The Class A boys indoor track and field championship was expected to be a close meet and it lived up to those expectations as Scarborough and Lewiston battled it out until the final event. In the end the Red Storm added their sixth consecutive Class A team title as they held off the Blue Devils by three points, 75-72.
Scarborough was led by senior distance runner Zachary Barry who provided twenty-eight points. Barry won the mile and the 800m, and added a runner-up finish in the 2 mile. In the mile Barry followed the strong pace set by Hampden Academy's Abbott Valentine before making his decisive move with 300m left. Barry stormed to a 59.60 last 400m to clock 4:22.02.
With the condensed time schedule the University of Connecticut bound Barry had just 45 minutes rest before the 800m. After a slow opening 63.7 first two laps the pace increased over the third lap as only Charlie Collins of Hampden Academy was able to respond, Zach switched gears again closing the final lap in 27.73 to dip under the two minute barrier with a 1:59.89 effort. He returned to the track 50 minutes later for the 2 mile where he was the only one to go with eventual winner Grady Satterfield of Mt. Ararat, he would finish with a strong 9:48.47. Satterfield took the event in a new personal best of 9:30.96.
In the 55m hurdles defending champion
Jayden Flaker equalled the state meet record and Maine all-time best of 7.52 with his victory. The record mark was set back in 2006 by
Ben Roy of Bonny Eagle. Senior
Nicholas Connolly added ten more points in the shot put with his winning heave of 55-6, he had four throws further than the runner-up in the event.
Over at the pole vault senior
Toby Martin redeemed himself after not making the final in the hurdles as he raised his personal best by 11 inches to 13-6 to win the event by two feet.
With five events wins the Red Storm still had to come through in the final running event the 4x200m relay as they led by twelve points entering the event but the Blue Devils with three finalists in the triple jump the meet was still up in the air. Senior Noah Batoosingh got things started for Scarborough passing to Martin. Through the third exchange Scarborough was in second trailing Cheverus, junior
Parker Killiard moved the Red Storm into position with the final pass to Flaker. The teams battled neck and neck as Flaker pulled wide over the last fifty meters to pull Scarborough to the victory with the fastest split of 22.17.
For the runner-up Blue Devils they got twenty-six points from senior Abdirizak Abukar. Abukar won the 55m dash in a personal best 6.59. He added runner-up finishes in the 200m (22.56) and 400m (50.42). Senior Jabreel Muhammed-Aceto leaped out to a new personal best of 44-2 3/4 to win the triple jump, he added a runner-up effort with another personal best of 7.93 in the 55m hurdles.
Gorham sprint standout Andrew Farr had to deal with the set back of false starting in the 55m dash final. Farr used that disappointment as motivation in the 400m as he flew around the track making his move to lead just before the 300m mark. He powered his way to the finish to set a new state meet record of 49.54 in the event. He lowered the mark of 49.78 set by Deering's Hany Ramadan back in 2015. Farr came back to win a exciting 200m as he held off Abukar and Flaker to set a new personal best of 22.48
Cheverus senior Frank Morang won the long jump with a 21-9 1/4 mark. Morang came into the meet battling a hamstring injury and only took his first three jumps. He added a runner-up finish in the triple jump (44-2).
Aidan Walcott of Bonny Eagle took the high jump with a 6 foot clearance, while Mt Ararat won the opening event the 4x800 in a time of 8:29.91
