BRUNSWICK — It appeared Edward Little’s shining performances would keep the Red Eddies on top from the get-go, but Messalonskee was quietly building momentum and collecting a string of first-place victories along the way in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference boys’ and girls’ track meet Saturday.

Despite several impressive performances by the Red Eddies, the Eagles had the upper hand in both competitions, with Messalonskee coming out on top with a 142-67 boys’ victory and a 126-101 girls’ win over EL, which took second place at Bowdoin College.

Lewiston High School passed on Saturday’s meet after competing in four other competitions over the past week.

EL indoor track coach Ryan Getchell said the Blue Devils’ absence was conspicuous. According to Getchell, the crosstown rivalry brings out the best in both schools.

“They have a very good program in place so to go out in compete against Lewiston whenever we get a chance, it is awesome because I really feel we help each other out,” Getchell said. “Our guys push their guys; their guys push our guys. So it is great when we are able to compete (against each other).”

But Messalonkee kind of stepped in for Lewiston to give Edward Little a run for its money.

Jeshua Donisvitch and Zach Hoyle spearheaded the Eagles’ attack in the boys’ meet.

Donisvitch prevailed in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.95 seconds and won the 200-meter dash at 24.74 seconds. Hoyle, a junior, won the boys’ one-mile run with a time of 4:41 and came out on top with a winning time of 2:05.06 in the 800-meter run.

“I feel pretty good. I felt really good on the mile,” Hoyle, who won all three of his heats, said. “On my 800, I was aiming to go sub-2, but I feel like I can do that again — try to really get that.”

But the Red Eddies did well in other events. Jacob Gamache won the two-mile run with a time of 10:26.33. Russell Allen, along with Gamache, were responsible for a 2-3 finish in the mile. Hoyle won that event.

“I was actually happy. I have never run a timed mile before,” Allen (55.24), who took second in the 400 meters, said. “I was really happy how I ran. I was expecting to be a little bit faster….but I am pretty happy with the way I ran.”

“(Hoyle’s) a good runner,” Gamache said. “He’s kicked my butt every race I have been with him.”

Mt. Blue’s lone competitor, Nathan Pratt-Holt leapt to victory in the long jump (18-10.50) and the triple jump (39-04.00).

Oxford Hills had two competitors in the boys’ meet — Dimitri Dibiase and Logan Hallee. Dibiase finished an impressive second in the 55-meter hurdles (9:54) just ahead of EL’s Jean-David Hurd (10.01).

The pair of Vikings train with the Red Eddies because of Oxford Hills does not have an indoor track team.

“I did all right. My block start was kind of iffy, but other than that, my form was pretty decent. I was happy with that,” Dibiase. “We kind of like doing indoor because we do outdoor. We thought this would be a good way to help with our outdoor, so we asked athletic directors, and they were like: ‘Sure, you can, but you have train with Edward Little. We are like, ‘Sure, why not.’”

Edward Little coach Nick Keene, nonetheless, was pleased with the Red Eddies’ showing.

“It was a good performance, solid,” Keene said. “It’s tough over break. Everyone essentially says that school takes all their energy and drains down the body. Athletically, it is all about routines — so getting up in the morning and having that set schedule, that set bedtime and wake-up time.

“The throwers came along on the girls’ side. We have four girls throwing over 20 (feet). Morgan Knowlton was obviously over 30 (feet). Several girls PRed by several feet.

“Again, we are trying some new things and making improvements on our relay team and people thrown into new events.”

More about the girls

The Edward Little girls’ team scored more points than the boys even though the Eagles slipped away with the victory.

Knowlton lobbed the shot put 33 feet, six inches. Kaylie Valee owned the long jump with leap of 14 feet, four inches. In the pole vault, the Red Eddies took a 1-2 finish, with Lauren Berube (9 feet) leading the way followed by Katie Ferrara (8 feet, six inches). EL finished first in the 4 by 200-meter relay.

Anna Beaudet finished second in the 55-meter dash (7.69), but she led the pack in the 200-meter dash (27.84)

“I felt good (in the 55 dash),” Beaudet said. “I am always slow coming out of the start, then I gain my speed.

“I knew she (Messalonskee’s Maddy Price) was going to beat me. I am just being honest.”

Kailey Norcoss raced in at second place in the 400-meter dash (1:05.91).

“Honestly, overall, everybody performed very, very well,” Getchell said. “Coming off the vacation and the holidays, everything like that, can sometimes get a little overwhelming.

“But overall, there were good performances everywhere. There is not one area. Everybody stepped up today like they needed to.

Messalonskee standout Avery Brennan was tops in the two events — the one-mile run (5:54.84) and the 800-meter run (2:31.81).