With one week to go until the NHIAA track and field division championships, the Belmont girls’ team showed its a favorite for the crown by winning the 23-team Wilderness League Championship at Newfound Regional High School on Saturday.

The Division III Red Raiders scored 88 points against a field of mostly D-III teams that Belmont will face again in just a few days at the Division III state championship next Saturday at Sanborn Regional High School.

Gilford (73.5), Kingswood (45), Newfound (44), Kearsarge (42), Mascoma (32), Kennett (30) and Bishop Brady (27) rounded out the top eight teams, with Winnisquam (8) tying for 17th.

Junior Ava Lacasse led Belmont by sweeping the sprints, winning the 100-meter dash by clocking a time of 12.67 seconds in the final, winning the 200 in 26.10 and anchoring the champion 4x100-meter relay (51.51) with teammates senior Talia Watson, freshman Mia Ellis and junior Hannah Young.

Belmont senior Adeline Takantjas swept the hurdles, winning the 100-meter hurdles in 16.30 seconds and winning the 300 hurdles in 48.45 seconds. She also won the triple jump crown with a leap of 34 feet, 6 inches.

Lacasse and Takantjas both went a perfect 4-for-4 by racing on Belmont’s 4x400 (4 minutes, 15 seconds) to a victory in the final event of the day with Ellis and senior Jaelyn Nialetz.

Senior Ava Tonkin (shot put), Ellis (100 hurdles) and the 4x800 of juniors Riley DeGange and Hailey Clairmont, freshman Jenna Laramie, and sophomore Devyn VonKadich took third place in their events to contribute to Belmont’s scoring.

The Red Raiders will be one of the favorites to take the Division III state title, along with defending champions Hopkinton.

Ainsley Frenkiewich (second pole vault, third long jump), Juliet Faria (fourth 100, fourth 200), Gabrielle Lamb (fourth discus, fifth shot put), Delaney Mercier (fourth javelin), Ellie Wimer (fourth 300 hurdles) and the third-place 4x100 scored points for Kearsarge.

Bishop Brady was led by Aleah Ryan (third triple jump, tied third high jump, fifth long jump), Sarah Allen (fourth long jump), Payton Bryson (fifth 100) and the runner-up 4x100.

Winnisquam had scoring from Denessa Williams (sixth 200) and Kaiden Robb (sixth 400), and two relays, the 4x400 (fourth) and 4x100 (fifth).

Payton Cloutier (10th 300 hurdles) was the top competitor for Franklin.

On the boys’ side, Mascoma took home the Wilderness title with 75 points. Inter-Lakes (55), Plymouth (47), Winnisquam (46) and Profile (45) were the top five teams.

Senior Brendan Goodwin won the 800 meters in 2:00.82 to lead Winnisquam - the top area team - and also anchored the champion 4x400 (3:34) with Colby Blackburn, Taber Haggett and Nolan Abbott.

Freshman Dayton Brigante won the pole vault title by clearing 9-6, and Victor Pham (third triple jump), Haggett (sixth javelin) and the second-place 4x100 also scored for the Bears.

Belmont (32) finished eighth and was led by David Tripp (second 110 hurdles), Christian Edgren (second triple jump), Brady Filteau (third shot put, fourth discus), Ethan Rivera (sixth shot put) and the fifth-place 4x100.

Kearsarge (24) tied for 11th with Ben Clough (second pole vault), Jacob Dunn (tied second high jump), Daniel Dalbec (fourth 3,200) and Thomas Cicoria (fifth high jump) scoring for the Cougars.

Junior Ryan Casey won both hurdle events, taking the 100 in 17.32 and the 300 in 45.63 to score all 20 of Bishop Brady’s points in a 13th-place finish.

Franklin (11) finished 17th and were led by senior Cole Johnson’s victory in the high jump (5-7), with teammate Nathan Holmes finishing second. David Ranlet (sixth 300 hurdles) also scored for the Tornadoes.

Both the Division III and Division II track and field championships will be held at Sanborn Regional High School on Saturday. D-I will be contested on Friday evening at Portsmouth High School.