LISBON — Lisbon/Oak Hill swept the Mountain Valley Conference track and field championships, and by big margins, at its home track on Thursday afternoon.
The girls team outscored runner-up Winthrop by a score of 157-93. The boys team defeated Winthrop 154-94.
First-year head coach Nicole Sautter said the Greyhounds have been dealing with injuries and illness, but they entered the conference championship prepared to excel.
“I think it went really well,” Sautter said. “We’ve had a season of students being out for various reasons; today, some were out because of sickness or injury, as most teams had. We talked to them about working hard. We told them yesterday that, ‘You are prepared. Go out, have fun, don’t let the meet be bigger than you, and just do your thing.’
“They’ve done a nice job keeping that Lisbon tradition alive, and it’s just great to see.”
Greyhounds junior Kiana Goldberg started strong with a big victory in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 16.14 seconds, 1.10 seconds faster than runner-up Josie Harrington (17.24) of Boothbay/Wiscassett.
Goldberg then ran a leg for Lisbon/Oak Hill’s winning 4×100-meter relay team (53.02) and then quickly turned around and won the 300-meter hurdles (50.64). She also finished in fourth in the long jump (15 feet, 2 inches).
Goldberg earned the Female Athlete of the Meet award.
“My goal was to get at least 16.5 in hurdles, which I did, I got 16.1,” Goldberg said. “I also was hoping to get sub-50 in the 300-meter hurdles, which I was very close to. The school record for that is 48-flat, so that’s my goal for next week for states. … I am definitely going to push myself as hard as I can. I might not get that record next week, but it’s my goal. I also want to break my record of 15.88 in the hurdles.”
Goldberg moved from event to event without a lot of rest, but she said that helping teammates with things like holding blocks kept her mind off being tired.
One of those teammates, Gabby Chessie, also didn’t have a lot of time in between events, and also showcased her talents.
Chessie was in the 15-foot range in the long jump for most of the day, then on her fifth jump she jumped in the 14s. The senior had a quick consultation with Lisbon/Oak Hill assistant coach Doug Sautter before her final jump, which she needed to do quickly and then run over to the track to help the Greyhounds win the the 4×100 relay.
Chessie’s final jump was a 16 feet, 10 inches — the longest of the meet and a new personal record, by a lot.
“My fifth jump was like 14-something and I said, ‘I’m just getting worse,’” Chessie said. “And then I was hurrying up because I had to go do the 4×100, and then I just jumped that (16-10). I’ve never gone higher than 16-02 and I’ve never hit 16 this season at all. He said, ‘Go faster.’ He said it looked like I was jogging in. And so I just went for it because I already had my jumps in, so if I fouled, then I fouled. I just ran as hard as I could and it felt really good. I hadn’t hit a PR that big since freshman year.”
Chessie also won the triple jump (34-04) and the 200-meter (27.63).
“It went pretty good,” Chessie said. “I got my season PR in triple, our 4×100 team was good and then the 200-meter was pretty average.”
Monmouth’s Allyson Lewis won the race walk early in the meet with a season-best time of 8 minutes, 55 seconds, then a short time later ran the 1,600-meter and finished fourth (6:27).
Lewis later ran away with the 3,200-meter victory with a time of 14:31, 22 seconds ahead of the runner-up finisher, Ava Schossler of Boothbay/Wiscasset.
“I think (race walk) went pretty well. I did what I wanted to do, and that was to set my season best,” Lewis said. “I am pretty happy. It’s a successful day, and I am going to be taking home two medals and a ribbon.”
Buckfield’s Brittany Carrier was the 1,600 run winner. She was in control for most of the race and finished in 6:07.
“My goal was to start the pace and keep the pace the whole time, instead of starting really fast, slowing down and then speeding back up,” Carrier said. “I think I hit that goal and it worked. I kind of kept going, and around the corners I would sometimes hear some footsteps, so I would say, ‘OK, time to step it up.’
“My coaches were a big help during the race. It was really good and I wanted to win. I told myself, ‘I’m going to do it.’ I did it and it feels great.”
Sarah Moore of Lisbon/Oak Hill won 100 (13.13) and the high jump (5-0), and finished second in the long jump (16-08) and the triple jump (32-11).
In the throws, Winthrop’s Eleanor Folsom won the discus with a throw of 87-03, Iris Ireland of Hall-Dale took first in the javelin (110-03), and Cheyenne Cahill of Carrabec won the shot put (33-06).
BURKHARDT’S BIG DAY
Lisbon/Oak Hill’s Hunter Burkhardt received the Male Athlete of the Meet award, winning the 800-meter (2:05) and the 1,600 (5:10) and running a leg to the first-place 4×400-meter relay team at the end of the meet (3:44.12).
Burkhardt controlled the 1,600 and saved energy for the 800. But the wind was a factor during the 800, which made it harder for him to run the time he wanted.
“I was aiming for sub-two because I ran a two-flat last week, but the wind today was nuts,” Burkhardt said. “Around (the first) corner and when you get even with the flagpole, it was like running into a brick wall. It was so bad. The back straight was impossible to run down and get a good time in, so I ended up running a 2:05.
“I am not disappointed but not satisfied, but I will run better at states. I knew what I needed to run for a pace. The first lap was good, but the wind in the second lap just killed me.”
Lisbon/Oak Hill boys team had multiple other standouts Thursday.
Aidan Laviolette won the 300-meter hurdles (45.20), the 400-meter (55.04) and was on the winning 4×400 relay team. Emmett Mooney won the 200-meter run (23.87) and the 100-meter (11.39), and Joshua Gosselin took first in the 3,200 run (10:45).
Mountain Valley’s Andrew Crews won the 110-meter hurdles (17.57) and was runner-up in the 300 hurdles (46.94).
Crews’ teammate, Robert Leveillee, won the long jump with a top distance of 19-08.
“I wasn’t even thinking of a PR or anything, I just wanted to come in and improve,” Leveillee said. “My biggest goal was to win. It wasn’t looking too good at first, I was jumping low, and then I was down by half an inch heading into my last jump. It was close.
“I knew what I had to do, though. I was messing up with my landing, dragging my right foot back, and that was costing me probably a foot and a half. I had to get my feet up and make sure I was coming through fast to the board and I got those legs through as far as I could. I got the job done.”
Mountain Valley thrower Tresdon Mills won the shot put with a top throw of 42-02, then finished in sixth in the discus (105-06).
Winthrop’s Kolby Reynolds won the javelin with a throw of 136-01.
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