LEWISTON – To a person, track and field coaches insist this time of year is important, but for reasons other than accumulating points and upending opponents.

Still, winning is kind of nice, which is likely why Lewiston coach Ray Putnam continued to tell his boys’ 4×400-meter relay team that their event – the last on the track at the end of a four-hour meet – was essential to the Blue Devils coming away with a win in their final home meet of the season.

It wasn’t, but the incentive worked as Lewiston turned in a solid time.

The Blue Devils’ boys team, buoyed by wins in the 4×800 relay, the 110 hurdles, the mile, the 300 hurdles, the two-mile, the triple jump and the shot put, racked up 232 points, easily out-distancing second-place Lisbon (177) and third-place Morse (103).

“It’s personal bests and continued improvement,” Lisbon coach Dean Hall said. “That’s what we’re looking for at this time of year.”

The Greyhounds got that across the board, with Aaron Cloutier breaking five minutes in the mile, the 4×100-meter relay legging out a 46.69 and Erik Metzger dashing past a tight field in the 400 in 54.94.

On the girls’ side, things got a bit tighter between the host Blue Devils and visiting Class C Lisbon. Both schools are eyeing runs at their respective state titles this spring. Lewiston finished Tuesday just three points ahead of a young but talented Greyhounds squad.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do if we want to be state champions, on both sides of it,” Lewiston coach Ray Putnam said. “The biggest thing is, we need to be healthy when it matters, so we’re taking it easy with a few kids and being cautious.”

One athlete in particular with whom Putnam is exercising caution is sprinter Lea Morin, who on Tuesday ran her first 100-meter dash of the spring. During the winter season, Morin popped her hamstring in the 55-meter dash.

Morin easily won the event this time, turning in a 13.01 with a slight tailwind. She also took first in the 400. Other Lewiston winners on the girls’ side included Kate DeAngelis in the 100 hurdles (17.59), Toby Crispin in the 800 and mile, Jenny Bergeron in the two-mile and Kim Archibald in the discus and shot put.

“We had the distance runners stepping up big time on both sides today,” Putnam said.

Oxford Hills, with larger numbers than in recent years, placed third in the girls’ meet with 81 points. Melanie Cloutier took second behind Morin in the 100 and took first in the 200 by nearly a half-second. She also placed first in the javelin. Samantha Hill, with a jump of eight feet, won the pole vault for the Vikings.

The Greyhounds’ top scores on the girls’ side included Katy Fitzgerald in the high jump, Caity Gamache and Sierra Guay in the race walk and first place finishes in all three relays.