Class A Boys

Area athletes to watch: Edward Little — Alex Thompson (pole vault), Connor Jackson (300H, high jump, triple jump), Zion Gurney (High jump, triple jump), Matt Syphers (1,600 racewalk), Owen Mower (long jump, 400). Lewiston — Ethan Solis (400, 4×100, 200, 4×400), Benjamin Musese (triple jump, long jump), Nicholas Roy (1,600 racewalk), Dido Luma (high jump), Connor Kiplinger (javelin). Mt. Blue — Bretton Winchester (1,600 run). Oxford Hills — Dawson Stevens (100, 200, javelin), John Bowen (100, long jump, 200), Zane Dustin (400, 200), Silas Gordon (long jump, triple jump, pole vault), Dominic Scalfani (1,600 run).

Area outlook: Oxford Hills’ Stevens is the hands-down favorite to win the javelin title, but there are a few throwers behind him that could surpass him if he has a bad day. Stevens also will be a title contender in the sprints, along with Bowen and Dustin. The Vikings’ 4×800 relay is podium-worthy. … Lewiston’s Solis took over the top seed in the 400 with an impressive showing at KVACs. He’ll also be a contender in the 200 and two relays. Musese should earn points in the triple jump. … EL’s Thompson continues to surpass is PRs in the pole vault, and while the state crown is probably out of reach, he’ll battle for a spot on the podium. Jackson continues to improve in the 300 hurdles, and won KVACs last week, which makes him more dangerous than his seventh seed my indicate. … Mt. Blue is sending a small contingent that will have to battle hard to take home some points.

Class B Boys

Area athletes to watch: Gray-New Gloucester — Andrew Peterson (100, 200), Joseph Gurney (shot put, discus), Trent Dexter (pole vault). Leavitt — Caleb Bowen (triple jump, long jump), Ryan Pratt (1,600 racewalk). Poland — Sam Stone (discus), Sam Benedict (shot put). Spruce Mountain — Logan Howes (javelin), Joshua Stewart (long jump).

Area outlook: Not many high seeds among Tri-County boys at the Class B meet. … Leavitt racewalker Pratt is the second seed and will be chasing Winslow’s Jamie Sears for the state title. Bowen is the fourth seed in the triple jump and is among four jumpers within 4.25 inches of each other. … Gray-NG’s Gurney is firmly entrenched at No. 3 in the shot put. Sprinter Andrew, seeded fifth, is part of a tight clump of runners seeded third through eighth who are within nine hundredths of a second within each other. … Poland’s Stone will be competing for a podium finish in the discus. Outside of him, the Knights’ best chance for points will be in the relays. … Spruce Mountain’s Logan Howes is 10th in the javelin, and good throw or two could put him on the podium.

Class B Girls

Area athletes to watch: Gray-New Gloucester — Emma MacCallum (shot put, discus), Madison Post (200, 100, discus), Erica Schlichting (800). Leavitt — Nicole Daigle (100, 400, 200), Miranda Coombs (long jump), Kristen Roux (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Shannon O’Malley (100, 200), Allie Belaire (javelin), Julia Labbe (3,200). Poland — Elesha Pratt (100 hurdles), Katelynn Greene (300 hurdles, triple jump). Spruce Mountain — Emily White (1,600 racewalk), Isabelle Castonguay (1,600 racewalk), Ashlyn Williams (300 hurdles).

Area outlook: Leavitt’s Daigle ran the fasted 100-meter dash in any classification (12.58 seconds) at the KVAC championships last week. Coombs will be vying for the state title in long jump as the second seed. … Gray-NG’s MacCallum is the top seed in the shot put but will face stiff competition for the state title. Post is seeded second in the 200 and fourth in the 100. She also will compete for the podium in the discus. … Follwing her racewalk win at KVACs, Spruce Mountain’s White said she was nervous about the state meet because she didn’t know where she would be seeded and who she would be chasing. She won’t be chasing anyone because she is the top seed. Chasing her will be teammate and third seed Castonguay. … Poland’s Pratt will try to improve her third-place finish in the 100 hurdles, and had a good shot of doing so as the event’s second seed. The Knights will join the other four area teams by battling for the podium in the 4×100 relay. All four are seeded in the top eight.

Class A Girls

Area athletes to watch: Edward Little — Britanee Nouchonthavong (javelin), Kaylie Vallee (100 hurdles, long jump, triple jump), Jillian Richardson (1,600 run, 3,200), Lauren Berube (pole vault, long jump, triple jump), Grace Fontaine (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles). Lewiston — Kayla Allen (1,600 racewalk), Jenny Martin (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 200, 4×100), Jazlyn Dumas (high jump), Mt. Blue — Marah Black (100, 200), Isabelle Thomas (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles). Oxford Hills — Maighread Laliberte (discus, shot put), Erin Childs (javelin), Jadah Adams (javelin).

Area outlook: Lewiston’s Allen is going for her fourth racewalk state championship, and barring catastrophe that should happen. Martin is the defending 300 hurdles champ, but her best title shot this year is probably in the 100 hurdles. … EL’s Nouchonthavong is the favorite to win the javelin championship for the third straight year; she’s also chasing the modern-day Class A record in the event. Berube is going for a high placement in the pole vault. …Oxford Hills’ strength is in the throw events. Laliberte should reach the podium in the shot put and discus, and Childs enters state as the third seed in javelin. … Black is in the hunt for a podium finish for Mt. Blue in the 100. Thomas has a shot at placing in the hurdle events.

