Pony girls conclude in 14th place at state meet
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Foxcroft Academy girls did not have to travel too far with the 2014 Class C State Outdoor Track and Field Championship being held at Oakes Field on June 7. The Ponies used the familiar confines to score 20 points, tying Washburn District High School for 14th place out of the 36 schools recording points at the meet.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PHOTO FINISH — Less than a second separated the top four girls’ 800 runners in the 2014 Class C state championship on June 7 at Foxcroft Academy. Pony junior Fern Morrison finished in fourth place with a time of 2:24.84 while Mattanawcook freshman Tia Tardy, left, won in 2:24.12 with Orono freshman Becky Loper-Anido second in 2:24.14 and third-place finisher Traip junior Elora McCuddy (hidden) having a time of 2:24.81.
Foxcroft had four fourth-place performances, with one coming on the track, another in the field and two in the relay competition. In the 800 junior Fern Morrison finished fourth with a time of 2 minutes, 24.84 seconds, as the top four runners all crossed the finish line within a single second.
Senior Mackenzie Coiley’s throw of 33 feet, 2.5 inches was good for fourth place in the shot put.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AIR JORDAN — Placing eighth in the triple jump at 30-06 was Penquis Valley freshman Jordan Durant. Durant also took part in the long jump and ran in the 100 and 200.
In the 4×100 relay competition, seniors Kate Sukhanova, Holly Fortier, Chastity Vainio and Morrison combined for a time of 54.55 seconds to finish fourth overall. The 4×400 relay squad also came in fourth, with Sukhanova, Vainio, freshman Erika Chadbourne and senior Abigail Mcleod covering the approximate mile-long distance in 4:25.27.
Senior Mia Smith cleared a height of 7-06 in the pole vault to finish fifth in the event. Adding a point for Foxcroft was Vainio in the 100. Vainio grabbed the last point-scoring spot by placing seventh in a time of 13.81 seconds.
Two other Foxcroft team members took part in the state championship. Mcleod tied with nine other jumpers to place 11th in the high jump at 4-06. Senior Liza Grigoryeva ran three combined miles by competing in both the 1,600 and 3,200. Grigoryeva was 18th in the 3,200 at 13:41.15 and she came in 22nd in the 1,600 with a time of 6:08.93.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TOP FOUR IN THE 200 — PCHS junior Mariah Pettit and St. Dominic Academy’s Faith Grady round the corner in the 200 on June 7. Pettit finished fourth in 28.69 seconds and Grady came in third at 27.80 seconds.
Dexter Regional High School picked up six points to place 25th at the state championship. The half dozen points came with a third-place performance in the 4×400 relay. Sophomore Katie Batron, senior Meredith Roderka, freshman Kirsten Swimm and junior Shayna Fogg together had a time of 4:32.05.
The four relay members and one other Tiger competed in other events on June 7. In the 400 Fogg placed 10th with a time of 1:06.12 and 20th in the race was Swimm at 1:09.29. Batron came in 13th in the 100 at 14.06 seconds. Roderka finished 21st in the 800 at 2:44.19. Junior Sarah Vigue threw the javelin 62 feet, 10 inches to come in 23rd place.
Four points tied Piscataquis Community High School with George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill and Richmond High School for 26th place. The four points were scored by junior Mariah Pettit in the 200. Pettit covered the sprint in a time of 28.69 seconds.
In the 100-meter preliminary competition, Pettit was 11th at 14.10 seconds, and right behind her was freshman teammate Kaitlyn Easler in 14.02 seconds. Easler also came in 14th in the 200 at 30.47 seconds.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
STABLE OF FAST PONIES — Senior Kate Sukhanova hands the baton to senior Holly Fortier during the 4×100 relay, while Maranacook junior Sarah Clough and sophomore Melissa Garand do likewise. The Foxcroft team, which included senior Chastity Vainio and junior Fern Morrison, came in fourth at 54.55 seconds.
Two Pirates competing in the field events were sophomore Haylee Patterson and senior Tiia Kand. Patterson placed 16th in the javelin with a top throw of 77-06 and in the long jump Kand had a distance of 12-11.50.
Tying Searsport District High School in 33rd place with two points was Penquis Valley High School. The pair of Patriot points came in the 4×100 relay. Freshman Jordan Durant, sophomore Zoe Berry and seniors Courtney Bowers and Jessica Preble had a time of 55.01 seconds.
Durant competed in three individual events at the state championship. She placed eighth in the triple jump at 30-06, finished 10th in the 200 at 29.53 seconds and she and Preble both were in a three-way tie for 17th in the long jump at 13-11. Preble also placed 12th in the 400 with a time of 1:06.67.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LAST RACE — Senior Jessica Preble of Penquis Valley concluded her Patriot athletic career by running the 200 at the state championship.
Bowers was part of a contingent of 10 high jumpers to place 11th at a height of 4-06. Berry came in 19th in the javelin at 75-11.
With a score of 102 points, the Orono High School girls won the team title by finishing well ahead of the 74 points picked up by runner-up Traip Academy of Kittery. The Red Riots won the state championship for the third year in a row and eighth time in program history.
A Class C girls’ record was set in the high jump by Washburn senior Carsyn Koch. Koch cleared the bar at 5-05.5, a half inch more than previous record-holder Meg Muller of Hebron Academy had set in 1996.