DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — The one thing you learn quickly in running an outdoor athletic event is that you can’t control the weather.
On Friday afternoon, athletes and administrators from across eastern and northern Maine were at the mercy of Mother Nature at Oakes Field.
A steady rain, thunderstorms and wet conditions eventually forced officials to postpone the Penobscot Valley Conference Small School Track and Field Championships.
“We wouldn’t have been able to start until now after the last lightning,” meet director Mary Cady said at 6 p.m., referring to a Maine Principals’ Association rule that requires officials to halt competitions for at least 30 minutes after visible lightning in the area.
The meet has been rescheduled for Monday at 3:30 p.m. at the same site on the campus of Foxcroft Academy.
“At this point, the kids are cold and wet. They’ve been sitting around for an hour and a half,” Cady explained. “How do you get them all ready to run?”
The announcer had no sooner declared the first heat of the girls 4×800 relay Friday when the thunder and lightning began. Cady immediately got on the PA system and ordered athletes, coaches and officials to seek shelter inside the adjacent Foxcroft Academy building.
Meet officials initially tried to wait out the bad weather while the athletes killed time inside the school. But after approximately 90 minutes, officials decided it would be too wet, slippery and potentially dangerous to hold the meet.
There also were concerns about the javelin and discus being affected by darkness, as they were to be contested on the baseball field, which is located outside the area covered by the lights at the Oakes Field complex.
Most of the coaches were understanding, but some folks from Washington Academy High School of East Machias reportedly was upset about rescheduling for Monday afternoon.
“Washington Academy is not happy because they have graduation on Monday,” said Cady, who discussed the situation with Raiders coach Gina Gaetani.
“I said, ‘I know it’s hard for your seniors,’” Cady told Gaetani. “One mother came over, very irate.”
Cady explained the PVC Small School meet could not be held Saturday because area officials are scheduled to officiate the PVC Large School meet held at Caribou High School.
The MPA does not allow any athletic competitions to be held Sundays.
Washington Academy’s seniors include hurdler and sprinter Aiden Shankland and 4×100 relay members Taylor Cushing and Summer Hodgdon on the girls side.
The Raiders’ do not have any senior boys scheduled to compete.
Last year, inclement weather forced the postponement of both PVC outdoor championship meets, which were held the following Monday.
The PVC Small School ranks include Bangor Christian, Bucksport, Calais, Central High School of East Corinth, Dexter, Fort Kent, Foxcroft, George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill, John Bapst of Bangor, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, Orono, Penquis of Milo, Piscataquis Community of Guilford, Searsport, Sumner of East Sullivan and Washington Academy.
The Orono girls and the Foxcroft boys are the defending PVC Small School team champions.
In the boys ranks, this year’s top individual performers include senior Brandon Crocker of Orono, who is the No. 1 seed in the 110-meter hurdles (15.92 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (42.54), both of which are the best Class C times in the state this spring.
Crocker also is the top seed in the triple jump at 38 feet, 5 ¾ inches.
Sumner junior Baramee Janla leads the field in the 100 meters (11.41), the 200 (23.11), and the 400 (53.85). The 200 time is the best in Class C this spring.
Junior Matt Toussaint of Fort Kent goes into Monday’s meet as the fastest seed in the 1,600, (4:42.04) and the 3,200 (10:11.13), and he is seeded third in the 800.
Judson Smith, a sophomore from Foxcroft, leads Class C with a 6-foot-1-inch mark into the high jump.
The PVC Small School girls individual standouts include John Bapst junior Katie Cotton, who is the top seed in the 100 hurdles (16.37) and the triple jump (31-9 ¾). She also is third in the 100 meters and fourth in the 300 hurdles.
Mattanawcook Academy freshman Tia Tardy will try for a triple as she is ranked first in the 800 (2:27.68), the 1,600 (5:30.68) and the long jump (16-8 ¾).
Sherraiah Grace, a senior from Orono, is the top seed in the 300 hurdles (52.08) and is second in both the pole vault and the 100 hurdles.
Teammate Lauren Stoops, a sophomore, leads all of Class C in the 100 at 13.04 seconds and is seeded second in the 400 and sixth in the long jump.
Foxcroft Academy junior Fern Morrison is the top seed in the PVC and in Class C in the 400 (1:02.32) and is the defending league champion in that event. She also is seeded second in the 800.
Orono also features junior Diana Tyutyunnyk, the No. 1 seed in the 200 (27.82) who also is fourth in the 100 and the long jump. Junior Lily Koffman is the defending PVC champ in the 3,200 at 11:59.45.