BATH — The Edward Little girls rode a pair of first-place finishes from Jillian Richardson and Julia Berube to 169.5 points and their fourth straight Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference title on Saturday at McMann Field.
“This was our fourth meet on the docket this year,” EL coach Rebecca Hefty said. “My kids were ready to compete. The girls were hungry to get out here, do very well and go after the competition.”
BATH, ME – MAY 25: Edward Little’s Jillian Richardson wins the 1600 meters during KVAC meet on Saturday May 25, 2019 at McMann Field in Bath. Kennebec Journal photo by Joe Phelan
Not to be outdone, Lewiston rode five individual victories, two from Kamundala Crispin, and wins in all three relay events to 181 points and a win over Brunswick (152), Mt. Ararat (129), Edward Little (85) and Messalonskee (65).
“Huge day. We got some times that were just amazing today,” Blue Devils coach Paul Soracco said. “Just guys stepping up left and right.”
In the A girls event, the Red Eddies were in command from the first event. Berube helped take the drama out of the meet with wins in the 100 hurdles (16.15) and triple jump (34-9.5). She was seeded first in the hurdles, but surpassed her third seed for her second win.
“I knew I had to push myself and get a 34 to be able to win,” she said. “I knew I had to pull off a big jump and I could do it.”
Jillian Richardson matched Berube with wins in the 1,600 (5:23.97) and 3,200 (11:36.45), while Ella Boucher (long jump, 16-8) and Olivia Jalbert (high jump, 5-0) also won.
“I was just excited to come out and compete. It’s been kind of a weird season,” Richardson said. “Coach said we would all have to do what we were seeded or move up to be able to get (the title).”
The Lewiston boys got wins from Crispin in the long jump (20-9.25) and triple jump (44-6.75), and also got wins from Jeremiah Williams (100, 11.48), Jabreel Muhammed-Aceto (110 hurdles, 16.84), Noor Shidad (400, 50.77) and Jordan Carter (shot put, 41-1.75), while all three relays swept, with the 4×100 setting a school record at 44.05.
Williams overcame a third seed, and Shidad was seeded second.
“We all kind of flopped (last year). We weren’t ready,” Shidad said. “We wanted to come out and win. Win every single chance you can. Don’t let anybody pass you by.”
BATH, ME – MAY 25: Lewiston’s Noor Shidad runs Class A 400 meters during KVAC meet on Saturday May 25, 2019 at McMann Field in Bath. Kennebec Journal photo by Joe Phelan
Mt. Ararat’s Lisandro Berry-Gaviria took three victories in the A boys meet, winning the 800 (2:00.17), 1,600 (4:26.14) and 3,200 (9:40.81) after dealing with tendinitis this winter.
“I haven’t been able to train the way I wanted to,” he said. “Coming back and winning all three events and with faster times than I did last year, it was incredible. I couldn’t ask for a better day.”
Multiple wins also went to Brunswick’s Hunter Parker (300 hurdles, 42.00; 200, 23.37) in the A boys meet, and Skowhegan’s Hannah McKenney (400, 59.62; 800, 2:22.27) in the A girls meet. In the B boys meet, Morse’s Will Carrolton won the shot put (45-3.75) and discus (149-8) while Lincoln Academy’s Jarrett Gulden won the 800 (2:01.85) and 1,600 (4:38.53). In the B girls meet, Belfast’s Liz Frazie won the pole vault (10-0) and the high jump (5-0), while Mount View’s Sage Pound won the 800 (2:27.62) and the 1,600 (5:18.39).
Leavitt’s Jonathan Schomaker won the wheelchair shot put, 400, 800 and 1,600 events. Oxford Hills’ Jadah Adams defended her javelin title with a throw of 117-feet, 11-inches.
Once again, the race for the Class B girls title was a tight one. And once again, Cony had the finishing touch to take home the title.
Cony, led by two wins and a runner-up finish from Anna Reny, repeated as conference champion, scoring 100 points to hold off Winslow (93), Belfast (85), Waterville (69) and Maranacook (50).
Cony trailed Belfast midway through the meet, but went back in front in the latter half of the meet and then held off the Black Raiders, who got wins from Carly Warn in the long jump (16-11.25) and triple jump (32-11.25), down the stretch.
“It was a total team effort today for the girls,” co-coach Jon Millett said. “We had a couple of wins today, but it was definitely our thirds, fourths and fifths that brought us to the end of the meet.”
BATH, ME – MAY 25: Oxford Hills’ Jadah Adams won the javelin during KVAC meet on Saturday May 25, 2019 at McMann Field in Bath. Kennebec Journal photo by Joe Phelan
The Belfast boys rode four victories from Jack Hansen to 96 points and the title. Lincoln (88), Nokomis (62), Leavitt and Cony (53 apiece) followed.
“I was rested and ready to go,” said Hansen, who was first in the 110 hurdles, long jump, triple jump and pole vault. “It feels pretty good, knowing I could do that for the team and give everyone the opportunity to win.”
The Cony girls, undefeated during the regular season, got the big performances from high seeds they needed — namely Reny, who won the 110 hurdles in 15.84 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 46.63.
“We wanted it. We wanted it bad,” said Reny, who along with Annemarie Towle (race walk, 9:05.51) and the 4×800 team (10:15.40) took first-place finishes. “To come into a big scoring meet like this with more teams and more competition, it’s fun to see us come out with all of our hard work that we put in.”
The Rams also showed their depth. Julia Reny was second in the 400, and freshman Bri Harriman, seeded ninth, took second in the 800 for what Millett called the meet’s turning point.
“I was kind of nervous at first, people said ‘You’re going to do so good in the 8’ … and I was nervous I wasn’t going to be able to do it,” Harriman said. “I like competition a lot, and it was definitely a competitive event. … They really pushed me to go harder.”
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