CARIBOU, Maine —Track and field season in Aroostook County officially opened Tuesday, May 9, with the first meet at Caribou High School.
The weather cooperated for the first half of the meet before a soaking rain greeted athletes and fans during the second half.
Kamryn Gilmour of the Wildcats stays ahead of Caribou’s Emily Austin midway through the 1,600-meter race walk during the meet held Tuesday, May 9 at Caribou High School. (Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg)
The Vikings swept the team titles with ease, while individually, Jonah Daigle of the Fort Fairfield Tigers took first place in all four of his competitions to lead the boys and Tori Koch of Presque Isle captured two individual events and was part of a victorious relay team to pace the girls.
Daigle won the 110-meter hurdles in 16.38 seconds, the 300-meter hurdles in 44.47 seconds, the high jump with a height of 5 feet, 4 inches and the long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 11 inches.
Koch was first in the long jump at 14 feet, 8 inches and the triple jump at 30 feet, 9 inches. She also tied for second with teammate Elizabeth Moreau in the high jump at 4 feet, 4 inches.
Both Daigle and Koch were the Aroostook League champions last year.
The Caribou girls scored 182 points to outdistance Presque Isle (68), Fort Kent (20) and Fort Fairfield (10), while the Viking boys totaled 145.5 points and finished in front of Presque Isle (58), Fort Fairfield (56) and Fort Kent (32.5).
Top scorers of the Caribou girls were JoJo Fields, who won both the 100-meter hurdles (18.25 seconds) and the 100-meter dash (14.07 seconds); Paige Espling, who won the 300 hurdles (56.22 seconds) and the high jump (4 feet, 6 inches) and was second in the triple jump and third in the 100 hurdles; and Willow Whitten, who won the 400-meter dash (1:06.53) and was second in the 300 hurdles, the 100 hurdles and the pole vault.
Tori Koch of Presque Isle took first in the long jump and was the leading girls’ scorer at the track and field meet held in Caribou Tuesday, May 9. (Kevin Sjoberg)
Emma Belyea of the Vikes won the 1,600-meter race walk in 9:00.27, Alexis Rodriguez took the 1,600-meter run in 5:58.3, Madeline Gudde was first in the 800-meter run in 2:43.55, Meagan Dube captured the 200-meter dash in 30.44 seconds, Abigail Wimmer prevailed in the 3,200-meter run in 13:04.37, Brianna Reece had the best throw in the discus at 81 feet, 1 inch and Kendra Furber was the champion in the pole vault by clearing 7 feet, 6 inches. Both the Viking 4×800 relay team (Wimmer, Danielle Cyr, Sarae Greenier and Emma Stewart), with a time of 12:46.63, and the 4×100 relay team (Hope Shea, Rachel Ring, Kimberlee Susi and Sheridan Blackstone), in 56.83 seconds, were victorious.
Other girls’ event winners were Presque Isle’s Madelyn Wing in the javelin at 87 feet and teammate Skylar Vogel in the shot put at 29 feet, 10-1/2 inches. The Presque Isle 4×400 relay team (Koch, Moreau, Isabelle Jackson and Clara Kohlbacher) also came in first place in 4:40.79.
Dolcie Tanguay led Fort Kent by placing second in the 1,600 and third in both the 800 and the long jump.
In the boys’ meet. high scorers included Evan Desmond of Caribou, first in the 1,600-meter run (4:48.55) and the 3,200-meter run (11:02.94); Chan Villatora of Presque Isle, first in the 100-meter dash in 12.11 seconds, second in the high jump and third in the long jump; and Fort Fairfield’s Colin Goshorn, who was second in the 110 hurdles, the 300 hurdles and the pole vault.
Other Caribou athletes taking first were Bryce Coffin in the 1,600-meter race walk (7:55.23), Andre Rossignol in the triple jump (37 feet, 6-1/4 inches), Dylan Marrero in the 800-meter run (2:20.57), Brandon Manter in the javelin (121 feet), Lance Lagasse in the shot put (39 feet, 10-1/2 inches) and Evan Michaud in the pole vault (10 feet, 6 inches). The Vikes’ 4×800 relay team, consisting of Caleb Brown, Aaron Macek, Calvin Mokler and Kyle Boucher, won in 10:21.63.
Also taking first place in their respective events were: Trace Cyr of Presque Isle in the 400-meter dash (54.63 seconds), Greg Jellison of Fort Fairfield in the 200-meter dash (25.96 seconds) and Skyler Bernstein of Fort Kent in the discus (120 feet, 7 inches). The Fort Fairfield 4×100 relay team of Soloman Daigle, Wyatt Keegan, Jason Bernaiche and Jellison was first in 50.02 seconds, while PI’s 4×400 relay team of Kyler Caron, Drew Cameron, Cyr and Villatora also took top honors in 4:01.24.
