Class B State Meet Preview
Girls Team Outlook- The Waterville girls will be shooting for their 3rd indoor state title in a row, and they enter the meet as the heavy favorites. The Purple Panthers are stacked again as they look to win the 5 state titles in the last 7 years. Leading the way for Waterville is distance ace Bethanie Brown who will be looking to win the 3 individual distance races for the second year in a row. They are a lot more than just Brown though, as they have a top thrower, sprinters, jumpers & relays. It looks like everyone else will be shooting for 2nd place. Greely looks like the next best team, the Rangers have a good shot to win some hardware. Paced by Kirstin Sandreuter in the distance races, plus strong relays, and the top shot putter Gwen Sawyer plus some strong jumpers and hurdles give the Rangers a chance. Traip Academy is another team to watch. Traip has the top pole vaulter in Kelsey Barnes, plus a couple of top hurdlers and jumpers.
Individual Athletes to Watch
Bethanie Brown (Waterville Sr.) Brown the best indoor distance runner the state has ever seen will once again be going for the distance triple at the state meet. Last year Bethanie won all three races and set a new mile state record in the process. This year has been another record breaking one, as Brown has lowered her state all-time in the mile to 4:54.47. Last year she ran 5:02.15 so another record is possible this year. The triple won't be easy as she is the #2 seed in the 800m, and will have to take on a very good Aleta Looker of Ellsworth. This could be the race of the day. Brown broke 11 last year in winning the 2 mile at states, and is currently ranked 5th in the US. The record of 10:48.28 is well withing in reach but how much will Brown have left in the tank after two races.
Kate Hall (Lake Region So.) Hall a sophomore is trying to go 6 for 6. Last year as a freshman Kate won the 55m, 200m & long jump and once again this year she is the favorite in all 3 events. Hall has state leading marks in the 55m (7.26) & long jump (18-0 1/2). Kate has a good shot to set new records in both the long jump & 200m as her marks from this season are superior to both. With 3 more wins her legacy will continue to grow, and it would be a major upset if she lost, her times and distance are that much better than her competitors.
Aleta Looker (Ellsworth Jr.) Looker of Ellsworth is the top seed in the 800m, she's run a best of 2:17.31 this winter. If she is to win the event she'll have to beat the unbeatable Bethanie Brown, but don't count her out. She has faster 400m speed than Brown and that could come into play. She'll also run the mile where she is the #3 seed with a best time of 5:18.43.
Record Watch
Pole Vault- The state record is 11-0' set by Hermon's Chantelle Haggerty back in 2002, Traip Academy's Kelsey Barnes has had several attempts at 11-0 ft this season, jumping a best of 10-10 which was a new WMC league record. She's cleared 10-6 just about every time she has competed. She'll be on a new runway so that could factor into her success as well but she's certainly got a shot at a new record.
200m- Kate Hall of Lake Region seed time is 25.67, run last Monday at the WMC Championship, the state meet record of 25.94 set by Freeport's Logan Crane in 2004 is in serious danger of being shattered. Hall has been 25.87 or faster the last 3 times she's run the event and on a Bates track that is fast could results in a very fast time and new state record for the star sophomore sprinter.
Long Jump- Again Kate Hall comes in with a couple of jumps this season that surpass the existing meet record of 17-6 1/2 set by Emily Mitchell of York in 2011. Hall already has set the Maine all-time best in the event this season becoming the first girl to jump over 18ft with a 18-0 1/2 mark. Last week she jumped 17-10+ so if she can asjust to the new runway her legacy will continue to grow.
Mile- Last year Bethanie Brown broke the existing state meet record in winning the title, she's run under 5 minutes just about everytime out this season, so she certainly is capable of lower her own record, which I would assume she'd like to do. She may want to conserve for her other races but knowing her aggressive style she'll attack every race like she always does.
2 Mile- Another event Brown has a shot at the record of 10:48.28 of Cassie Hintz from 2005. Brown the defending champion in the event will be on her 3rd race of the day but she's been preparing all year to run multiple races and run them well. Her fastest time on the season is a 10:35.22. With this beeing her last indoor race at a Maine State Championship she'll want to make it special and add another record to her already impressive resume.
