Track
Spring track team ready to run
By Kevin Higgins
YORK - Spring is finally here, and that means you may see swarms of York High School runners along roadsides or at the beach.This year's outdoor track team looks to be as big, if not bigger, than this year's three-bus indoor track team.
Last year the girls' and boys' teams each won the Western Maine Championship. The girls went on to win states, with the boys placing second. The girls graduated several strong athletes, but their performance indoors clearly shows they are still a top contender. The boys' team graduated almost all of its top athletes, but this just makes room for a promising younger squad.
Leading these athletes is an outstanding group of captains, who hope their experiences can inspire the team.
Lacey Cartier is the most decorated captain, having participated in eight New England Championships since she came to York as a sophomore. She currently holds the school 400-meter dash record, and she is a member of the record-setting 4x400 and 4x800 relays. She can run any race from the 200 to the two-mile.
York features a pair of race-walking captains on the roster. Tom Ciampa and Emily Goering hold the boys' and girls' records, respectively. Ciampa placed second at states last year, and Goering placed sixth. They seek to transform race-walk from the under-respected event it is and slowly they are expanding a loyal group of intensely dedicated walkers.
Sibley Blum is another well-decorated captain. She is the defending pole-vault state champion. She set an indoor pole-vault conference record of 10 feet, 5 inches this year, which tied her school record in outdoor. Her incredible standard clearing prompted the creation of a special award in indoor track, the "Sky High Award."
Zach Prugar may not be as bedecked with medals as some of his fellow captains, but he is no laughing matter. Last year in a cold, wet, miserable, state meet, he became the first York boys' sprinter in several years to make it to the finals of the 100-meter dash. He is currently York's fastest sprinter. He earned the Most Improved Player award in basketball this winter, so perhaps one in track is forthcoming.
Morgan Taylor has her share of glory as well. The girls' captain had an outstanding state meet last year, despite the weather. She took second in the triple jump, seventh in the 400 and, along with Cartier, captured second place in the 4x400 relay.
York has two more boys' captains, Nick McMahon and Kevin Higgins. This middle-distance duo has competed at several New England Championships in the 4x800 relay. Along with Prugar, they have run together on relay teams since their freshman year, and comprise the best B 4x400 relay team in the state.
York kicks off the season this Friday, April 27, at home against Greely and Poland. Come on over to the track and see some of the best athletes in the state show what track is all about.