Class C Boys

Area athletes to watch: Dirigo — Hunter White (400, 200, long jump, triple jump), Dalton Berry (shot put, discus), Ethan Couture (1,600 racewalk). Lisbon — Michael Schlotterbeck (1,600 racewalk), Geoffrey Shambarger (1,600 racewalk), Alan Lavoie (1,600 racewalk), Kurtis Bolton (400), Kyle LaRoche (800), Ben Blake (high jump). Monmouth — Dylan Goff (400), Ethan Thombs (javelin), Zack Wallace (shot put). Mountain Valley — Kyle Farrar (long jump, triple jump, high jump), Elijah Turner (100, 200), Cameron Payne (110 hurdles), Taylor Pelletier (high jump), Chris Glover (long jump, javelin), Jasper Turner (javelin). Mt. Abram — Xavier Romanowski (1,600 run, 3,200), Ben Butterfield (1,600 racewalk), Machaon Henderson (1,600 racewalk). St. Dom’s — Nicholas Welsh (110 hurdles), Mark D’Alessandro (1,600 run, 3,200). Telstar — Avry Griffin (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, triple jump), Aaron Vermette (long jump). Winthrop — Nate Scott (100, 200), Jevin Smith (high jump).

Area outlook: Mountain Valley’s Farrar is seeded second in the long and triple jump after finishing second in the long jump and third in the triple jump in 2016. The Falcons also should garner some jumps points from Glover, and some more from Turner in the sprints. … Dirigo’s White stepped up to some high finishes at last year’s state meet, including shaving nearly two seconds off his best in the 400. Berry should claim a high finish in the shot put. … After claiming the MVC championship last week, Lisbon will hunt points in the racewalk and all three relays. Bolton runs in a stacked 400. … Telstar’s Griffin had runner-up finishes in both hurdles last year and placed fifth in the triple jump. He should reach the podium in all three events again this year. … Monmouth’s Goff will be one of the many challengers in the 400. Wallace should be in contention for the podium in the shot put. … Winthrop is led by the speed of Nate Scott. He’ll compete in the 100 and 200 and run a leg of the Ramblers’ 4×100. … Mt. Abram is relying on distance: Romanowski will run the 1,600 and 3,200, while Butterfield and Henderson are both seeded high in the 1,600 racewalk. … St. Dom’s growing program has two state participants: Nicholas Welsh and Mark D’Alessandro.

Class C Girls

Area athletes to watch: Dirigo — Lily Meehan (1,600 racewalk), Felicity Boulange (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles). Lisbon — Chase Collier (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump), Sydney Douglass (1,600 racewalk, 800, pole vault), Alika McMurrin (shot put), Kaylin Le (pole vault). Monmouth — Emily Grandahl (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Libby Clement (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump), Tori Spencer (1,600 racewalk), Moira Burgess (1,600 racewalk), Kaitlyn Hunt (3,200, 1,600 run), Abbey Allen (high jump, javelin), Maddie Amero (javelin), Destiny Clough (javelin, shot put), Mahala Hayden (discus, shot put, javelin). Mountain Valley — Lauren Sterling (100 hurdles, high jump), Emily Billings (400, 200), Jeana Ronan (high jump), Abbie Blauvelt (long jump). Mt. Abram — Alice Cockerham (100, 200), Avery Taylor (high jump). St. Dom’s — Sydney Sirois (1,600 racewalk, 3,200), Bugsy Hammerton (200, 100, 400), Alexa Kesaris (javelin). Telstar — Kaitlee Killam (100, 200, long jump), Calla Orino (100, 200, long jump). Winthrop — Jillian Schmelzer (100, 200, high jump), Aaliyah Wilson-Falcone (100, long jump), Kinli DiBiase (400, 100, long jump), Shie Smith (high jump).

Area outlook: St. Dom’s Sirois is heavily favored to win the 1,600 racewalk, which would be her third state title in the event (she likely would be chasing a fourth straight if she hadn’t been sidelined by an injury last year). Hammerson is poised to finish high in the sprints. … Telstar’s Killam won the 200 state title last year and is seeded first after an up-and-down season. The sophomore will be joined by freshman Orino in all three events. … Fresh off its second MVC title in three years, Monmouth brings a large crew to the state meet, particularly in the throws and hurdles. Spencer has established herself as a top-two or -three racewalker in Class C. … Lisbon’s Collier looks to end her decorated career with another state podium, if not an ever-elusive championship, in the hurdles. Douglass might be peaking at the right time in the racewalk. … Freshmen Jillian Schmelzer and Aaliyah Wilson-Falcone highlight Winthrop’s entries. Schmelzer is the top seed in the 100, but Wilson-Falcone had the fastest time in the state, all divisions, before the postseason. … Mt. Abram sends a young but talented duo in sophomores Alice Cockerham and Avery Taylor. Taylor is listed as the fifth seed in the high jump, but is only 2 inches off the top seed. … Mountain Valley’s Sterling is the second seed in the 100 hurdles after claiming the MVC title in the event. She also has a shot at placing in the high jump. Billings, a senior, has podium experience. … Dirigo senior Meehan leads a young group of Cougars to state. Meehan is the likeliest to reach the podium, entering as the eighth seed in the racewalk.