State Meet Central
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Class B Boys Preview
Sprints & Hurdles
MCI senior Emma Burr will have a busy day as she is the top ranked 55m (7.49) and 55m hurdles (8.99) athlete in the meet. Burr will have the prelims back to back and then the finals back to back. She will be ready for it as she completed the double at the KVAC Championship last week running her fastest times of the season. Look for Kiana Goldberg of St Dom's to be a top challenger in the hurdles as will last year's runner-up Grace Wiley of Old Town. In the 55m look for Bangor Christian's Veronica Mercier and 2022 runner-up in the 55m Abigail Jacobson of Greely along with WMC champion Abby Noble of Yarmouth.
In the 200m Burr will be looking to sweep the sprint triple if things all go according the plan. Emma is the only one in the field that has broken the 27 second barrier this winter with her top seed of 26.96. Once again Jacobson of Greely is the returning runner-up in an event and will be spikes for the first time this season which could help her improve on her 27.60 best in 2023. Haley Rose of Bucksport, along with Mercier of Bangor Christian also look to figure into the mix.
Emma Brown of Cony the KVAC Class B champion headlines the 400m race with her top seed of 62.27. Look for Shealyn Brochu of Morse to challenge, along with WMC champion Lizalyn Boudreau of Freeport. Brochu ran right behind Brown last week, and will look to flip the script.
Distance
All eyes will be on York junior Cary Drake as she attempts to win the distance triple and lead the Wildcats to the state team title. Cary is the defending state champion in both the mile and 2 mile. Drake is the heavy favorite in the mile, an event that she recently broke the exclusive 5 minute barrier in at the BU Scarlett and White Invitational with her 4:59.11 effort.
In the 800m, Drake (2:20.05) is seeded seven second faster than the second seed Emma Young of Cape Elizabeth (2:27.34). Lake Region's Abigail Roberts is another threat in the four lap race.
Twenty-one seconds is the advantage in seed times for Drake (11:28.54) in the two mile over Thea Crowley of George Stevens Academy (11:49.75)
Natasha Monreal of Bucksport is the defending champion in the long & triple jumps.
Jumps
Freeport senior Avery Baker-Schlendering is the top seed in the high jump at 5-4 and is coming off a victory at the WMC Championship. She'll be pushed by junior Campbell Johnson of Lake Region (5-2) and freshman Elyannah Briggs of Old Town (5-2). Don't count out Grace Wiley of Old Town who cleared a personal best 5-1 to win the EMITL title a week ago.
Defending long and triple jump champion Natasha Monreal of Bucksport is the favorite to repeat in both events. Monreal is coming off personal efforts in both events in winning the EMITL championship. She has a best of 17-3 3/4 in the long jump and 34-1 1/4 in the triple jump. In the long jump Wiley of Old Town, and Johnson of Lake Region are other challengers, while in the triple look for Madison Yakimchick of Waterville and Lia Traficonte of Greely.
Over at the pole vault Sarah Ouellette of Morse is the favorite after going undefeated this winter. Ouellette has jumped a best 10-6 on the season which is 1 1/2 feet ahead of the second seed Kessa Benner of Freeport (9-0)
Throws
Orono junior Dez Seeley leads the way in the shot put with her seed of 33-7 mark. Looking to challenge is KVAC champion Avery Theriault of Cony who threw her personal best of 32-8 3/4 a week ago. WMC champion Emma Butsch of Yarmouth will look to figure it the mix as well with her best of 32-6 1/2.
Relays
Greely is the top seed in the 4x200m after winning the WMC title with a time of 1:51.37. Bucksport is the only other team within two seconds with their 1:53.91 seed time.
Lincoln Academy is the favorite in the 4x800 with a time of 10:36.22. York is the only other team that has broken 11 minutes this winter. (10:44.36)