GORHAM — The Scarborough girls won their first indoor track league title in six years and the South Portland boys repeated as champions of the Southwestern Maine Activities Association on Saturday at the University of Southern Maine field house.
Both won by sizable margins with the help of talented underclassmen who dominated the junior divisions.
Scarborough scored 160 points, well ahead of Portland (123) and South Portland (91). In the boys’ meet, South Portland finished with 159 points, followed by Portland (122) and Falmouth (101).
Denise Curry, Scarborough’s girls head coach, said her team has brought a calm consistency to every meet and practice this year and is well positioned to challenge reigning Class A champion Bangor at the state meet on Feb. 20, also at USM.
“If you score the virtual meet, there’s only about 14-point difference,” said, Curry, who was an assistant coach at Scarborough for many years before taking the head coaching job this year. “The freshmen did amazing today. They are tough cookies. They are a great group of girls.
“I started coaching at Scarborough in 2009, and I have to say, this group is consistent, crazy consistent. They are dedicated.”
Scarborough senior sprinter Carolina Fallona, a double winner, said the entire team was loose and excited go after the league title.
“We did so good. I’m super proud of all of us. Everyone was just really excited to contribute today,” Fallona said. “I was just going for the points. There were no (personal-best marks), but I’m happy with how I did. I don’t want to say we’re confident, but we are really excited to do well at states.”
Fallona captured the 55-meter dash in 7.45 seconds and the 200 in 27.74. She also ran a leg on the winning 800 relay (1:49.12).
Sophomore Emerson Flaker won three races in the junior division – 55 (7.56), 200 (26.81) and 400 (1:01.65). She also was on the 800 relay team.
“It felt good. I can get nervous, but I do better when I have fun, so I just tried to stay relaxed today,” said Flaker, who also is the point guard for Scarborough’s basketball team.
Scarborough got another victory from Kyleigh Record in the 800 (2:32.06).
Portland’s Samantha Moore was a double winner in the 800 (2:23.30) and mile (5:18.81), and Kennebunk’s Victoria Ladd swept the long jump (15-4 1/4) and the triple jump (33-8 3/4).
In the boys’ meet, South Portland was led by a group of talented young jumpers, who took the top four places in the junior triple jump and top three places in the junior long jump.
Sophomore Arnaud Sioho swept the junior long jump (19-5 1/4) and triple jump (41-8 3/4), and also won the junior 400 (53.89). He only started competing in track last indoor season.
“Coach (David Kahill) saw me bounding in the gym and asked me to come out for track last winter,” Sioho said. “He said, ‘You’ve got balance. Why don’t you come try and see if you like it?’ I didn’t like it so much last year. But I like it a lot now. I owe everything to Coach. He invited me to come out for the team.”
Sioho has improved 2 feet since last year in the long jump and 5 feet in the triple jump. That may be due in part to competition with his teammates.
Enoque De Dieu took second in the junior triple jump (40-8) and third in the junior long jump (18-5). Gavin Nicholson placed second in the junior long jump (18-0 1/2) and fourth in the junior triple jump (37-0). Tyler Bryant was third in the triple jump (37-10).
De Dieu also credited Kahill for his constant improvement.
“Coach has helped a lot. He helps me to focus,” De Dieu said. “I was looking down when I jumped, and he taught me to look up. That has really helped. I’m jumping much better. I am thankful most of all for my coach.”
Brady Edwards added a win for South Portland in the junior 55 hurdles (8.73), and the Red Riots won the junior 800 relay (1:39.39) with De Dieu, Nicholson, Sioho and Matthew Berry.
Marshwood’s Rowan Carter was a double winner in the 55 (6.68) and 200 (23.18). One of his teammates, Andre Clark, placed first in the junior 200 (23.47) and junior 55 (6.62).
Falmouth’s Kaleb Barrett won with ease in the senior long jump (20-7) and triple jump (40-9 1/4).
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