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MVC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Madison’s McClintock wins 1,600, 3,200

By Bill Stewart Staff writer

AUGUSTA — Matt McClintock waited all spring to compete against talented Boothbay distance runner Chase Brown.

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UP AND OVER: Carrabec’s Becca Sue Ellis won the high jump with a height of 4 feet, 10 inches at the Mountain Valley Conference track and field championships Friday afternoon in Augusta. Teammate Sikwani Dana won the javelin with a throw of 106 feet.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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FIRST TO THE FINISH: Madison’s Krysta Moulton won the 1,600-meter race walk in a personal-best time of 9 minutes, 0.40 seconds at the Mountain Valley Conference track and field championships Friday in Augusta.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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The Madison junior finally got that opportunity Friday, and he made the most of it.

McClintock, one of the top distance runners in the state, edged Brown in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races under a hot sun at the Mountain Valley Conference championships Friday at Alumni Field.

“I didn’t get a chance to see him this season,” said McClintock. “He’s just great competition.”

Lisbon swept the event for the sixth consecutive season. The boys won the title with 112.5 points. Winthrop was second with 80, followed by Monmouth (75), Livermore Falls (64), Boothbay (56) and Hall-Dale (55.5).

The Lisbon girls finished with 130.75 points to easily defeat Monmouth (66), Winthrop (62.75), Madison (59.75) and Livermore Falls (55).

McClintock set the tone for his day when he ran the 1,600 in 4 minutes, 32.07 seconds. Brown needed a late surge to finish on his heels at 4 minutes, 34.80 seconds.

“I wanted to go out and fly,” McClintock said. “I wanted to limit the other contenders with their kicks. My kick has been getting better, but I don’t trust it fully. I don’t trust it in a 100-meter race, so I wanted to take that away.”

Did he ever. McClintock sucked the drama out of the event early, holding a big lead over Brown for much of the race.

“I didn’t want a close race,” McClintock added. “I wanted to take his kick away.”

McClintock finished the 3,200 in 9:53.79 while Brown was second in 10:09.12.

“It’s a little frustrating because I didn’t get the times I wanted,” McClintock said. “But I’ve been waiting all season for this. He’s a threat. This will set the tone for the state meet.”

Madison senior Krysta Moulton turned in one of the biggest surprises of the meet, winning the 1,600 race walk despite a 9:05.90 seed time that was about 15 seconds behind the favored Lindsey Whitney of Lisbon.

“This is my last chance as a senior,” she said. “I had to give it my all. I had to give it everything I had.”

She certainly did that, finishing in a personal-best 9:00.40. Whitney was second in 9:07.61.

“I definitely knew I needed a fast start,” Moulton said. “Then I had to focus on the third lap, which is usually the worst time for people. I knew (Whitney) would stay close.”

Whitney defeated Moulton earlier this spring at a May 9 meet at Sacopee Valley. Whitney won the race in 8:51.4 while Moulton was second in 9:05.9. “The last time we met I waited too long to make my move,” Moulton said. “This time I did it as early as I could. I had to catch up with her.”

Moulton caught Whitney on the third lap and never looked back.

“I was thinking, ‘There is no way I can let this go,’ ” Moulton said. “I never look back when I race, but I knew she was there.”

Mt. Abram sophomore Sadie James won the 1,600 and 3,200.

James won the race in 5:38 to edge Madison sophomore Allie McClintock, who finished in 5:41.86. “I felt dead the last 200 meters,” James said. “Allie really pushes me. I had a bad start in the beginning and I had to work my way up through. I don’t really like leading; I like chasing. I knew Allie was right behind me, though.”

James ran the 3,200 in 12:24.58.

Elsewhere Friday, Carrabec received big days from Becca Sue Ellis and Sikwani Dana. Sue Ellis won the high jump by clearing 4 feet, 10 inches while Dana won the javelin with a throw of 106 feet.

Morgan Reeves led the Lisbon boys, winning the triple jump (40-8), long jump (20-3) and pole vault (12-0).

Briana Moore won the shot put (33-5) and discus (88-6) to lead the Lisbon girls.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640
bstewart@centralmaine.com