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BY BILL STEWART
Staff Writer 06/10/2008

Staff Writer

She didn't expect to break the Class A high jump record. She liked her chances in the 100-meter hurdles, but by the time the triple jump rolled around -- her fourth and final event of a long Saturday at the Class A state championships -- the oppressive heat had all but drained Messalonskee High School senior Jesse Labreck.

"It was just so hot out there," she said. "I was getting tired."

Exhausted, but undaunted.

Labreck won four events Saturday, and in the process added to an already long list of state records. Labreck, who is heading to the University of Maine in Orono this fall, set Class A records in the high jump, triple jump and 100 hurdles. She also won the 300 hurdles, although she couldn't eclipse her 2007 record-winning time of 44.92 seconds.

Her three records give her seven in her decorated career. She owns three indoor records, including the 55 hurdles (8.25), triple jump (38-4.25) and high jump (5-6). Labreck is also the Class A outdoor record-holder in the 100 hurdles (14.48), 300 hurdles (44.92), triple jump (38-4) and high jump (5-9).

"I was really happy with the high jump record because I wasn't expecting to get that one," she said. "I hadn't got that one in outdoor. In the 100 hurdles, I thought I could get the record, but I didn't realize I could go 14.4. That was a nice surprise."

And the triple jump?

"I wasn't jumping too well in the beginning, and on my last jump I wanted it so bad," she added. "I gave it everything I had, and I got it by half an inch. It was awesome."

Next up for Labreck is the New England meet which is Saturday at Thornton Academy in Saco. After that meet, however, Labreck will take the rest of the summer off to focus on her job at Colby College and prepare for UMaine.

"I asked for work off until after New Englands," said Labreck, who will be doing some dorm maintenance. "I wanted to be focused and have nothing in the way until after New Englands. But I don't want to do nationals. I'm tired. I just want to work and get things done."

When asked if her accomplishments Saturday had sunk in, Labreck added, "I don't think so. I don't think it will until I am all done."

• • •

The Falmouth High boys nearly wrestled the Class B state title away from Waterville, thanks to a shrewd move in the 4x100 relay. The Yachtsmen won that event despite participating in the slow heat. However, they substituted two runners into the event in a well-disguised tactical move. It paid off in the event, as Falmouth didn't run head-to-head with Waterville, which was seeded first and ran in the final heat.

"To come out of that slow heat and win that was amazing," Waterville coach Ian Wilson said.

It also made what transpired in the 4x400 relay all the more special for the Panthers. Waterville led Falmouth by 3.5 points heading into the 4x400 relay, the final event of the afternoon. To win the meet, the Panthers needed to finish no worse than second if Falmouth were to live up to its No. 1 seed and win the relay.

Waterville, however, won the event and the meet when anchor Zach Jordan overtook Falmouth senior Brian Seitz in the closing 100 meters.

"We were seeded first in the 4x1 and Falmouth tried to sneak some more points out of that," said Jordan, who will attend the University of Maine, where he'll run the 400. "We were kind of upset about that. But it made us work even harder. No one on the relay team had won an individual title and we wanted to take it. Being a senior, I wasn't going to let Falmouth take it away from me."

Unlike Labreck, Jordan said the Class B title -- the third straight for the Waterville boys -- had already sunk in.

"We had a police escort in Waterville," he said. "That's when it sunk in."

Jordan will compete in the New England meet, along with teammates JD Gurski (javelin), Dominik Alexis (high jump, hurdles, triple jump) and Nolan MacDonnell (relays).

• • •

The Waterville boys were seeded second to Falmouth by eight points prior to the meet. That meant the Panthers needed to scratch and fight for every point possible to successfully defend their title. Sean Cook did his part.

The senior finished seventh in the 3,200 to pick up one point. He was seeded 12th.

"It was very significant," he said.

"I had to kick into high gear in the fifth lap. I knew it would be important. I was gunning to place."

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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