As both Windham High School’s outdoor track and field teams prepare for the state championship meet tomorrow at Mt. Ararat High School, Windham had an extraordinary showing at the Southwesterns championship meet on Friday, May 26 at Gorham High School.
The Windham girls came in third place with a score of 61 and the boys came in 13th finishing with a score of 14.
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| Windham sophomore Tayla Pelletier leaps over the hurdle and out past the competition during the Southwesterns championship meet at Gorham High School on May 26. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
“The team united, brought their synergy, ... and worked to meet our goal of reducing self-inflicted pressure [and] just have competitive fun performing in an earned championship meet,” said Windham girls’ outdoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle.
Riddle said strategies evolve over weeks prior to championship meets and during meets coaches offer feedback to players; the responsibility of the opportunity turns to the players. So, if they get elevated at this high level, things like a third-place finish manifest.
Sophomore Tayla Pelletier crushed it as she came in first in the triple jump, achieving her best distance ever of 37-02.00 feet and setting a new school record. She finished first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.67 seconds; first in the high jump with a 5-02.00 height, and third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.50, which also set a new school record.
“Having the teammates there just hyped me up,” said Pelletier. “My goal was to not focus on what anyone around me was doing, but to focus on me and getting my best.”
Pelletier said the competition was tough, but it’s nice having competition that pushes you to be your best. She said everyone on the team was giving their all.
In the long jump junior Khalysa Hammith finished third with a distance of 16-00.25. Sophomore Ava Gerrity finished seventh with a 15-00.75 distance.
Gerrity finished second in the triple jump with a 33-08.75 distance.
Sophomore Addison Profenno finished third in the 1600 race walk with a time of 9:51.44 minutes.
In the discus, sophomore Marina Schwarz finished 12th with a throw of 77-05.
“There was a strong sense of team and unity throughout the entire meet,” said senior captain Elise Schultz.
Senior captain Adriyanna Edge said everyone there had the same emotions and anxieties which made it easy to come together. Many were competing to further the team to get to the state championship.
Boys
Windham finished third in the 4x100 relay with a 44.98 time.
Senior Derrick Stephens finished seventh in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.16 and sixth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 43.03; his season’s best for both events.
Also in the 300 hurdles, sophomore Aiden Hanson finished ninth with a 43.92 time, a personal record.
Sophomore Carter Engelman finished sixth in the pole vault with a height of 11-00.00 – an improvement of 18 inches. He got a personal record in the 300 hurdles with a 44.81 time.
“I had a really good day today,” said Engelman. “I wanted to [achieve a] personal record today and I did, I was really happy with that performance.”
Engelman said it was cool to see opponents who have been competing longer than him and to see what their technique and form is. Windham has been really strong this year.
Senior Connor Langstaff finished eighth in the long jump with a distance of 19-04.75 and seventh in the triple jump with a 38-05.00 distance.
Langstaff wanted to compete better than he had been in the past. He said he achieved that and is proud. He said competition was intense, and Windham competed very well.
Junior Ezra Foster threw 134-00 in the javelin and finished eighth; a season’s best for him.
Senior Scott Ingalls finished eighth in discus with a 116-06 throw.
Senior Max Arbour finished sixth in the shot put with a distance of 40-09.25.
“Our goal going into Southwesterns was to get more individual qualifiers for [the] state meet and for all the athletes to step up their performances for the big meets,” said Windham boys’ outdoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “We had a lot of athletes who are new to track and field and they ... had some incredible performances. The team did great at cheering each other on and helping each other perform to the best of their abilities.”<
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