Middletown — When East Lyme boys' track coach Steve Hargis scored Tuesday's Class MM state championship out prior to the event, giving each member of his team the number of points for which they were slotted, he came up with 58.

Hargis, however, has seen his team exceed expectations all season and this was no exception.

The Vikings got wins from Josh Leffingwell in the pole vault in a personal best 13 feet, 6 inches, and from Greg Atkinson in the 300-meter hurdles in 40.01 seconds, with the team intermittently leading throughout the day before settling for a runner-up finish behind Hillhouse.

Hillhouse won by a final margin of 95-83.5, with East Lyme, this year's Eastern Connecticut Conference indoor and outdoor track champion, remaining within striking distance until the final event of the day, the 4x400 relay. Hillhouse was first in the 4x400 in 3:28.70 and East Lyme, led by anchor Brandon Dinsmore, was second in 3:29.03.

“I love this team,” said Leffingwell, who beat Lyman Hall's Ryan Woolley in a jump-off to claim the pole vault. “I don't think I would want to be on any other team. We have all types of people on the team. You couldn't take any one out. You'd miss them.”

“We're a humble team,” Atkinson said. “We don't fight each other. We hang out together. Everybody is nice, I think.”

The Vikings started out with the lead, finishing second in the 4x800 with Dinsmore, Jarett Mirecki, Colvert Moore and Van Moffett and third in the 4x100, where they were seeded seventh, with Atkinson, Evan Tryon, Jared Ayers and Declan Constable.

Atkinson was second in the 110 hurdles, edged at the finish by Shawn Fletcher of Hillhouse.

Hillhouse made its big gain in the 100 meters and 110 hurdles, scoring 28 points. East Lyme, undaunted, came back with 25 points in the next two events, including its two victories, and continued to score.

The East Lyme girls finished third as a team with 46 points, trailing Windsor (93) and Nonnewaug (58).

Two other individual champions in the Class MM meet were from Ledyard. Michael Lopes won the long jump with a leap of 21-5.25, avenging a loss at the ECC meet to New London's Jelani Lucas, who was second Tuesday. Also, the Colonels' Megan Brawner won the 800 in 2:22.44, having come from behind to nearly win the 1,600 earlier but settling for second. That made her decide to race from out in front in the 800, which proved to be successful.

In the pole vault, Leffingwell was tied with Woolley through 13-0, but both missed at 13-6, creating the need for the tiebreaker. The first attempt for both jumpers came at 13-6 once again. Woolley missed.

Leffingwell, who said he's often wished for a fourth attempt at the elusive height, cleared it on his first try. Woolley was one of the first to congratulate Leffingwell, lifting him in the air.

“I just need that fourth one,” Leffingwell said. “I've just come so close to that height so many times. It's like when the bar's at a height I'm comfortable with, I relax. It's instinct. It's instilled in me I've done it this many times.”

Atkinson topped Matt Baum of Sheehan and Fletcher of Hillouse, his previous adversary in the 110 hurdles, to win the 300 hurdles.

“Shawn Fletcher all day, every day. Indoor, outdoor. I wanted that 'W' so bad,” Atkinson said.

Other highlights for the Vikings came from Dinsmore, third in the 400; Andrew Peitzsch, fourth in the pole vault; Konstantinos Lanis, tied for fourth in the high jump; Moffett, fifth in the 3,200; and Kenneth Blinn, fifth in the shot put.

Tim LaDuca (fourth), Connor Parker (sixth) and Kevin O'Sullivan (eighth) teamed for 10 points in the javelin and Ayers, Joshua Lopez, Tryon and Dinsmore formed the Vikings' 4x400 team which was second in its best time of the season.

“That was fun. Good stuff,” Hargis said. “In my tenure, this is the largest group we've ever taken to (the State Open). They're all young kids that look and listen.”

For Ledyard, Steven Boyd was third in the pole vault, Lopes fifth in the 200 and Aaron Norcia fifth in the 800. Fitch's Brian Robinson was second in the discus and teammate Eli Rosario Vega fourth in the shot put.

On the girls' side, East Lyme's Gianna Folz was second in the 100 hurdles, fifth in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump, Haley Ashton second in the 300 hurdles, Kristen Foster third in the shot put and Shawn Dousis fourth in the pole vault.

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday