WASHBURN, Maine — With the Class C state track and field championship meet set for Saturday in Westbrook, the Beavers hope to turn in some strong performances behind a team that includes some seasoned veterans and a talented rookie.
The Beavers’ foursome of Carsyn Koch, Tyra Shaw, Joan Overman and Tori Koch established school and Aroostook County championship records in the 4×100-meter relay held May 23 in Caribou and hope to make a run at first place this weekend as well.
Carsyn Koch has won multiple individual state titles during her first three years of competition and is hoping to close out her high school athletic career in style. She has won championships in the high jump, the 100-meter dash, the 800-meter run and the 1,600-meter run in the past.
The senior standout is a two-time winner of the Howard Lello Award, given to the top scorer at the Aroostook League Championship.
Her younger sister, Tori, has burst onto the varsity track and field scene with immediate success. In addition to her important role on the relay team, she won the 100 and the long jump at the County Meet and despite being a freshman was one of the top individual scorers in the meet.
Washburn coach Sean Diette said the Koch sisters are special athletes.
“They both hold themselves to very high standards of competition, and work hard to achieve them,” he said. “These two girls always feel they can do better and that they need to reach a higher level, even if they have already beaten every other athlete in their event.
“This drive, combined with their natural ability, make them impossible to stop in any event that they do,” he added.
Overman is recovering from shoulder surgery and is just making her way back onto the track after missing a bulk of the season.
“She has pushed hard with her rehab and has worked hard in practice to be able to return,” Diette said.
Shaw has also been diligent in practice, refining her technique in the individual events of the long jump and 100, and has been a dependable performer for the Beavers.
Marianne Helton is the team’s other returning veteran. New to track and field this season are Danielle Cyr for the girls and Gary Hewitt, Zach Roman and Bryce Roix for the boys.
Diette said all have experienced consistent improvement in their events due to their hard work. Roix, in fact, set personal bests in the javelin and the discus at the County Meet, beating his previous top mark in the discus by 14 feet.
Since Washburn does not have its own track to practice on, training is a challenge, but Diette said the team has been fortunate enough to be able use nearby facilities over the past several days leading up to the state meet.
