By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
CARIBOU – The Vikings showed their dominance in the Aroostook County track and field landscape last Wednesday.
jMavor Photography photo
Athletes burst out at the start of the 800-meter run during a regular season track and field meet held at Presque Isle High School Saturday afternoon. Christian Sleeper of Caribou, far right, won the event.
At the Aroostook League championships, both the Caribou boys and girls led the way and had little difficulty defending their titles.
The Caribou girls scored 329 points to finish ahead of Presque Isle (108), Fort Fairfield (74), Fort Kent (28), Washburn (20) and Limestone-MSSM (7).
The Viking boys totalled 261 points and placed ahead of PI (154), Fort Fairfield (81), Limestone-MSSM (34), Fort Kent (31), Presque Isle (7) and Washburn (4).
Next up for the Caribou squads is the Penobscot Valley Conference Large School Championships, which take place Saturday at Mount Desert Island Regional High School in Bar Harbor beginning at 11 a.m.
In last Wednesday’s girls competition, Caribou’s top scorers included Olivia Sleeper, who was victorious in the 100-meter dash in 13 seconds, the 400- in 1:03.2 and the 200 in 27.8 seconds. She was also a leg on the 4 X 400-meter relay team along with Dayna Michaud, Katie Plourde and Sarae Sager that took first place in 4:33.7.
jMavor Photography photo
Mackenzie Belyea of the Caribou Vikings tries to get over the bar during the pole vault at Saturday’s track meet in Presque Isle. Belyea came in first place in the event by clearing 7 feet, 6 inches.
Sager also won the 100-meter hurdles in 17.6 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 49.9 seconds and was the lead runner on the 4 X 100-meter relay team that won its race in 55.7 seconds. Other members of that winning foursome were Annie Collins, Katherine Page and Demarre Doody-Corriveau.
Morgan Swan of the Vikes was a double winner, taking both the javelin (93 feet, 6 inches) and the shot put (33 feet, 4 inches).
Other Caribou winners were Mackenzie Belyea in the 3,200 (12:39.6), Emily Soderberg in the 1,600-meter race walk (7:54.8), Kelly Kashian in the high jump (4-6), Hannah Hebert in the long jump (14 feet, 8-3/4 inches), Katie Plourde in the triple jump (30 feet, 1/4 inch) and Nicole Cyr in the pole vault (7 feet).
The 4 X 800 relay team of Erin Madore, Alissa Randolph, Plourde and Chelsea Bard also scored a victory in 11:37.
Washburn’s Carsyn Koch won two events, taking the 1,600-meter run in 5:27.5 and the 800 in 2:32.1.
Katy Donovan of Fort Fairfield placed first in the discus (93 feet, 6 inches).
In the boys’ competition, Christian Sleeper and Matt Till keyed the Vikings’ victory as each won three events.
Sleeper captured wins in the 1,600 (4:50.7), the 3,200 (10:36) and the 800 (2:09.6), while Till won the 400-meter dash (54.5 seconds), the 200 (24 seconds) and the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches). Till also was second in the 100 in 11.5 seconds.
Caribou’s other event winners included D.J. Flynn in the 1,600-meter race walk (8:15.5), Brendan Wood in the 300 hurdles (44.8 seconds) and Lance Jandreau in the pole vault (10 feet).
jMavor Photography photo
Matt Till of Caribou clears the bar in his attempt at the high jump during last Wednesday’s Aroostook League Track and Field Championships held at Caribou High School. Till won three events, including the high jump, and came in second in another to help lead the Vikes to the title.
The Vikings’ 4 X 800-meter relay team, which included Ron Lund, Sean Barbosa, Jesse Sandstrom and Kjetil Rossignol, placed first in 9:14.4.
Caribou also took the 4 X 400 in 3:54.7 behind Wood, Aaron Ellis, Rossignol and Barbosa.
Fort Fairfield’s Jahleel Williams also had a memorable meet by winning the 100-meter dash in 11.5 seconds, the long jump at 19 feet, 4 inches; and the triple jump at 40 feet, 1/2 inch. He also placed seocond in the 200 in 24.8 seconds.
The Tigers’ Andrew Lewis took first in the discus at 131 feet, 4 inches.
Local track and field athletes concluded their busy stretch with a meet in Presque Isle Saturday and a make-up meet on Monday. Caribou was victorious in those two events as well.
