Mountain Valley’s Jasper Turner competes in the javelin throw as part of the State Class C Track and Field Championship Meet at Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft Saturday.
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Jacob Fandel knows how mentally exhausting a “distance triple,” when a runner competes in the 1,600, 800 and 3,200-meter races over the course of a track meet, can be.
On Saturday, that was the last thing from the Orono distance man’s mind, as his razor-sharp focus was geared on getting as many points as he could for his Red Riots and bringing a third straight Class C state championship back home.
Both missions were accomplished, as Fandel scored 26 points by placing second in the 1,600 and 3,200 and winning the 800 as Orono tallied 102 points to get its three-peat at Foxcroft Academy.
Traip Academy of Kittery was second with 69, but the final scoring did not indicate the close battle the Rangers and Red Riots had throughout the day before Orono pulled away late.
George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill wound up third with 61 points, followed by Mountain Valley of Rumford and Hall-Dale of Farmingdale (38 apiece) and Washington Academy of East Machias (36).
Early in the meet, an anticipated two-team showdown between Orono and Traip was emerging, as the Rangers’ Evan Porter pulled off a 110 hurdles-100 dash double by winning both events in 11.55 seconds and 15.28, respectively, while adding a 39.98 winning performance in the 300 hurdles later on.
But the Riots were able to slowly chip away thanks to Fandel and thrower Jake Koffman, with Koffman winning both the shot put (55 feet,2.75 inches) and discus (173-6).
Fandel’s 800 triumph put Orono ahead to stay while Jacob Gallon complemented the Stanford-bound Koffman’s shot put effort by picking up fourth place..
“That was really nice because I was really focused on the 800,” said Fandel, who covered the half-mile distance in 2 minutes, 3.34 seconds.
Fandel was timed in 4:31.26 in the 1,600 and 10:12.18 in the 3,200 in finishing second to GSA’s John Hassett in both instances.
Hassett, who will run at UMaine next fall, broke the tape in 4:29.43 and 10:02.10.
“He’s a great runner, it’s always fun to run with him,” said Fandel.
Stephen Nelson also had a great day for the Red Riots, anchoring Orono’s winning 4×400 relay (3:37.37), running second on the Riots’ victorious 4×100 relay (44.74) while finishing second in the 200 dash and 300 hurdles.
“We had everything covered, sprints, distance, throws, you name it, we had it covered,” a confident Fandel said.
Fandel saved one of his best efforts for last in kicking past three other runners in the final 200 meters of the 3,200 to record his second silver medal and cement Orono’s team triumph.
“I was just thinking I had a little left, I was running out of steam but it’s my last race of the day [so] might as well go and give it all I had,” he said.
Two other local standouts, Cayden Spencer-Thompson of Mattanawcook of Lincoln and WA’s Michaiah Robinson, had outstanding days as well, combining for four wins while the Lynx’ sophomore set a state record in the triple jump (47-3) to go with his long jump win (22-3.50).
“It was awesome,” Spencer-Thompson said. “I want to go 47 and get the state record.”
Robinson barely missed on setting a state record in the 400 but put down an impressive 49.80. He also won the 200 and was second in the 100.
“This was good competition so I think that’s why I performed good today,” Robinson said.
Other gold medalists included GSA’s 4×800 team of Hassett, Meredith Bradshaw, Cameron Gordon and Trent Williamson (8:25.19), Jon Whitcomb of Hall-Dale in the high jump (6-4), Erik Taylor-Lash of GSA in the 1,600 race walk (6:56.32) and Timothy Glatter of Houlton in the javelin (143-5).
Austin Keib of Bangor Christian had a solid day in the throwing events, earning second in both the shot put (46-10) and discus (144-5).
Mountain Valley’s Chris Glover competes in the long jump during the State Class C Track and Field Championship Meet at Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft Saturday.
Mountain Valley’s Chris Glover competes in the javelin throw as part of the State Class C Track and Field Championship Meet at Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft Saturday.
Lisbon’s Kurtis Bolton clears the bar during the pole vault during the State Class C Track and Field Championship Meet at Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft Saturday.
Dirigo’s Hunter White competes in the triple jump during the State Class C Track and Field Championship Meet at Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft Saturday.
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