GARDINER -- One of the best distance runners in Class C met one of the best distance runners in Class B. Both of them met one of the best in Class A, if not the state.

Of all the captivating events Friday afternoon at the annual Cony Invitational -- and there were numerous -- it was the boys 1,600-meter run that stole the show.

Luke Fontaine of Cony, Sam Seekins of Erskine and Wade Davis of Hall-Dale eagerly anticipated the showdown, the only time the talented trio would race each other this spring.

"It's always good to run against them and see what the other classes have to offer," said Fontaine, who won with a time of 4 minutes, 27.61 seconds. "It's interesting to get a feel for the different classes."

Seekins finished second, but he helped the Erskine boys win the meet with 1281/2 points. Cony finished second with 821/2 points while Maranacook (79) checked in at third. Davis finished third in the 1,600 for the Bulldogs, who were fourth overall with 581/2 points.

Mackenzie Dufour won four events, one of which came in the 4x400 relay, to help the Cony girls win easily with 116 points. Erskine was second with 75, followed by Hall-Dale (741/2 ) and Gardiner (661/2 ), which hosted the meet because of renovations to Alumni Field in Augusta.

"I love racing a guy like (Fontaine)," said Seekins, who shaved seven seconds off his personal best in the 1,600 with a time of 4:30.04. "We're all in different classes, but we all saw great runners in each class. It's the only chance I'll get to race these guys, so that was fun."

Added Davis, who finished in 4:32.06, beating his previous best time by six seconds: "It was a good opportunity to see what I could do against them. I haven't had much competition this year, so I wanted to go out and see how long I could stay with them. I did until the final lap."

Dufour won the 100 (12.96), 200 (26.98) and the 400 (1:04.26). She also held off Erskine's Jenna Marcellino in the final lap to help the Rams win the 4x400 relay.

"It's awesome," Dufour said of the four victories. "I wish I could do this every meet."

Dufour wasn't alone in standout performances Friday.

Maranacook freshman Abby Mace edged junior teammate Taylor Burr to win two events, the 1,600 and 3,200.

"We push each other every week," Mace said.

Added Burr: "It feels good to be able to race her. There is a competition within the team, and it's a pleasure to race her."

Gardiner senior Nikole Robbins shattered the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet, 1 inch. Gardiner teammate Annie Schide won the race walk in 8:51.13, which also set a school record.

Robbins broke the old mark of 33-8, which Karen Priputin set in 1983. Schide broke Mary Beach's record of 10:36, set in 1998.

"I've been wanting that record for a long time," said Robbins, who also won the long jump. "My first-ever jump was 27, so I knew I could get it some day."

Hall-Dale senior Ariel Howes won the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles while Deborah Juarez of Cony won the discus and shot put.

"I knew coming in I wouldn't have any competition until the states," Howes said. "I was just trying to stay focused and keep my times."

On the boys side, Ethan Solloway of Hall-Dale won the 100 (11.67) and 200 (24.0) while Robbie Morang of Erskine opened some eyes in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, which ranks him at the top of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B.

"I thought he could hit 20," Erskine coach Scott Rollins said, "so that kind of surprised me. It was a heck of a jump. In the indoor season, he could barely go 18 feet."

Fontaine also won the 3,200 with a time of 9:51.96.

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com