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Devin Berry, South Portland junior

Berry was the state’s dominant athlete in the 55-meter hurdles, winning Class A (7.76 seconds) and SMAA (7.75) titles and placing seventh at the New England championships (7.78). The junior also ran the second leg for the Red Riots’ SMAA title-winning 800 relay team (1:34.16).

Ali Carter, Falmouth senior

Carter’s 200-meter time of 22.21 at the Class A championships would have set a meet record if not for Bossay Ditanduka of South Portland winning in 22.14. Carter also took second in the 200 (22.56) and 55 (6.52, 0.01 behind Drew Gervais of Bonny Eagle) at SMAAs.

Bossay Ditanduka, South Portland senior

The 200 meet record of 22.14 at Class A states was one of two for Ditanduka, who also helped the Red Riots’ 800 relay team (1:31.87) break the record by more than a second. The senior also won the SMAA title in the 200 (22.37) and was Class A runner-up in the 55 (6.55).

Drew Gervais, Bonny Eagle junior

Gervais beat stiff competition in the 55-meter dash at championship meets, finishing in 6.50 at Class A states after pipping Falmouth’s Ali Carter at the SMAAs. The junior also placed third to Bossay Ditanduka and Carter in the 200 at states (22.49).

Alex Gilbert, Freeport senior

Gilbert followed his outstanding cross-country season by winning Class B state and Western Maine Conference mile titles, in 4:40.11 and 4:29.49, respectively, as well as the WMC 2-mile run (10:01.50). He was runner-up in the 800 (2:03.67) and 2-mile (10:18.89) at states.

Hassan Hobbi, Winslow senior

Hobbi won two state titles for the Black Raiders, placing first in the 55-meter hurdles (7.93) and 400 (52.28) in Class B. They came on the heels of 55 hurdles (7.90) and 55 dash (6.79) victories at the KVAC Class B championships.

Bryce Holden, Mt. Ararat senior

Holden took the Class A title in the long jump (22 feet, 1/2 inch) and placed second in the pole vault (15-0). He narrowly finished second in the 55 hurdles (8.02, 0.01 out of first), long jump (20-10, 3 inches out of first) and pole vault (14-6, lost tiebreaker) at the KVAC Class A championships.

Thomas LeBlanc, Edward Little junior

LeBlanc’s 15-6 clearance to win the Class A pole vault was the best by any Maine athlete (indoor or outdoor) in six years. He also won KVAC Class A titles in the 55 hurdles and pole vault in tight battles with Bryce Holden, and placed second in the 55 hurdles (7.85) at states.

Henri Rivard, Marshwood senior

Rivard shined at the Class A meet, winning the 800 (1:55.50) and mile (4:19.06). He also won the New England title in the mile (4:22.39), and the 800 (2:02.18) and 600 (1:23.95) at SMAAs. Rivard is the Varsity Maine Boys Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Ellis Wood, Deering senior

Wood enjoyed a strong Class A championship meet, defending his title in the 2-mile in 9:50.48 and placing second to Henri Rivard by a nose in the mile (4:19.78). The Tufts College commit also represented the Rams well at New Englands, placing fifth in the mile in 4:25.16.

COACH OF THE YEAR

David Kahill, South Portland: Despite losing 2024-25 Varsity Maine Boys Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Arnaud Sioho from a team that finished fourth at Class A states last year, Kahill’s Red Riots had a remarkable season in 2025-26. South Portland won its fifth consecutive SMAA title before topping Lewiston by 22 points to win its second state title in three years. Kahill was previously Varsity Maine Indoor Boys Coach of the Year in 2023-24.

Mike Mandell came to the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel in April 2022 after spending five and a half years with The Ellsworth American in Hancock County, Maine. He came to Maine out of college after...

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