By Jerry Liptak
Staff Writer

While the New Hampshire State Track and Field Meet of Champions included dozens of the best teams and athletes from Class S, M, I and L, you'd need to add an "E" to get a more accurate picture of the scene at Salem High School on Saturday, June 4.

In 90-degree heat, Pembroke Academy junior Wili Brehm finished just ahead of Laconia's Doug Mercer in the third heat of the 400-meter dash at the Meet of Champions in Salem. Brehm placed fourth overall and is eligible to race at the New England Regionals in Maine on June 11. (Jerry Liptak Photo)

In fact, track and field seems to be the anomaly in high school sports. That's because it's here - on the track, inside the oval, around the jump pits - where you'll find competitors unabashedly cheering for athletes from other schools.

Of course, these athletes want to do well. Most want to win.

But these high-schoolers embrace the spirit of sportsmanship and enjoy sterling performances - both their own and their foes.

"Everyone here is so good. You know if you want to move up, you've got to improve," said Goffstown senior Laureen Ouellet, who finished 13th in the long jump but took the time - like everyone else - to stop what she was doing and watch Hanover's Rita Ciambra break the state record in the pole vault. "I admire (these athletes)."

Ouellet was hanging out, talking with fellow GHS athlete Taryn Murphy, who took SATs at Memorial High School, zipped down I-93, arrived in the middle of her event - the high jump - and couldn't make the height of 5-feet, 2 inches. She didn't turn around and leave.

Instead, the junior stuck around to cheer on her teammates.

"I want to support them," said a smiling Murphy, who played varsity hoops with Ouellet and said the atmosphere at track and field meets is totally different from the us-vs.-them mentality of most team sports.

"It's friendly. But it's competitive," said PA junior Kelly Thomas, who performed well in the 300-meter hurdles, earning a trip to the New England Regionals in Saco, Maine, on Saturday, June 11. "It's fun racing against friends."

Some dueling athletes even train together. Ashley Zielinski, a Trinity freshman, said she felt a bit overwhelmed by the highquality athletes surrounding her in Salem. But she'd been tutored regularly by Central senior Danna Frink in the 100-meter hurdles.

"She's really been helpful with my blocks," said a cheerful Zielinski, who undoubtedly will mentor another young athlete someday. Frink, by the way, won the event. Zielinski finished ninth, but took fourth in the 100- meter dash. Both athletes are eligible for the regionals.

Before the girls shot put, the eventual winner, Erica DesRoches of Exeter, and Trinity's Stephanie Bianchi, who took fifth and was the state champ in 2003, couldn't stop talking to each other. Both seniors said the camaraderie at track and field meets is infectious. Bianchi's coach, Art Connolly, a 30-year veteran of the track-and-field and cross country scene, agreed.

"That's the norm," he said. "It's always been that way."

Local athletes fared well against the state's finest track and field competitors at the NHIAA State Track and Field Meet of Championships at Salem High School on Saturday, June 4.

The state's top six finishers in each event are eligible to compete Saturday, June 11, in the 60th New England Interscholastic Spring Track and Field Championship Meet at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine. Events begin at 10 a.m.

For complete results of the Meet of Champions, visit www.lancertiming.com.

Central
The Little Green boys took the top spot in both the 4x100- and 4x800-meter relays. The 4x100 team set a new state record with a time of 43.23 seconds while defending its 2004 title.

Individually, Dominique Worsley set a new state record in the 200-meter dash. His time of 21.40 beat a 13-year-old mark. Matt Paulson will join Worsley at New Englands. The freshman took fourth in the 800-meter run.

Megan Lessard was the fastest 800-meter runner. She'll be joined in Maine by fellow Central athlete Danna Frink in the 100-meter hurdles. Frink also competed in the 100-meter dash, finishing ninth. Whitney Fremeau was ninth in the 400- meter dash.

The girls 4x400-meter relay team was sixth and is eligible for the regionals.

Pembroke
Wili Brehm took fourth place in the 400-meter dash. The junior earned a journey to Saco, Maine, for the New England Regionals. Erik Davitt completed the grueling 3,200-meter run, finishing 10th in his final M of C race.

Kelly Thomas finished fifth in the 300-meter hurdles. Last year's 400-meter dash state champion will return to the regionals, this time looking to overcome a different kind of hurdle.

West
Shaniece Benson, Julianne Quinn and Nicole Wrobel will compete individually at regionals. Benson finished third in the 100-meter dash at the M of C. Quinn took second in the 800- meter run. Wrobel was fifth in the 1,600-meter run.

The 4x100-meter relay team was 12th, while the 4x400 team was seventh.

For the boys, the 4x100-meter relay team took sixth place, earning an invitation to regionals.

Memorial
Coleen Dobson's final M of C appearance was exceptional. The senior finished fifth in the discus throw and sixth in the shot put. Both efforts were good enough for the trip to Maine. Christina Bourbeau tied for third in the pole vault, another regionals- worthy performance. In the 3,200-meter run, Holly Banaian took fifth place and Khrysta Brewster was 11th. Both runners are just freshmen.

David Irving was second in the discus throw, earning the sophomore a spot at New Englands. His classmate Wesley Cotnoir took fifth in the 100 for the boys, and he'll dash at the regionals, too. Doug Trudel was ninth in the 400. Jeff Morin was seventh in the 300-meter hurdles. The 4x100-meter Crusader relay team was 10th. Jonathan Harkins was seventh in the high jump and ninth in the triple jump, but took third in the pole vault, good for a spot at regionals.

Trinity
Stephanie Bianchi and Allenstown's Ashley Zielinski did well as the Pioneers. only entrants at the M of C. Bianchi, a senior, took fifth in the shot put, good for a trip to regionals. Zielinski, a freshman, competed in the 100-meter hurdles and took ninth, but also finished fourth in the 100-meter dash racing a group of upperclassmen. She'll join Bianchi at the regional event.

For the boys, Trinity's 4x800- meter relay team placed 13th.