SACO Track 2023

The Saco Panthers girls and boys teams have brought back plenty of talent in 2023, and will have a total of seven.

Last season, the team fared well in the postseason, with the Lady Panthers placing second at District, second at Divisional and fourth at State last year. The Panther boys took fourth place at District last year.

The team will be without junior standout Teagan Erickson who is a part of a Spring and Summer AAU basketball circuit. Erickson was the State C high jump champion, took second in triple jump, and third in long jump.

Despite losing T. Erickson, the Panthers have brought back three state performers including junior Josie Brown who took seventh in the 200 and eighth in the 100.

"She is determined to place in the sprints at state this year," Saco Head Coach Barry Malone said.

Brown was the anchor leg of the team's fourth place short relay team that consisted of 2022 Saco High graduate Jaycee Erickson, T. Erickson and current freshman Ireland Mears.

The team also brought back sophomore Blaine Downing who took second place in the pole vault after posting a personal best of 13-6.

"Blaine had a phenomenal state track meet last year when he was amidst the middle of the pack of vaulters and broke out respective 13' and 13' 6" vaults to place second in state, just missing first," Coach Malone said. "Blaine will be vaulting and working on the horizontal jumps while running the 100 m and the 400 m."

Junior Abby Yeska will look to compete in throwing events. Coach Malone said that her goal is to place at the Eastern C Divisional and punch a ticket to state.

The team also welcomed back sophomore Jessa Erickson, but the team is unsure if she will be able to compete this year due to a leg injury.

The team welcomes first time track and field competitor Carter Pippin, a sophomore.

"This will be Carter's first season ever in track and field," Coach Malone said. "Carter is working on javelin, shot put and discus for this season."

The team officially welcomed Mears, who could only compete in the relay last season as an eighth grader. Mears will compete in sprinting events including the 100, 200, and 400.

Coach Malone welcomes back Kelly Downing, an assistant coach who will be coaching horizontal jumps, possibly hurdles and sprints this season.

The team has been practicing inside, but it hasn't been a complete disadvantage for Saco.

"All of the main parts of practice have been inside by working on various abilities with hurdles, boxes, etc," Coach Malone said. "We have one big advantage that most schools do not have is that we can pole vault in our gym. When the temperature gets up above 25 degrees we do some of our conditioning running outside to get us off of the hardwood gym floor or the school hallways."