BATH, Maine — Kate Hall did Saturday what she’s been doing her entire high school track career.
The Lake Region senior dominated the Class B state track meet by winning three state titles while breaking two state records.
“Back when I was first starting, when I was a freshman, one of my goals was that I wanted to go to every state meet and not lose,” Hall said. “I wanted to win all my individual events. I accomplished that today and was really happy with how it went.”
Hall won the long jump, the 100 and the 200. She set state records in the long jump and the 100. She fell shy of the state mark in the 200, but she already holds that record. Hall finished her high school track career with 26 state titles, between indoor and outdoor.
“The goals coming into today was to break my state records from the previous years,” Hall said. “Those were definitely my main goals.”
Waterville won the girls’ meet with 118.25 points followed by York with 87 and Greely with 52. Belfast and Lake Region rounded out the top five with 47 and 37 points respectively.
In the boys’ meet, York took top honors with 96 points followed by Belfast with 85. Waterville was third with 58 with Old Town at 57 and Mount Desert Island with 56.5.
Hall started her day with a record time of 11.72 seconds in the prelim of the 100. Then she beat that with an 11.69 in the final, beating York’s Samantha Robinson, who finished in 12.97.
“I wanted to put a season-best in the 100 because all year there was a huge wind in my face during every single run,” Hall said. “This was the first meet where it wasn’t in my face. I accomplished that goal and I set my state record in that.”
Then she added a win in the long jump. She jumped a distance of 20 feet, 5.75 inches, beating her closest opponent, Katherine Bullock or York, by more than three feet.
“I also wanted to set a season-best in the long jump,” Hall said. “I was an inch off from that, but that’s OK. I had some really good jumps, and I also set the state record in that. So I was really happy.”
She finished the day in the 200. She won that event in 24.82. She fell shy of her state mark of 24.36 set last year. She beat Belfast’s Cassidy Hill by more than two seconds.
“I ran a super fast time last year, 24.36, at the meet,” Hall said. “I knew it was going to be hard to break that. So I just wanted to get a season-best time for that, and I did. I ran a 24.82. So I’m happy with that.”
Though she finishes an outstanding high school career, she’s looking forward to future challenges.
“It’s bittersweet,” Hall said of her final high school meet. “I’m definitely going to miss coming to the state meet every year, but then again, I’m moving on to bigger and better things. I’m really excited for next year to see what the future holds.”
The Waterville girls showed off their depth in capturing the state title paced by first-place finishes from Lauren Brown (3,200, 11:42.96), Shara Shoulta (100 hurdles, 15.77), Sarah Shoulta (47.65), Alison Linscott (high jump, 5-2) and Kellie Bolduc (triple jump, 36-1).
Greely’s Alyssa Coyne picked up two victories, placing first in the shot put (37-6.75) and discus (127-10). Other event winners were: Hill (400, 1:00.86), Erskine Academy’s Kaylee Porter (800, 2:24.64), Fryeburg Academy’s Anna Lastra (1,600, 5:27.83), Leavitt’s Ashley Pratt (pole vault, 10-0), Cape Elizabeth’s Morgan Carpenter (javelin, 107-9), and Greely’s Siana Emery (1,600 racewalk, 8:16.98).
York captured the 4×100 relay, Belfast took the 4×400 title and York captured the 4×800 crown.
In the boys meet, first-place finishes by Tucker Corbett (400, 50.23), Colt Santoro (110 hurdles, 15.34) and Jack Bouchard (javelin, 200-6) helped York capture the title.
Old Town’s Nick Boutin sprinted to two first-place finishes in the 100 (11.22) and 200 (22.60). Other double winners included Waterville’s Chris Cote in the 1,600 (4:32.87) and 3,200 (9:51.31), Fryeburg Academy’s Billy Bedard in the high jump (6-6) and triple jump (42-8.25) and Waterville’s Trever Gray (shot put, 53-5.25) and discus (151-1).
Also collecting first-places were Belfast’s Roger Quehl (800, 2:04.30), Caribou’s Dominic Judd (300 hurdles, 40.01), Belfast’s Drew Nealey (pole vault, 14-0), Leavitt’s Billy Bedard (21-.25), Gardiner’s Robert Sullivan (wheelchair shot put, 9-3.25) and Caribou’s Mitchell St. Peter (1,600 racewalk, 7:06.62).
Old Town captured the 4×100 relay, Mount Desert Island took home the 4×400 title and York won the 4×800 crown.