The Bangor High School girls track team is seeking to become just the second Class A schoolgirl program to win three straight state outdoor championships and three state indoor titles in the same school year this weekend.
Scarborough accomplished the feat in 2006, ’07 and ’08.
Bangor edged Scarborough by 4 ½ points (94-89.5) at the state indoor meet in February to make it three championships in a row. It was a wake-up call for the defending two-time outdoor titlists, according to Bangor coach Al Mosca.
“We certainly learned a big lesson from that meet. You can’t just look at the seeds,” said Mosca. “You have to respect everyone. Scarborough is very well-coached and they have tremendous athletes. We have a lot of respect for them. We know it is going to be a battle.”
The Class A meet will be held at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham on Saturday while the B meet will be at Freeport and the C event will be held at Cony High School in Augusta.
Bangor won last year’s outdoor state meet by 28 points over Gorham and 32 over third-place Bonny Eagle of Buxton. Scarborough tied for fifth with Thornton Academy of Saco with 43 points.
The Rams lost some top-notch performers including distance runner Megan Randall, who won the 3200 and was third in the 1600. But senior sprinter Anna Connors will be looking to add to her cache of individual state championships as she will come into the meet with four outdoor titles to her credit already.
Three of those came last year in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter runs on the new Bangor High School track at Cameron Stadium.
The University of Connecticut-bound Connors also has four indoor individual titles.
Connors overcame a quad injury to win those three events a year ago and was able to win the 200 at the state indoor meet this year despite an ankle injury.
“I haven’t been to a championship [meet] healthy in a year or two but things are good now,” Connors said. “There is definitely a lot of pressure, especially being a senior this year, but to get another [state title] would mean a lot.”
Last year Randall won the 3200-meter run and finished third in the 1600.
“She is a big loss but we still have a lot of depth on our team. We have a lot of throwers and a lot of good relay teams,” Connors said. “We just have to follow through with what we’ve been doing in training all season.”
Mosca called this year’s squad “one of the deepest teams I’ve had.”
Julia Bassi, the defending state champ in the shot put, and Katie McCarthy, who was second in the discus a year ago, are among the other Rams who will be counted upon to produce points.
Mosca said Bassi has worked very hard in the weight room and is stronger than she was a year ago.
In addition to the 100, 200 and 400, Connors will also run a leg for a relay team although she said she hasn’t decided which one she will run yet.
Mosca said he expects Scarborough, Portland and Brewer to be among their primary challengers.
In the boys meet, Scarborough will be looking to make it four A titles in a row.
The York boys and girls swept the B crowns a year ago while the Winslow boys were the C champs and Lisbon/Oak Hill claimed its second consecutive girls title.
The New England Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet will be held on Saturday, June 10, at Cameron Stadium in Bangor.
