ESSEX — Led by first-place finishes by Joe Darling and Gavin Bannister, the Mount Abraham Union High School boys’ track & field team took third place among 11 teams competing at the Essex Vacational Meet on April 21.

Bannister prevailed in the 300-meter hurdles and also took second in the 110 hurdles and sixth in the triple jump. Darling won the triple jump and also took second in the long jump and discus.

Alex Yaggy and Dustin Lavigne also scored in multiple events for the Eagles boys, whose total of 70 points trailed only host Essex (196) and Champlain Valley (143). Burlington (64) was fourth.

The Eagle girls’ team finished in a tie for 10th with Winooski with six points in a 12-team field. Essex (186) and South Burlington (136) finished well ahead of the pack.

Lauren Cousino’s fifth-place effort in the 800 in 2:54.24 was the best Eagle effort on the girls’ side. Maddie Donaldson scored the rest of the girls’ points with a pair of eighth-place efforts, running the 400 in 1:17.11 and leaping 12 feet, 0.25 inch in the long jump.

The Eagle boys’ scorers and their results were as follows:

• 400 meters: 8. Hugh Ball, 1:00.29.
• 110 hurdles: 2. Bannister, 17.61; 8. Lavigne, 24.93.
• 300 hurdles: 1. Bannister, 45.84.
• Triple jump: 1. Darling, 39-2.25; 6. Bannister, 33-2.5; 7. Lavigne, 30-6.25.
• Long jump: 2. Darling, 18-10.75.
• Shot put: 4. Yaggy, 37.45.
• Discus: 2. Darling, 99.6.
• Javelin: 2. Yaggy, 120-7; 3. Tristen Parker, 117-3; 6. Lavigne, 91-10.