Advertisement

Outdoor track: Athletes to watch in southern Maine

Steve Craig, Portland Press Herald, Maine
·5 min read

Apr. 19—GIRLS

Lucy Bourgeois, Freeport senior: A key contributor last year for a team that was the Class B runner-up in 2023 and returns most of its contributors. Bourgeois was second in the 300 hurdles and a member of intact 400- and 1,600-meter championship relay teams.

Shealyn Brochu, Morse junior: Brochu is the defending Class B champion in the 400 meters and was second to York standout Cary Drake in the 800. She also won the 400 at the indoor state championships.

Anneliese Collin, Portland junior: A versatile athlete, Collin won the Class A high jump as a sophomore, placed third in the pole vault and was second in the 300 hurdles, which is probably her best event. She combines with distance standout Samantha Moore (outdoor 800 and 1,600 champ in 2023) to give the Bulldogs two big-time point scorers.

Emerson Flaker, Scarborough junior: Flaker finished fourth in the 400 at the New England championships. At the Class A meet, she scored in all three sprints, finishing fourth in the 100, third in the 200 and second to current UConn runner Anna Connors of Bangor in the 400.

Molly Kenealy, York senior: Kenealy has been a member of six championship teams between cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. She'll continue to support teammate and multi-time champion Cary Drake in piling up points in the distance events. At last season's Class B championships, Kenealy placed third in the 1,600 and 3,200 and fourth in the 800.

Sarah Moore, North Yarmouth Academy senior: A hockey player in the winter, Moore is exceptional in all three jumping events. She's the defending New England champion in both the long jump (19 feet, 1/4 inch) and triple jump (37-8 1/4) and nearly won the high jump (5-5), tying for the winning height but having more misses than the winner.

Abby Noble, Yarmouth sophomore: Noble won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the Class B meet as a freshman, and this past indoor season won the 55 dash and was second in the 200 at the indoor state meet.

Tayla Pelletier, Windham junior: The third-place finisher in the triple jump at the New England championships as a sophomore, Pelletier is also among the top hurdlers in the state.

Addy Thibodeau, Bonny Eagle senior: Thibodeau is the reigning outdoor 3,200-meter champion in Class A. She'll likely be challenged this season by Thornton Academy sophomore Margaret Tripp who won the indoor 2-mile.

Macey Weisberg, Cheverus freshman: Weisberg is coming off a strong indoor season when she placed third in the 55 and second in the 200 at the Class A championships (both won by Varsity Maine Girls' Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Makenna Drouin of Lewiston) and anchored the Stags' second-place 800 relay team.

BOYS

Andre Clark, Marshwood junior: A year ago, Clark came in as an underdog and won the 100-meter dash (11.11 seconds) at the Class A meet and was second in the 200. Now he's the clear favorite after setting a Maine all-time indoor best of 6.38 seconds in the 55 dash.

Justin Corporan, Brunswick junior: After winning the Class A title last season, the Dragons lost a lot their points to graduation, but Corporan is back and figures to be among the top sprinters in the state. He was the runner-up to Andre Clark in the 100, fourth in the 200.

Griffin Gammon, Gorham junior: Gammon finished second last spring in the Class A high jump, then won the event at the New England championships. He also won the indoor Class A title (while doubling as a key starter on the Rams' Class AA South championship basketball team). He was 10th in the long jump and seventh in the discus at the 2023 outdoor meet.

Maddox Jordan, Noble: The Varsity Maine Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, Jordan won both the 800 and 1,600 outdoors as a junior and has gotten markedly faster since then, sweeping the Class A distance events indoors then winning the New England indoor mile.

Carter Libby, Gray-New Gloucester senior: Libby placed second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 at last year's Class B meet and was the runner-up to Lake Region's Sam Laverdiere in Class B cross country. An energetic athlete, he was a starter on the Patriots' Class A championship basketball team.

Rowan McDonald, Bonny Eagle senior: The two-time Class A champion in the 1,600-meter race walk, McDonald won last year's race by over 40 seconds. He also won this year's indoor mile at the Nike Nationals in New York City.

Nate Murray, Scarborough junior: A threat to win multiple Class A titles in the throwing events, Murray was second in shot put and third in discus a year ago. Among his chief competitors will be indoor shot put and 2023 outdoor discus champ Tucker Walker of Sanford.

Ethan Palmer, Mt. Ararat senior: Palmer finished second to Billy Albertson of Skowhegan in last year's triple jump by three-quarters of an inch. He and indoor 400-meter champ Aidan Greenleaf lead the Eagles, viewed as one of many legitimate contenders for the Class A team title.

Reece Perry, Freeport senior: Perry is the defending Class B champion in the pole vault and has also won indoor pole vault titles the past two seasons. He has cleared 14 feet on multiple occasions. The Class B meet record is 14-7.

Arnaud Sioho, South Portland junior: Sioho was the key contributor for South Portland's state indoor championship and figures to be among the top athletes outdoors, too. Sioho, Albertson and Palmer should duel in the horizontal jumps. Sioho is also a top hurdler.