Race to Watch
800m- This could be a showdown between Aleta Looker of Ellsworth & Bethanie Brown of Waterville. Looker is the top seed with a best of 2:17.31, while Brown's best time is 2:19.14. Bethanie is the defending champion, while Aleta was the runner-up a year ago. Brown has a personal best indoors of 2:15.44 from a year ago at NB Nationals, while Looker's best is a 2:16.04 from the same meet. Both will be on their 2nd race of the day and possibly 3rd for Looker as she is listed in the 4x800 runners for Ellsworth. This could be a great cat and mouse race as Brown has the strength, while Looker the better speed. Currently Aleta has a 400m personal best of 61.48 to Brown's 63.96, and 200m personal best the edge goes to Aleta as well 28.65 to 30.02.
Boys Team Outlook-Defending champion York looks primed to make it two in a row. The Wildcats who are coming off a dominating performance to win the WMC Championship have depth across several events. With seniors Josh Brooks, Tom Reid & Joe Vogel leading the way York appears ready to add another title. The jumps will be the key events with Vogel & Reid ranked high in both.
The next best team is up in the air, Waterville is the mix with Devin Burgess leading the way for the Purple Panthers. Falmouth has some strong relays plus Jacob Buhelt that could propel them into the mix, while Foxcroft Academy is coming on strong with standouts Donald Boyer & Ryan Wang. Should make for an exciting day of track and field at Bates.
Individual Athletes to Watch
Denzel Tomaszewski (Wells Sr.) Tomaszewski has been obliterating the 55m all year long. He started the season with a 6.53 at the USM Relays which broke the state all-time best of 6.55. On Monday at the WMC Championship he went below 6.53 twice, with his time in the final setting the new standard an amazing 6.46. Denzel the defending champion in the 55m, set the state meet record of 6.58, he is peaking at the right time, and is a safe bet to lower it again. He is also the #2 seed in the 200m, coming off a personal best 23.33 at the WMC Championship. Denzel also will run a leg on the #3 ranked 4x200 relay.
Dan Curts (Ellsworth Jr.) Curts is the #1 seed in both the mile & 2 Mile as well in the top ranked 4x800 relay. Curts has the top times in the state for the mile (4:21.46) & 2 Mile (9:38.02). Last year Dan finished 2nd in the 2 mile to Matt McClintock. When he was a freshman he won the 2 mile title which he’ll be looking to again.
Jacob Buhelt (Falmouth Sr.) Buhelt is the top seed in the 200m dash with a 23.13 clocking from Monday’s win at the WMC Championship. Jacob was 2nd in the 200m a year ago, will be looking for his first individual title, he was part of the winning 4x200m relay a year ago. Jacob is also the #3 seed in the 55m dash, and will run on the #2 ranked Falmouth 4x200, who will be looking to repeat
Tom Reid (York Sr.) Reid is the top seed in the long jump, his 20-6 1/2 mark was set at the WMC Championship. He is also the #2 seed in the triple jump with a best jump of 41-10 1/2. Tom is also expected to score in the 55m hurdles were he is seeded 4th.
Donald Boyer (Foxcroft Sr.) Boyer has a chance to break the 55m hurdle record of 7.5h. At the EMITL Championship on Monday the senior destroyed his personal best & broke the EMITL record with a state leading 7.66. His seed time is a half second faster than the #2 seed. Donald is also the top seed in the high jump with a best leap of 6-2 this season. He is also expected to score in the triple jump where he is seeded 4th.
Record Watch
55m- The state record holder Denzel Tomaszewski ran 6.58 last year to win and set the record, he’s run faster than that several times this winter, with his most recent at 6.46 to shatter his own personal best and all-time state record. The mark has him tied for the #1 time in New England. How fast can he go might be the best question to ask
Pole Vault- This should be an epic event with David Frederick of Orono at 14-1 & Waterville’s Devin Burgess of Waterville at 14-0. The duo should push each other to new heights, and with the state record mark of 14-0 1/2 they could set a new standard. The state record has stood since 1986, one of the oldest one in the books.
55 Hurdles- Donald Boyer had his best hurdle race of his life last Monday, running a EMITL record and state leading 7.66. The mark improved his previous best of 7.90. With the state record time of 7.5h, if he can do it again, his name will be in the record books.
Event to Watch
Pole Vault- With two vaulters with a shot to make history this with be one to keep an eye during the meet when the bar get to 14ft. The state record mark of 14-0 1/2 set by Scarborough’s Brian Johnson in 1986 is in danger of going down with David Frederick of Orono & Devin Burgess of Waterville squaring off. Frederick has jumped a state best 14-1 this season. He is coming off a 14-0 clearance to win the EMITL meet on Monday. Burgess has vaulted 14-0 multiple times this winter. How far will these two push eachother