BY BILL STEWART

Staff Writer

Little by little, the University of Maine track and field team is giving Troy Irvine more responsibility. And little by little, one of the top track and field athletes in Waterville Senior High School history is close to reaching his goal of becoming a head coach.

Irvine is a graduate assistant coach for the Black Bears.

"I started off this indoor season in just kind of a managerial role, just helping out with whatever I could. No real specific responsibilities," said Irvine, who graduated from Waterville in 2001. "Now they allow me to work with the long jumpers and triple jumpers. I have a smile ear to ear now."

Irvine was a three-time state champion in the pole vault for the Panthers, including one from the indoor season his sophomore year. Irvine is pursuing a master's degree in exercise science, which he hopes will help land him a college coaching gig in the future.

"I want to be a college-level coach," he said. "I think I'll stick around here for a while and then see what happens. Next year I'll be at UMaine helping them out again. There is talk of me helping out in even more events, just to gain more responsibility."

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The Lawrence boys opened with an impressive meet against Mt. Blue, MCI and Nokomis. The Bulldogs, who finished eighth in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference A last season, won that meet with 102 points. Mt. Blue was second with 90.

Coach Tim Alberts, who is in his 19th season, said he received a pleasant surprise from sophomore Christian Powers, who won the triple jump with a distance of 39 feet, 2 inches. Powers qualified for the state meet with that jump -- with two inches to spare.

"We haven't had a qualifier in that event in a long, long time," Alberts said. "Last year, he was kind of on and off with the events he did, but he did OK. He has been a huge surprise this year."

Powers also won the long jump with an 18-6 effort. He'll need to jump a 19-9 to qualify for the state meet in that event.

"He has a ways to go there, but it's his first meet this season and it's not bad," Alberts said.

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Messalonskee coach Scott Wilson said the weather may limit Jesse LaBreck's role in a meet Thursday at Maranacook.

LaBreck, who will attend UMaine in the fall, is the state indoor record holder in the triple jump, 55-hurdles and the high jump.

"We may not have her do the triple jump or long jump," Wilson said. "If it's wet, it's not worth it."

Wilson said he'd like to see LaBreck compete in the 200 this spring, even if it's just one time. He wouldn't rule out Thursday when LaBreck might give it a whirl.

"I think she can do it," he said.

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Former Waterville standout Alex Lefebvre is enrolled in an electrical program at Kennebec Valley Community College. Lefebvre, who was considered one of the best athletes in Maine high school track and field last season, was at the University of Southern Maine this winter. However, he relocated to the area after a death in his family.

"I had a lot of family problems over the winter," he said. My step-dad (Malcolm E. Spencer) got real sick and passed away. So, unfortunately, I couldn't stay at USM."

Lefebvre was a state champion in the both hurdle events and the triple jump. He helped the Panthers win the Class B state title last spring by winning those three events and anchoring the 4x400 relay.

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com