BY BILL STEWART

Staff Writer

They practice some events on top of a septic tank cover behind the school. Leftover sand in the school's parking lot, courtesy of winter's wrath, was used to build a long jump pit.

"We had to get creative," said Monmouth Academy track and field coach Tom Menendez, whose school doesn't have a track facility. "It's the best we can do. Hey, reduce, reuse and recycle, although we didn't reduce the sand."

No, but the team put it to good use.

"The long jump pit is on the side of the parking lot," Menendez added. "We filled it up with sand from the parking lot. Then we made the runway through the parking lot. We have a takeoff board on the ground, and have a rake and shovel and we measure from there. We painted the takeoff board."

And the septic tank cover?

"The throw-in circle is on top off the septic tank," he said. "We just use that as a nice, smooth circle to go around. It's in an enclosed area out back behind the school. We use that for the shot and discus. The kids think it's great. They're so bright-eyed and bushy tailed."

Monmouth opens its season Thursday with a meet at Wiscasset High School.

"I can't wait to see what happens," Menendez said.

• • •

Laura Peterson talked with Bowdoin College coach Peter Slovenski last winter but still wasn't sure of her college plans.

"I just didn't know what I wanted to do," said Peterson, a Hall-Dale High School senior who won the high jump, long jump and triple jump at last year's Class C meet. "I applied to a lot of schools."

Bowdoin, Colby, Bentley College, Grove City College (Pa.) and Stonehill, among others, topped her college wish lists. But in the end, a weekend trip to Brunswick convinced Peterson that Bowdoin was the place for her.

"I hadn't formally visited the school at all, although I knew the reputation," she said. "I spent the weekend there and stayed with a girl on the track team, and it was just a really good atmosphere. My visit confirmed everything. I got a nice financial aid package. It's such a relief."

Peterson said she will compete in the long and triple jumps at Bowdoin.

"I may do the high jump or run a relay, too," she said.

• • •

Messalonskee coach Scott Wilson said the weather may limit Jesse LaBreck's role in a meet Thursday at Maranacook.

LaBreck, who will attend UMaine in the fall, is the state record holder in the triple jump, 55-hurdles and the high jump.

"We may not have her do the triple jump or long jump," Wilson said. "If it's wet, it's not worth it."

Wilson said he'd like to see LaBreck compete in the 200-meter dash this spring, even if it's just one time. He wouldn't rule out Thursday when LaBreck might give it a whirl.

"I think she can do it," he said.

• • •

Maranacook's Max HoddWells is off to a good start, winning four events in the team's first meet. He won the triple jump, long jump, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles in a meet the Black Bears easily won against Mt. View, Winslow, Camden Hills and North Haven. Maranacook finished with 232.5 points, while Mt. View was second with 158.5.

"He had a great performance," Maranacook coach Ronn Gifford said.

HoddWells won the 110 hurdles in the 2006 Class B state meet, but missed the meet last year with a hamstring injury.

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com