8:20.53, York (Hosmer, Green, McMahon, and Rose) (2006)