Scarborough boys, Bonny Eagle girls top in WM A, newcomers Cadorette & Marston individual winners
Photos: MaineTrackXC | Album 1 | Album 2 | Moosechili
Interviews: Ryan Cadorette | Colin Tardiff | Mike Aboud | Kialeigh Marston & Mary Szatkowski | Gabby Johnson
Girls Individual
The girls Class A race started fast as a sea of Falmouth blue went to the front, as they toured the 3.1 mile layou at Twin Brook in Cumberland, it would it would change to a sea of green.
By the mile mark Kialeigh Marston of Bonny Eagle lead the way with the Massabesic duo of Gabby Johnson & Angel Waters a fews strides behind, with Mary Szatkowski (BE) & Shannon Conley (South Portland) making up the top 5 lead pack.
At the 2 mile it was Marston & Szatkowski running stride for stride with eachother as they started to take full control of the race, following about 10 meters behind was Conley, Johnson & Waters.
Marston who had missed the previous 2 meets with an ankle injury pulled away in the final mile for the regional title, her time 19:29 was the 2nd fastest on the day. Szatkowski also had a strong run in second, 19:38. Gabby Johnson finished off her strong day in 3rd (19:52.07), holding off a big kick from Cheverus senior Kiera Murray (19:52.57).
South Portland's Casey Loring moved up to 5th (20:06) after being 8th at the 2 mile, right behind her was Maddy Doyle (Marshwood) 20:07. Waters of Massabesic was next in 8th place with Kristen Glennie (BE) 20:35 in 9th followed by Vishva Nalamalapu of Falmouth rounding out the top 10.
Team
Paced by the 1-2 finish of Marston & Szatkowski, the Scots of Bonny Eagle repeated as regional champions. Early on it at the mile Massabesic had 7 runners in front of Bonny Eagle's #4 runner, but the Scots showed great compsure and poise as they executed their race plan to perfection, by mile 2 they had seized control of the team race. Bonny Eagle tallied 59 to edge the Mustangs of Massabesic by 10 points. Falmouth running in the Class A West regional for the first time was thrid with (90). Cheverus was 4th (125), followed by Marshwood (171) & Sanford (181). Also advancing to the state meet was Windham (189) & South Portland (196). For South Portland getting to the state meet could be a second chance for top runner Shannon Conley, who was in 3rd before not finishing.
Boys Individual
With no clear cut favorite in the boys Class A west regional it was expected to be a great race, that was certainly the case, as there were several athletes in contention heading down the homestretch.
Setting the pace early on was junior Bryce Murdick of Falmouth, with Thornton Academy senior Ryan Cadorette, Gorham's Jesse Southard & Portland's Ben Allen.
At the mile Murdick & Cadorette had opened up a 5 meter gap on Southard & Allen. Behind them was big chase pack with led by Falmouth's Scott Lambert
By 2 miles Cadorette had taken over the lead with Murdick attached to his hip, the gap was 8 seconds to the chase pack now led by Lambert. Now in the pack was Yayha Hussein of Deering, Colin Tardiff (Scarborough), Southard, Jacob Terry (Scarborough) & Iid Sheikh-Yusef (Deering).
As the runners nagivated the hairpin turn heading for the final finishing straight it was Ryan Cadorette in the lead, he would go on to win in 17:00.60
Behind him sophomore Colin Tardiff, who moved from 5th place at the 2 mile, held off Michael Aboud (Massabesic) 17:03.37 to 17:03.57. Aboud, was 8th at 2 miles ran one of the best last mile's in the field.
Terry of Scarborough was next in 4th (17:07) while the early leader Murdick was 5th (17:08). Southard finished 6th (17:10) with Andrew Monagiat (Massabesic) taking 7th (17:10).
Lambert who was leading the chase pack at 2 miles was 9th (17:12), should be thanked for pushing the pace to catch the lead pack. Skeikn-Yusef rounded out the top ten (17:14).
In the end the top 10 was seperated by just 14 seconds.
Team
Scarborough the pre-meet favorite lived up to the billing as the Red Storm behind the 2-4 finish from Tardiff & Terry were 11 points better than runner-up Falmouth. Scarborough edged the Yacthsmen at each of the 5 scoring positions, Scarborough had a 1-5 pack time of 54 seconds, while Falmouth's poack time was 50 seconds.
Massabesic the defending regional champion was 3rd (112) with Windham (125) in 4th. Also advancing to the state meet was Gorham (139), South Portland (167), Deering (182) & Marshwood (216)