The Waterville girls and boys are loaded, deep and poised to defend their Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B titles. The Hall-Dale boys and girls look up to Lisbon and perhaps no other team in the Mountain Valley Conference.

In KVAC A action, Cony senior Luke Fontaine, Messalonskee senior Erik Anderson and Skowhegan junior Garrett Nelson are in line for multiple victories after earning top seeds in two events.

Conference track and field championships get under way this weekend, beginning today with the MVC championships at 3 p.m. at Lewiston High School. The KVAC A and B championships are at 9 a.m. Saturday at McMann Field in Bath.

The Waterville boys are chasing their fourth consecutive conference crown while the girls are going after No. 3.

"We all know what we need to do," said Waterville senior JD Gurski, the top seed in the 110-meter hurdles and javelin. "We have to go out and do what we trained to do. There are a lot of teams out there who are gunning for us."

Added Waterville coach Ian Wilson: "Both boys and girls teams are set up well to score heavily at the conference meet. Across the board our kids are really strong. We still have some things to improve upon so we can score in the state meet. We'd like to put ourselves in a position to win the state meet."

Leading the way for the Waterville girls is Shelby Tuttle, who is seeded first in three events -- the 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles and triple jump. The Purple Panthers also will look for strong performances from top seeds Taylor Frame (800), Kayla Tuttle (1,600 and 3,200) and Emily Sakal (shot put). Senior thrower Danielle Fossa will miss the KVAC B meet with a right shoulder injury.

Mike Nelson and senior pole vaulter Brad Loomis also should score well for the Waterville boys.

Wilson said he will also look for sophomores Isaiah Spofford (sprints, jumps) and Alex Rowe (hurdles) to shine.

"Spofford and Alex Rowe, they are extremely talented but pretty young," Wilson said. "I think they can handle it."

The Winslow girls, thanks to jumper Christina Massey, should challenge the Panthers. Kelsea Bouchard (jumps), Riley Jones (racewalk), Kathryn Fedus (pole vault) and Emily Farrell (middle distance) are poised for strong meets as well.

Massey is within 21/4 inches of tying the KVAC B record of 5-71/4 in the high jump.

"It'll be close," Winslow coach Shawn Carey said of the meet. "It'll be interesting."

Ryan Pelletier (throws) and Nate Theriault (jumps) are among the Winslow boys leaders.

Elsewhere in the KVAC B, Abby Mace and Taylor Burr of Maranacook are seeded first and second, respectively, in the 1,600 and 3,200.

Mace said she expects both races will be close.

"I know what the competition will be like," she said.

Nikole Robbins of Gardiner is seeded first in the 100 while Laura Lyford of Nokomis is second in the javelin. Maine Central Institute's Meghan Hughes is seeded first in the discus.

On the boys side, Evan Vincent of Maranacook is seeded first in the racewalk while teammate Taylor Watson is first in the 300 hurdles.

Sam Seekins of Erskine should challenge Nelson in the 3,200. Seekins also posted the fastest time in the 1,600. Erskine teammate Robbie Morang is seeded first in the long jump after leaping 21 feet at the Cony Invitational last weekend. The Erskine boys also feature strong 4x800 and 4x400 relay teams.

"There'll be some good races with us, Maranacook and Waterville," Erskine coach Scott Rollins said. "Of course, they are the first and last events and there'll be some good competition in between."

In KVAC A action, Garrett Nelson is seeded first in the triple and long jumps.

"I need to do exactly what I did in practice all week," said Nelson, who set the Skowhegan school record in the triple jump this season with a leap of 42-111/2. "I want to set the bar at the KVAC meet. I'm just waiting for Saturday."

Nelson will also compete in the 100 and 200 for Skowhegan.

Fontaine sits atop the field in the 1,600 and 800. He said he will skip the 3,200, choosing instead to run in two relays.

"I'm playing to my strong point," he said. "I seem to run better in shorter distance now. I'm just going to relax and stay focused at the same time. I don't want to get all tensed up and worried."

Anderson is seeded first in the 100 and 200. He'll be challenged in the 100 by Cony junior Dustin Dang.

Lawrence is also well-represented. Senior Dean Pelletier is first in the racewalk while Brooks Spaulding is No. 1 in the high jump over Mt. Blue junior Richie Brooks.

Mt. Blue senior Kelton Cullenberg is second in the 3,200.

In the MVC, Madison junior Jake Hartigan is first in the 110 hurdles while Sam Perkins is heavily favored to win the pole vault. David Lowell of Mt. Abram is first in the shot put as well.

"I'm hoping for our girls to finish in the middle of the pack," Madison coach Bob Hagopian said, "but I'm hoping the boys can get third after Lisbon and Hall-Dale."

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com