It will feature a different mix of teams, be held at a different place and will be contested at a different time.

The Cony Invitational is Friday, and for the first time since 2005 -- when it was canceled due to scheduling conflicts -- the annual track and field meet will feature some changes.

For starters, Gardiner Area High School will host the meet because of renovations to Alumni Field in Augusta. The field will be smaller to accommodate the Gardiner facility.

Although Gardiner, Cony, Erskine, Hall-Dale and Maranacook will compete, meet mainstays Lisbon and Winthrop will not participate.

Furthermore, the meet, which is usually held under the lights, will begin at 3:30 p.m.

"We're happy Gardiner is putting this on," Cony coach Shawn Totman said. "It's nice somebody stepped up and took it on. It's tradition now. For us, it's our favorite meet of the year. Getting a chance to run against the local teams is exciting.

"The kids really get up for this meet, maybe a little bit more than the other meets. It comes at a perfect time. You want to get the kids up for the championship meets. This is perfect way to begin that. It's a nice first step leading into the big meets."

Added Maranacook coach Ronn Gifford: "We haven't run against Cony and Erskine all year, which is odd. So this is exciting. It'll be good to see them."

• • •

Totman says his girls distance runners are starting to "come around."

Courtney Dufour and Brittany Ford finished first and second, respectively, in the 3,200-meter run during a five-team meet Friday.

Dufour won the event with a time of 12 minutes, 11.43 seconds.

"Courtney had never run a 3,200 before," Totman said. "It's just fantastic. We decided to have her do it to give us options later in the year. She did amazing."

Kaitlyn Marks and Morgan Beede are also putting up strong times. Marks won the 800 with a time of 2:38.05 in a four-team meet last week with Lisbon, Gardiner and Oxford Hills. Beede won the 3,200 while Ford finished second.

"They complement each other really well," Totman said.

• • •

The Maranacook boys finally have a healthy 4x100 relay team after Henry Norwood returned this week from a right thigh injury.

Norwood said he suffered the injury during an April practice.

"It's pretty much kept me out," said Norwood, a junior. "Hopefully, by Friday, I'll be 100 percent."

Gifford said the 4x100 relay team -- which also features Alex Harrington, Mike LaChance and Taylor Watson -- is one of the Black Bears' strengths.

"I'm not sure if Henry's full-gun yet," Gifford said. "But they're gearing up. It's the best 4x1 team I've ever had. We'll see how they rank up with the other teams. They haven't been in some of the big meets yet. But it's good to see them run together."

• • •

Messalonskee senior Erik Anderson is coming off an impressive meet Friday at Erskine. Anderson ran the 100 with a time of 11.22, breaking his own school record of 11.24. He also won the 200 in 22.96.

"He likes to run against good competition," Messalonskee coach Scott Wilson said. "Some kids shy away from it, but not him."

Anderson and the Eagles will compete Friday in the 5th annual Community Cup at Lawrence High School. Anderson is a member of the All-State Chorus team and will be at a rehearsal Friday in Gorham.

"We're working on getting him there to the meet," Wilson said.

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com