Caitlin Nickerson, a Grade 11 student at Central Kings, was competing in pole vault. As the only senior girl in the competition, she was guaranteed first place and a berth at regionals, but that didn’t stop her clearing the bar at 1.8 metres.
“I like pole vault,” she said. “I like the feeling of going over the bar. It’s a thrill.”
Even though she had no competition in her age group, Nickerson has no shortage of fellow vaulters to train with: both senior boys and younger vaulters.
“We’re really the only school around here that gets into pole vaulting as seriously as we do,” Nickerson said.
As for the shortage of senior girls, she said, “we had quite a few last year, but most of them graduated.”
Nickerson “really loves track and field.” She also competed in javelin May 23 and placed fourth overall, earning a spot in a second event at regionals.
See a slideshow of photos from the event here.
Pascal Doucette, a Grade 10 student at Ecole Rose des Vents in Greenwood, has been doing track and field since Grade 6 or 7. Although he also competed in shot put at the district meet, Doucette is mainly a runner, both on the track in the spring and on the cross-country trails in the fall.
“I’m a runner,” he says. “I love to run.”
There isn’t a wide range of sports at Rose des Vents, but in addition to track and field and cross-country, Doucette has played badminton and some basketball. He also plays Tier 1 soccer for Valley United.
He was enjoying sitting in the stands at the track and field meet, waiting for his next chance to compete.
“This is a great meet,” he said. “So many athletes from so many schools. Not even the rain can dampen the atmosphere.”
Doucette placed second overall in the 400, beaten only by a record-setting performance from Mackenzie Beattie of Central Kings. He was fourth in the 100, less than half a second behind the winner, and second in shot put.
Doucette also ran both relays. Rose des Vents was sixth in the 4x100, but was disqualified in the 4x400.
Horton Grade 11 student Gillian Cumby plays basketball and soccer, but really enjoys track and field.
“It’s so much fun, especially the school competition,” Cumby said. “Everybody is involved at districts. It’s a fun meet.”
The Horton senior team was “a little low on numbers,” having lost some strong runners to graduation, “but the athletes we have are strong.”
In part years, Cumby has competed in long jump and triple jump, but this year, she was concentrating on track events – “the 200, 400, the hurdles and both relays.”
She ended up winning the hurdles, the 200 and the 400, and also helped Horton to first in the 4x400 relay. The 4x100 team placed fourth, which was enough to qualify for regionals in that event as well.
Record setting
The all-weather track and field facility at Acadia lived up to its billing for the Kings-West Hants District track and field meet May 22-23.
Despite drizzle and showers for most of Friday and showers for part of Saturday, the meet went without a hitch, and in addition, nine new district records were set – three in track events and six in field events. They included:
• Ellen Laurence of KCA won the junior girls discus, with a new record throw of 20.08 metres with the new .75 kg discus
• Ashley Rogers of Coldbrook won the junior girls’ pole vault, tying the existing district record of 1.80 metres.
• Jenna Seaboyer of King’s-Edgehill won the senior girls shot put with a new record throw of 10.97 metres
• Jane Hergett of Horton won the intermediate girls 400, with a new record time of 1:01.84
• Julia Schmidt of King’s-Edgehill won the intermediate girls javelin with a new record throw of 25.20 metres using a 500-gram javelin
• Jaden Perry of Berwick won the junior boys 800-metres in a new record time of 2:12.12, breaking a record that had stood since 1979
• Owen Hebb of NKEC set a new record in the senior boys long jump of 6.44 metres, breaking a record that had stood since 1983
• Brock O’Brien of Horton won the senior boys’ shot put with a new record throw of 12.81 metres
• Mackenzie Beattie of CK won the intermediate boys 400-metres in a new record time of 52.52.
Caitlin Nickerson, a Grade 11 student at Central Kings, was competing in pole vault. As the only senior girl in the competition, she was guaranteed first place and a berth at regionals, but that didn’t stop her clearing the bar at 1.8 metres.
“I like pole vault,” she said. “I like the feeling of going over the bar. It’s a thrill.”
Even though she had no competition in her age group, Nickerson has no shortage of fellow vaulters to train with: both senior boys and younger vaulters.
“We’re really the only school around here that gets into pole vaulting as seriously as we do,” Nickerson said.
As for the shortage of senior girls, she said, “we had quite a few last year, but most of them graduated.”
Nickerson “really loves track and field.” She also competed in javelin May 23 and placed fourth overall, earning a spot in a second event at regionals.
See a slideshow of photos from the event here.
Pascal Doucette, a Grade 10 student at Ecole Rose des Vents in Greenwood, has been doing track and field since Grade 6 or 7. Although he also competed in shot put at the district meet, Doucette is mainly a runner, both on the track in the spring and on the cross-country trails in the fall.
“I’m a runner,” he says. “I love to run.”
There isn’t a wide range of sports at Rose des Vents, but in addition to track and field and cross-country, Doucette has played badminton and some basketball. He also plays Tier 1 soccer for Valley United.
