Scarborough’s Jarett Flaker skipped the 55-meter dash at the Class A state meet because he was recovering from a hamstring injury, but he won both the 200 and 400 for the third straight year. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Jarett Flaker had planned to significantly lower his own Maine all-time best indoor track sprint marks this winter. Then, a nagging hamstring injury limited his speed – though not his ability to win – at the Class A state meet in mid-February.
Flaker also planned on earning All-America honors in the 400 meters at the New Balance Nationals in New York City. The coronavirus pandemic canceled the meet.
In other words, it wasn’t the senior season the Scarborough High star had envisioned. But it was still a success.
Flaker won Class A titles in at 200 and 400 meters, helping Scarborough take its fifth straight team championship and ninth in 10 seasons. He posted the state’s fastest times in five events – 55, 200, 300 and 400 meters and 600 yards – and anchored Scarborough’s 800 relay team that posted a state season-best time at the New England Championships.
“Flaker was the best athlete. He was hurt a lot, but he did as well as anybody. He’s never been beaten by a kid from Maine,” said Thornton Academy Coach George Mendros.
Scarborough Coach Derek Veilleux said, “Jarett’s always had a real good ability to know just what he needed to win. He got the job done.”
Flaker is the 2020 Varsity Maine boys’ indoor track Athlete of the Year. He also earned that honor as a sophomore. Brunswick senior distance runner Will Shaughnessy, who had Maine season-best times in the mile, 2-mile and 3,200 meters, was the other top candidate.
“I ended up getting hurt halfway through the year, so then my main goal was to, number one, win states and help the team as much I could,” Flaker said. “Then I had the nationals and was training for that and feeling good and getting ready to run 100 percent.”
Through January, it looked like all of Flaker’s goals would be met.
At the John Thomas Terrier Classic in late January at Boston University, Flaker lowered his own all-time Maine best time in the 400 meters to 48.57 seconds, winning his heat and finishing fifth overall against more than 100 collegians. At the same meet, he ran 21.98 for 200 meters, just off his own state all-time best of 21.86 set at the same meet in 2019. Flaker is the only high school athlete from Maine to ever crack 22 seconds indoors.
Earlier in the season, Flaker matched his own Maine all-time best in the 55-meter dash (6.46 seconds).
“He was in the best shape he’s ever been in,” Veilleux said.
When the state meet rolled around, Flaker was still in the recovery stage from the hamstring injury. His times in the 200 (23.11) and 400 (51.34) were slow by his standards, but still better than everyone else, including his sophomore brother, Jayden, who was second in the 200 meters.
Flaker will compete next year for George Mason University on a track scholarship.
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