TOPSHAM – The meet was coming down to the last event. With a good race, the Cony High School girls would be Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B champions. With a poor showing – or a stumble, a scuffle or a slip – it could be over in the blink of an eye.
No pressure. So the members of Cony’s 4×400 relay team, perfectly aware of the circumstances of their race, tried to tell themselves.
“My mind was boggled,” anchor leg runner Julia Reny said. “But the rest of my teammates really brought it together, so I only had to finish it off.”
Cony’s Anna Reny runs the 300 meter hurdles during a rainy Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference track and field championships Saturday in Topsham.
Reny did, and so did the Rams. Cony finished second in the race and four places ahead of hard-charging Maranacook, sealing the KVAC title with 92 points. The Black Bears were second with 85.5 points, followed by Winslow (78), Belfast (76.5) and Waterville (63.5).
“That was my goal from the very first (day). It was big, and they did the job,” said co-coach Jon Millett, whose team is competing in its first season out of Class A. “I don’t think it would have mattered if we were in Class A or Class B today. … Everybody showed up to compete.”
The Cony boys were runners-up to Lincoln Academy, 91-81, while Winslow (73), riding a sensational four-win day from Max Spaulding, Leavitt (53) and Belfast (48) rounded out the top five. Edward Little swept the Class A meets, scoring 177 points to beat Lewiston (137), Mt. Ararat (83), Brunswick (82) and Skowhegan (77) in the boys meet, and 178 points to top Messalonskee (125.5), Mt. Ararat (98), Oxford Hills (69) and Lewiston (62) for the girls title.
“EL, they came out swinging and they had an outstanding day,” said Messalonskee coach Matt Holman, whose team got a win in the 400 from Charlotte Wentworth. “We weren’t that far off from what we wanted to do coming into today. EL just had a massive day. Tip your hat to them.”
Cony saw its lead trimmed to half a point at 84-83.5 when Maranacook’s Maddie Taylor and Laura Parent went 2-3 in the 3,200. One track event remained, and all Cony had to do was hold off the Black Bears to ice the win.
Anna Reny, Julia’s twin and the first runner up for Cony, was determined to put the race away right at the gun.
“I was definitely feeling the weight of having to get out there and in front of everyone,” she said. “After that, it was like a weight was lifted. I crossed the finish line and was like ‘All right, we’re good.’ ”
Reny gave Cony a wide margin ahead of Maranacook, and Zina Gregor, Tess Towle and sister Julia made sure it didn’t go away.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Julia Reny, who was also third in the javelin. “I’m so grateful for everyone on my team that pulled it together today.”
Cony was led by a pair of individual titles. Gabby Low won the javelin in one of the day’s first events, giving Cony a quick lead.
“My goal was to go 1-2 with Julia (Reny), and that’s what I was trying to focus on. I didn’t really have a distance in my head,” said Low, whose winning throw measured 116-11. “We had a chance of winning, so I knew I had to score points for my team. There was some pressure, but I think I work best under pressure.”
Towle, a freshman, won the high jump at 5 feet.
“I just focused, and I take everything out of my head so I’m just down on this one moment, this one jump,” she said. “I just zone everything out.”
Erskine’s Kaylee Porter wins the 800 meters during a rainy Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference track and field championships Saturday in Topsham.
No athlete had a better meet than Winslow’s Spaulding. The super sophomore was a force in the rainy conditions, sandwiching wins in the 110 hurdles (16.22) and 300 hurdles (41.95) around a win in the 400 (50.90) before edging teammate Jake Warn in the 200 (23.37 to 23.43) in a showdown between the class’s two fastest runners.
“It feels great, knowing I can do as much as I possibly can to help the team win,” he said. “I’ve been thinking of this meet all week. It’s been on my mind, I’ve just been ready for it.”
Warn still had his triumphs, winning the 100 (11.56) and triple jump (43-1.5) and helping to keep Winslow’s title defense hopes alive until the last couple of events.
“We tried to come in with a positive vibe, but we have a little fight in us,” he said. “That’s, in my opinion, a good thing. We wanted to make (ourselves) a hard team to beat. I’m happy for however far we took it.”
The Winslow girls had a pair of double-winners as well. Maeghan Bernard won the 100 hurdles at 16.22 and the 300 hurdles at 46.91.
“I had to go all out. I had (Anna) Reny and she’s really good. I just told myself to stick with her,” she said of her 100 hurdles win. “I actually have shin splints. … They’ve been doing better because we haven’t had a meet all week, it definitely helped, but they’re not 100 percent.”
Teammate Olivia Tiner won first the 1,600 at 5:30.45, then the 3,200 at 12:23.94, making sure both times to jump in front early.
“Being on the shorter side, I’ve got to watch out for elbows when other people are coming in,” she said, laughing. “So I sprinted out front, then I slowed myself into a pace.”
Waterville’s Sarah Cox won twice, taking the shot put (37-11.25) and discus (116-05) as she chases state and New England glory.
“It’s definitely a step along the way,” she said. “It lets me know where I’m at, where I stand. It’s another stepping stone.”
Skowhegan’s Leah Savage was a dual winner in Class A, repeating as champion in both the high jump (5 feet) and the triple jump (33-0.5).
“I feel accomplished as far as winning. I’m not really happy with how the day went as far as my performance,” she said. “There’s a pressure, but I like it. I think I do better with pressure. It usually motivates me. If I’m expected to do well, then I like to go in and do well.”
Wentworth led the Messalonskee effort in the girls meet, winning the 400 at 1:01.69 and finishing second in the 800.
“I feel really proud. The team has done really well together,” the freshman said. “I did (feel nerves). It’s intimidating for a freshman, but it’s also intimidating for others, too, that are older.”
Other winners in the B boys meet were Cony’s 4×800 team (8:27.52), Mt. Blue’s Enrico Echevarria (race walk, 8:13.87), Erskine’s Jack Jowett (javelin, 151-8), Waterville’s Nick Dall (800, 1:58.26), Gardiner’s Connor McGuire (high jump, 6 feet) and Nokomis’s Tyler Pelletier (long jump, 20-3.75). Winners in the girls meet were Mt. Blue’s Julia Hatch (race walk, 8:59.11), MCI’s Victoria Friend (triple jump, 32-3.25), Maranacook’s Nicole D’Angelo (pole vault, 9-9), Erskine’s Kaylee Porter (800, 2:23.07) and Lawrence’s Payton Goodwin (long jump, 15-9.5).
The Skowhegan boys got runner-up finishes from Tyler Scott (200), Cutter Warger (discus), Kyle Jacques (long jump, triple jump), Clayton Miller (pole vault) and the 4×100 relay team.
Drew Bonifant — 621-5638
dbonifant@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @dbonifantMTM
Send questions/comments to the editors.