He was enjoying sitting in the stands at the track and field meet, waiting for his next chance to compete.
“This is a great meet,” he said. “So many athletes from so many schools. Not even the rain can dampen the atmosphere.”
Doucette placed second overall in the 400, beaten only by a record-setting performance from Mackenzie Beattie of Central Kings. He was fourth in the 100, less than half a second behind the winner, and second in shot put.
Doucette also ran both relays. Rose des Vents was sixth in the 4x100, but was disqualified in the 4x400.
Horton Grade 11 student Gillian Cumby plays basketball and soccer, but really enjoys track and field.
“It’s so much fun, especially the school competition,” Cumby said. “Everybody is involved at districts. It’s a fun meet.”
The Horton senior team was “a little low on numbers,” having lost some strong runners to graduation, “but the athletes we have are strong.”
In part years, Cumby has competed in long jump and triple jump, but this year, she was concentrating on track events – “the 200, 400, the hurdles and both relays.”
She ended up winning the hurdles, the 200 and the 400, and also helped Horton to first in the 4x400 relay. The 4x100 team placed fourth, which was enough to qualify for regionals in that event as well.
Record setting
The all-weather track and field facility at Acadia lived up to its billing for the Kings-West Hants District track and field meet May 22-23.
Despite drizzle and showers for most of Friday and showers for part of Saturday, the meet went without a hitch, and in addition, nine new district records were set – three in track events and six in field events. They included:
• Ellen Laurence of KCA won the junior girls discus, with a new record throw of 20.08 metres with the new .75 kg discus
• Ashley Rogers of Coldbrook won the junior girls’ pole vault, tying the existing district record of 1.80 metres.
• Jenna Seaboyer of King’s-Edgehill won the senior girls shot put with a new record throw of 10.97 metres
• Jane Hergett of Horton won the intermediate girls 400, with a new record time of 1:01.84
• Julia Schmidt of King’s-Edgehill won the intermediate girls javelin with a new record throw of 25.20 metres using a 500-gram javelin
• Jaden Perry of Berwick won the junior boys 800-metres in a new record time of 2:12.12, breaking a record that had stood since 1979
• Owen Hebb of NKEC set a new record in the senior boys long jump of 6.44 metres, breaking a record that had stood since 1983
• Brock O’Brien of Horton won the senior boys’ shot put with a new record throw of 12.81 metres
• Mackenzie Beattie of CK won the intermediate boys 400-metres in a new record time of 52.52.
The all-weather track and field facility at Acadia lived up to its billing for the Kings-West Hants District track and field meet May 22-23.
Despite drizzle and showers for most of Friday and showers for part of Saturday, the meet went without a hitch, and in addition, nine new district records were set – three in track events and six in field events. There were also several multiple event winners, in each of the six divisions.
In junior girls, Hannah Fuller of EMS won the 400, 800 and 1,500-metres. Maddy Ross of Coldbrook won the 100-metres and high jump and was second in 400-metres.
Erica Rafuse of Pine Ridge won the 200-metres, Isabella Akao of EMS the 3,000-metres and triple jump, Taylor O‘Leary of West Hants the hurdles, Sophie Fraser of King’s-Edgehill the shot put and Eloise Callaghan of Wolfville the long jump.
Ellen Laurence of KCA won the discus, with a new record throw of 20.08 metres with the new .75 kg discus, and javelin, and was third in long jump.
Ashley Rogers of Coldbrook won the junior girls’ pole vault, tying the existing district record of 1.80 metres. Rogers was second in high jump and triple jump and third in long jump.
Macy Chiasson of Coldbrook was second in 800, 1,500 and 3,000 metres. Emma Fulton of Pine Ridge was second in discus and javelin, Eden Bishop of Pine Ridge was second in 400-metres and Sophie Hibbert of Pine Ridge second in 100-metres.
Sara Cumby of EMS was second in 200-metres and third in triple jump.
Pine Ridge won the 4x100 relay and was second in 4x400, which was won by EMS.
In intermediate girls, Katherine Traves of CK won the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 metres.
Jane Hergett of Horton won the 400, with a new record time of 1:01.84, and the 200. Meghan MacLeod of Horton won the 100 and was second in 200.
Julia Schmidt of King’s-Edgehill won the javelin with a new record throw of 25.20 metres using a 500-gram javelin, won hurdles and was third in high jump.
Jayda Veinot of Horton won the high jump, Katelyn Meister of CK the pole vault, Taylor Kehoe of Horton the long jump, Kenzie Cecchetto of KES the discus and Adrie Cameron of CK the triple jump. Horton swept both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Meredith Chambers of KES was second in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 and Emma Deputter of Landmark East third in the same three events.
Natasha Kennedy of CK was second in high jump and triple jump, Hannah Benedict of West Hants was second in 100-metres and hurdles, Grace Bird of Horton second in shot put and discus, and Horton’s Sydney Boyachuk second in shot put.
