The Hall-Dale track and field teams wanted to open a few eyes at the Capital City Classic last Friday at Alumni Field in Augusta.

“We wanted to take advantage of a big atmosphere,” Hall-Dale coach Jarod Richmond said. “We wanted to treat it like a simulation for the (Mountain Valley Conference) meet.”

The Bulldogs certainly delivered.

The Hall-Dale boys finished third behind Cony and runner-up Maranacook. They scored 107.33 points.

“We did a great job,” Richmond said. “We had a big meet. It was good preparation.”

Equally significant is that the Hall-Dale boys edged Lisbon.

The Lisbon girls and boys have won six consecutive MVC championships.

Could this be the year the streaks end?

If so, the Hall-Dale boys would likely be the team to do it. Cony and Maranacook compete in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference meets.

“We want to go out and see what we can do,” Richmond said. “We’re excited to be in the conversation, to be in the mix. We feel pretty good. Anything can happen at a big meet.”

The Bulldogs had just one individual winner at the meet last Friday — Tyler Fitzgerald in the 100 (11.21 seconds).

“We’re very competitive,” Richmond said. “We have a lot of guys who score well.”

* * *

Maranacook senior Abby Mace is rounding into form at the right time.

Mace won the 3,200 in a personal best time of 11:17.63. She shaved about a second and a half off her school record time as well.

“I’m very pleased,” Mace said Monday while attending an orientation at the University of Connecticut. “I was really happy to get the (personal record). It was what I was shooting for. I think I’m in a good place.”

Mace added she still wants to drop her time in the 1,600, something she’s confident she’ll do at the KVAC B meet Saturday in Bath.

Mace will face plenty of top competition in the event, including Bethanie Brown of Waterville.

“The KVACs will be a good meet to lower my times,” Mace said.

* * *

Luke Dang and Chris Murphy, both Cony juniors, also enjoyed strong performances at the meet last Friday under the lights.

Both set school records, with Dang winning the 400 in 51.65 and Murphy throwing the javelin 148 feet, 9 inches.

“It had a big-meet feel to it and they rose to the occasion,” Cony co-coach Shawn Totman said.

* * *

Mt. Ararat High School hosted a last chance qualifier Monday evening, and several central Maine schools showed with hopes of boosting their squads for the state championship meets.

The conference championship meets are this weekend, beginning with the Mountain Valley Conference on Friday, and entries were due Sunday.

Maine Central Institute coach Jason Allen said he sent a strong contingent to Topsham.

“We had 25ish here,” he said. “It’s a great last meet.”

Cony co-coach Shawn Totman agreed, saying, “We have half our team here. We have a lot of athletes who are close to qualifying. It’s a great meet for the kids. There really isn’t a lot of pressure. It’s a laid-back meet.”

* * *

Messalonskee sophomore Amanda Knight is one of the top sprinters in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.

She’s routinely won the 100, 200 and 400 at a variety of meets this spring and is one of the team’s top scorers.

However, her availability at the KVAC A meet Saturday in Bath is questionable after she suffered a hamstring injury at the Community Cup.

“We’ll see what happens over the week,” Messalonskee coach Scott Wilson said. “Losing Amanda early in the meet hurt. Hopefully, we’ll get everyone going for the KVAC meet. We’ll have to see.”

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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