Maine athletes shine in New England observe and subject championships in Bangor
BANGOR, Maine — For Anna Connors, it was an ending so poetic that Hollywood’s finest couldn’t have scripted it any higher.
The Bangor Excessive College senior — acting on New England observe and subject’s greatest stage for one final time, in her dwelling stadium — etched herself additional within the lore of many nice Maine observe athletes who’ve come earlier than her.
Connors, who will attend the College of Connecticut within the fall and who led her Rams to a 3rd straight Class A state championship final weekend, blitzed the sector within the 400-meter sprint in a scintillating 55.25 seconds — a private and state finest on the distance — in what was certainly one of many excellent performances amongst Pine Tree State athletes at Cameron Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s superb, I really like being right here in entrance of most of our dwelling followers and seeing the entire stadium packed is such a brand new expertise and so enjoyable for my final New England’s,” mentioned Connors, who later completed second within the 200-meter sprint with a 24.28 clocking.
The normally aggressive Connors knew she needed to make use of that tactic within the 400 after Harriet Barber of Manchester Central, New Hampshire, posted a 56.42 within the prior warmth.
“I knew I had much more competitors, particularly the women forward of me,” mentioned Connors, who exploded out of the beginning blocks and established a robust tempo.
“I knew if I took it out actually quick like I normally do, I’d get the time that I wished.”
Mount Desert Island junior Miles Burr had himself a big day within the sprints as effectively, choosing up silver medals within the 100 sprint (10.84), 400 (48.98) and 200 (21.67).
Like Connors, the Trojans’ junior took benefit of supreme climate situations and explosiveness out of the blocks to submit his runner-up finishes, a objective he had set coming into the day.
“I used to be undoubtedly hoping to position as excessive as I presumably may,” Burr mentioned. “It was a superb day to do it. In the present day has been good.”
Burr, the Class B state champ within the 100 and 200 and runner-up within the 400, was coming off a state-record setting effort of twenty-two.18 within the 200 and he obliterated that in his remaining race Saturday.
“I undoubtedly felt ready, however the competitors is very nice,” Burr mentioned. “It actually pushes you. You all the time have the very best races once you’re actually getting pushed.”
Orono junior Ruth White, the highest seed in a rugged ladies’ 3,200-meter subject, left little doubt that she is the very best in New England at that distance.
White took command early within the first lap and by no means seemed again, successful in 10 minutes, 30.49 seconds.
Though White got here up simply shy of her objective of breaking 10:30, she was blissful along with her efficiency.
“I used to be simply attempting to push it and see how arduous I may push it and benefit from the race,” she mentioned. “I used to be nonetheless blissful.”
White was second within the 3,200 on this stage final spring.
“It means a lot that there’s so many individuals from all of the states supporting me,” White mentioned.
Houlton/GHCA’s Teanne Ewings capped a implausible sophomore yr with a third-place end within the 1,600, clocking in at 4:56.23, establishing her season-long objective of cracking that race’s elusive 5-minute barrier.
“My objective for this season was to interrupt 5 however I wasn’t certain if it was going to occur,” Ewings mentioned. “I hoped to only get a superb place.”
York’s Cary Drake, Ewings and White completed 2-3-4 within the occasion, all breaking the 5-minute mark.
MCI of Pittsfield’s Emma Burr concluded a dominating senior yr in advantageous style within the 100-meter hurdles.
Burr, who was seeded seventh coming into the occasion, eked her manner into the finals earlier than ending fifth in 15.11 seconds.
Burr, who swept the 100- and 300-meter hurdles on the Class C state meet, admitted her focus wasn’t the place it wanted to be within the prelims however managed to discover a larger shift for the ultimate.
“The prelims wasn’t as nice as a result of I used to be centered on the opposite individuals as a substitute of myself,” Burr mentioned. “I really feel like I acquired higher with it as soon as I acquired into finals.”
Brewer sophomore Lauren Vanidestine earned a fifth-place end within the triple bounce with a mark of 36 ft, 6 inches.
Within the boys’ meet, Hampden Academy senior Charlie Collins, who’s headed to the College of Maine, emerged on the rostrum in a deep 1,600-meter subject, clocking in at 4:11.60, good for fourth place, simply behind Maddox Jordan of Noble.
“I simply wished to be high six, that was the massive objective,” Collins mentioned. “Realistically, I felt like I used to be in 4:15-4:16 form, and I hit 4:11, I can’t complain about that. It’s unreal.”
Connor Morin of Cony and Corbin Flewelling of Outdated City completed 1-2 within the triple bounce whereas Billy Albertson of Skowhegan earned second within the lengthy bounce and Flewelling fourth.