Brianna Hill of CK was third in shot put, discus and javelin.
In senior girls, Gillian Cumby of Horton won the 200 and 400-metres and hurdles. Emily MacArthur of Horton won the 1,500 and 3,000. Katie Russell of NKEC won the long jump and triple jump, and Caitlyn Nickerson of CK won the pole vault.
Jenna Seaboyer of King’s-Edgehill won the shot put with a new record throw of 10.97 metres and also won the discus.
Sarah Hickman of KES won the 100-metres and was second in 200 and 400. Jackie Stevens of CK won the 800 and was second 200 and 1,500.
Jenna Breckon of West Kings won the high jump and was third in discus. Meaghan Nicholson of NKEC won the javelin and was third in shot put.
Pheline Muller of Horton was second in pole vault and long jump. Erin Cecchetto of KES was second in triple jump and third in 100, 200, 3,000 and hurdles. Paige Chisholm of NKEC was third in 800, 1,500 and 3,000-metres.
NKEC won the 4x100 relay, and Horton was first in 4x400.
In junior boys, Jaden Perry of Berwick won the 800-metres in a new record time of
2:12.12, breaking a record that had stood since 1979, the 3,000-metres and javelin.
Andrew Canete of KES won the 100 and 200, Mitchell Vaughan of KCA the 400, and Keegan Vanderkloet the hurdles.
Logan Potter of KCA won the long jump and shot put, Brennan Foote of CK the pole vault and John Van Luxemborg of KCA the discus.
Hudson McCarthy of Hantsport won the long jump and was third in discus. Colton Balsor of CK won the triple jump and was second in shot put. Sam Cadrain of Berwick won the 1,500 and was second in the 3,000.
Callum Pufahl of Wolfville was second in high jump and triple jump. Owen Kidston of EMS was second in 400 and 3,000 and third in 800. Jayden Simmonds of EMS was second in discus and Mark Corkum of KCA second in hurdles.
Wolfville won the 4x100 relay and Berwick captured the 4x400.
In intermediate boys, Ryan Hebb of Avon View won the 100 and 200-metres and long jump. Coleman Hooper of Horton won the 800, 1,500 and 3,000-metres.
Mackenzie Beattie of CK won the 400-metres in a new record time of 52.52.
Griffin Abbott of NKEC won the triple jump, was second in high jump and third in long jump and discus. Dan Lord of West Hants won the high jump, was second in 100 and long jump and third in hurdles.
Nick Clarke, Austin Visser and Eric Visser, all of CK, were 1-2-3 in pole vault. Nick Kane of CK won the shot put, and Connor Ross of CK the discus.
Kristof Mercier of Ecole Rose des Vents won the javelin, and Noah James of West Hants won the hurdles and was third in 100 and 200.
Pascal Doucette of Rose des Vents was second in the 400 and shot put. Parker King of Horton was second in 200 and third in 100, Logan Way of West Kings was second in 800, Jonah Shankel of CK was second in 3,000 and third in 1,500, Toki Onishi of NKEC was second in 1,500, and Geoff Mullen of CK was third in 400 and high jump.
CK won the 4x400 and was second in 4X100. West Hants won the 4x100 and was second in 4x400.
In senior boys, Owen Hebb of NKEC won the hurdles, triple jump and long jump, the latter in a new record of 6.44 metres, breaking a record that had stood since 1983. Hebb was also second in pole vault.
Brock O’Brien of Horton won the senior boys’ shot put with a new record throw of 12.81 metres. Horton also swept the relays.
Anthony Sabourin-Caron of Rose des Vents won the 100 and 200. Bryden Dunphy of Horton won the 800 and 1,500.
Owen Lee of Horton won the 400, was second in 200 and third in 100. Scott Waechter of NKEC won the 3,000 and was second in hurdles. Anthony Jacques of Rose des Vents won the high jump and was third in long jump. Nathan McCarthy of CK won the discus and javelin, and Ben Best of CK the pole vault.
Isaac Melanson of Horton was second in shot put, discus and javelin. Eli Hughes of NKEC was second in 100, and Jesse Gates of CK was second in high jump.
Isaac Hazel of Avon View was second in long jump and third in triple jump, and Jadon Abriel of West Kings was second in triple jump and third in high jump.
Joe Stymest of West Kings was third in 200 and 400, Matthew Prosper of KES third in shot put and discus, and Hanley Palmer of West Kings third in 800 and 1,500.
In the special athlete competition, Katelyn Robicheau of CK won the junior long jump, Kelty Reeves of NKEC won the junior girls’ 100 and shot put, Serenne Carleton of NKEC won the senior girls’ 100, long jump and shot put.
Mitchell Sizaire of EMS won the junior boys’ 100. Jason Fike of CK won the junior boys’ long jump and shot put. Tyler Carter of Horton won the senior boys’ senior boys’ 100 and long jump, and Andrew Jenner of CK won the senior boys’ shot put.