NAPLES — York sophomore Cary Drake dominated the distance events and the Wildcats placed first in nine events as they ran away with the Western Maine Conference girls’ track and field championship Saturday at Lake Region High.
York finished with 188 points, more than double the total of Division 1 runner-up Cape Elizabeth (91.5). North Yarmouth Academy edged Poland in Division 2, 127-124.
York also easily won the boys’ championship. Wildcat junior Matt Charpentier far outdistanced his competition in the shot put and discus, and the Wildcats swept the top three places in the triple jump and javelin on the way to scoring 221 points. Yarmouth was second in Division 1 with 92, while Poland won Division 2 with 165, just ahead of Sacopee Valley (151).
In the girls’ meet, Drake won the 1,600 meters by five seconds in a time of 5 minutes, 10.23 seconds, and the 3,200 by over a minute in 11:41.69.
The Wildcats also went 1-2 in the 400, with junior Elizabeth Buckley (1:02.31) finishing ahead of Lexi Brent (1:02.86). In the 100 hurdles, Brent won (15.83) and teammate Charlotte Williamson (16.81) was the runner-up. Williamson later won the 300 hurdles (49.74).
York also won the 1,600 relay (4:21.59) and took the 3,200 relay by 21 seconds (10:00.07).
Drake is also playing lacrosse this spring and had a game Friday night, but that didn’t slow her down a hot day on the track. After running a leg on 3,200 relay and winning the 1,600, Drake took the lead from the gun in the 3,200 and immediately extended it to 15 yards. By the gun lap, she led the entire field by a half lap.
“I got home at 9:30 (p.m.) and got up this morning at 4:45. But I like to be busy. It was nice they gave out water during the 3,200. It made it feel like a lacrosse game,” Drake said with a laugh.
“I’ll run whatever events my team needs next week at the state meet. We’re really hoping our team is in the running. I’ll run the relay, the (1,600), 800 and (3,200), if needed.”
Gray-New Gloucester’s Lorenza Piper also was a double-winner, in the shot put (33-6) and discus (99-0). Cape Elizabeth senior Tori Hews dominated the sprints, winning the 100 (13.16) by a half second and the 200 (26.99) by a full second.
“I was really hoping for a PR today. All my friends said I won by quite a bit today. But there will be competition at the state meet. I’m excited for it,” Hews said.
Freeport senior Molly Cobbs set a conference record in the pole vault, winning by two feet with a height of 10 feet, 6 inches to break the previous mark of 10-2 set by Kelsey Barnes of Traip in 2013.
In the boys’ meet, Yarmouth’s Frazier Dougherty swept all three sprint events – the 100 (11.26), 200 (23.04), and 400 (51.51).
But York scored significant points in the hurdles and field events to remain far ahead of everyone.
York sophomore Charlie Newton won the 110 hurdles (17.33), followed by teammate Colin Monsen (18.33). Newton also took third in the 300 hurdles (46.79).
In the triple jump, York seniors led a 1-2-3 finish, as Riley Cronin won (39-2), Monsen took second and Liam Dunn was third, though both Monsen and Dunn had a best jump of 39-0 3/4. Dunn also was the runner-up in the long jump (20-2 1/2).
In the javelin, York sophomore John Nicolo captured the title (149-10), junior Kai Dunn finished second (144-6), and senior Nick Banakos placed third (139-9).
Charpentier won the shot put (54-11 1/2) and discus (159-8) by large margins despite spraining his ankle just days earlier. The Class B indoor state record holder in the shot, Charpentier is hoping for bigger numbers next weekend at the state championships.
“I’m happy with that. I’ve been fairly consistent. But I’ve had bigger throws in warm-up. I threw 58 in the warm-up today,” Charpentier said. “At the state meet, I’m hoping to throw over 165 in the discus and 57 in the shot put.”
York sophomore Landon Morrison won the 1,600 by two seconds (4:35.07). Wildcat freshman Hans Bakke was victorious in the 1,600 racewalk (9:37.09), and York capped a strong meet winning the 1,600 relay (3:40.58).
Freeport junior Henry Horne was double winner with an unusual combination. He placed first in the high jump (6-0), then claimed the 800 title by more than six seconds (2:00.33). Horne also ran the anchor leg on Freeport’s winning 3,200-meter relay (8:31.07).
“It is an unlikely double. This was a breakout year for me running-wise. And this indoor season, I took high jump seriously again after I had a growth spurt,” Horne said.
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