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BY BILL STEWART
Staff Writer 04/11/2008

Staff Writer

Waterville and Hall-Dale are coming off sensational seasons that culminated with state championships. Thanks to a strong core of returning athletes, both squads will be in the mix again this year.

"Where we earn our points will shift a bit," Waterville coach Ian Wilson said, "but I think we have the ability to defend our state title."

"We'll have a lot more widespread scoring on the team," Hall-Dale first-year coach Ralph Peterson said.

The defending Class B champion Purple Panthers, like the Bulldogs (last year's Class C champs), are loaded and have enough depth to score in most events, a luxury that some of their competitors don't enjoy.

Junior Shelby Tuttle will help anchor Waterville, along with throwers Danielle Fossa and Bethany Karter-O'Brien. Tuttle finished third in the triple jump and 300-meter hurdles at last year's Class B state meet. She also finished fifth in the 100 hurdles. Fossa won the javelin and finished third in the shot put. Karter-O'Brien, who is heading to the University of Vermont on a full track and field scholarship, finished second in the state in the shot put.

"We have some phenomenal throwers," Wilson said. "We have two of the best in the state. To have a pair of throwers like that is really tremendous."

Laura Peterson, Ariel Howes and Magen Ellis will lead Hall-Dale in its quest for a Class C state title. Peterson, who won the high jump, long jump and triple jump at last year's Class C meet, joins Bethany Dumas of Cony and Jesse Labreck of Messalonskee as three of the top track and field athletes in the state. Ellis won a state title in the 1,600 while Howes was fourth in the 100 hurdles.

"Laura and Megan combined for 50 points at the state meet last year," said Ralph Peterson, who will also coach the Richmond boys and girls teams. "I don't think I can squeeze any more points out of them. But we're looking for a lot out of Howes this year."

In Class A, Messalonskee will lean on Labreck and, as coach Scott Wilson says, "we'll fill out the rest of the way." Brooke Devereaux should figure into the mix, as well. The senior finished seventh in the racewalk at the Class A state meet last season.

Cony coach Shawn Totman says the Rams should improve as well. Dumas won a state title in the pole vault and javelin last year, and finished second in the 300 hurdles and third in the 100 hurdles as well. Cony finished eighth at the state meet.

"Bethany Dumas is a phenomenal athlete," Totman said. "She's definitely the leader of the team, but we have a real nice supporting cast with youth and experience."

Mackenzie Dufour, a sophomore sprinter, should also score for the Rams.

Skowhegan, Lawrence and Mt. Blue have their sights set on improving, too. Skowhegan returns Katye Milligan, who placed in the shot put at the state meet.

Amanda Andrews will help lead Lawrence, which finished 22nd at the state meet last season. Andrews finished sixth in the pole vault. Mt. Blue coach Kelley Cullenberg, whose team went 7-7-1 and took eighth at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A meet, returns at least 12 juniors and five sophomores.

Senior Amanda Deschenes and junior Ava Amador are the team's top mid-distance runners, and Cullenberg added that junior Lauren Backman is poised for a strong season running the sprints. Backman had never competed in track and field prior to last season, and Cullenberg said she came out for the team and impressed from the start.

"She did an incredible job," Cullenberg said.

Edward Little and Brunswick are expected to vie for the KVAC A title.

Although Waterville is the preseason favorite to defend its KVAC B title, Winslow, Maranacook, Erskine and MCI all hope to build on successful seasons.

The Black Raiders feature a deep team that includes Katie McLaughlin, who finished fifth in the high jump and fourth in the pole vault at last season's Class B meet.

"We have a good core of pole vaulters," Winslow coach Shawn Carey said. "We'll be tough."

Maranacook finished 10th at the Class B state meet last season, but will be without Alyssa Neptune, who tore her right ACL during basketball season. Neptune finished sixth in the 100 and seventh in the 200 at last year's state meet.

"She's a real loss," Maranacook coach Ronn Gifford said.

The Black Bears will lean on Eryn Neptune, who will compete in all the jumps, and sophomore distance runner Taylor Burr. Erin Neptune finished fifth in the long jump at the state meet. Burr was sixth in the 1,600 and eighth in the 3,200.

Like last season, Erskine expects big things from Anna Niedbala. The senior thrower competes in the shot put, discus and javelin. She fared well in those events at the state meet, finishing second in the discus, third in the shot put and fifth in the javelin.

"Anna will score a lot of our points on her own," Erskine second-year coach Ben Willoughby said.

MCI coach Jason Allen says he returns the bulk of his scoring from a team that finished second in the KVAC meet. Seniors Amanda Asaro (distance), Bianca Asaro (mid-distance) and Jenna Lorentsen (sprints, jumps) will lead the Huskies.

Also in Class C, Anna Smithgall (javelin, shot put, discus), Liz Mulkeen (distance) and Sarah Pacheco (relays) will anchor Winthrop, which finished 11th in the state meet.

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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