The biggest track teams in Maine headed down to Thornton Academy in Saco on Saturday, to compete in the Class A outdoor track state championships.
The three-time defending state champion Bangor girls track team came up just short of defending its title, winning silver behind junior Emerson Flaker’s Scarborough Red Storm. While the Rams’ top sprinters won the 4×100-meter relay, Flaker led Scarborough to gold in the 4×400-meter relay and individually won the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.
Seeded to score 75 points, the Rams tallied an impressive 86.5 points, clearing Portland and Falmouth by nearly 30 points apiece. Scarborough also won the 800-meter and 3,200-meter races, racking up 101 points.
“To up-seed in any championship meet is a really good day. I’m really proud of the kids,” Bangor head coach Alan Mosca said. “I’m so happy for our seniors to go out like this. They’ve had so many big meets for us over the years.”
With 2023 Maine Gatorade Track Player of the Year Anna Connors having graduated from Bangor last year, it was seniors Katie McCarthy, Emma Syphers, and Callie Tennett that stepped up for the Rams on Saturday.
McCarthy was runner-up in the 800-meter race, Syphers won bronze in the long jump and Tennett placed fifth in the 400-meter dash. Meanwhile, sophomore Bayley Fryer was runner-up in the 200-meter dash, junior Alice Thibodeau won bronze in the pole vault and sophomore Sophia Chase had two top-five finishes in the hurdle events.
Bangor’s Penobscot Valley Conference rivals junior Lauren Vanidestine of Brewer and freshman Addison Elliott of Hampden Academy also performed well at states. Vanidestine was fourth in the 100-meter dash and fifth in the triple jump, while Addison Elliot won silver in the 400-meter dash and powered the Broncos to medals in the 4×400 and 4×800-meter relays.
“Katie [McMarthy] had two of her best finishes I’d ever seen,” said Mosca. “[Emerson Flaker] is a tremendous competitor, and has a different speed.”
Lewiston senior Makenna Drouin and Falmouth senior Ruby Prentiss also starred. Drouin won the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles outright, and placed second in the 100-meter dash; Prentiss took home gold in the discus and shot put.
On the boys’ side, Marshwood junior Andre Clark set an all-time state record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.59 seconds, won the 200-meter dash and powered the Hawks past Lewiston and Bangor in the 4×100-meter relay.
“It was amazing to watch,” Mosca said. “[Clark]’s so explosive and has unbelievable speed maintenance. Just awesome to see.”
Overall, it was South Portland that won the boys overall team title with 79.5 points, barely beating Gorham (79 points) and Portland (65).
The Red Riots were led by junior Arnaud Sioho (40 points), who won the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump outright.
Lewiston junior Ryker Paradis (discus, shot put) and Noble senior Maddox Jordan (800-meter, 1,600-meter) also took home two gold medals apiece. Meanwhile, Gorham senior Nolan Feyler helped the Rams win gold in the 400-meter dash and 4×400-meter relay.
Gorham’s Griffin Gammon and Aidan Lee both reached 6-foot-6 in the high jump, and Portland senior Nathan Blades won the 3,200-meter race as one of six participants to break 10 minutes.
