FOC: Inside Look at the top Girls Individuals
The girls race at FOC is wide open this fall, with several athletes capable of stepping up and taking home the title. Defending champion Kialeigh Marston of Bonny Eagle is back, she's raced only once to this point in the season so it's hard to guage where her fitness realy is based on 2014 results, however Marston is a real talent, she the won the Class A title last fall in her first xc season, and ran a blistering 18:42.9 to win FOC last year. The time was the 10th fastest in meet history.
Last year's freshman champion Anne Guadalupi of Cony has had a strong fall, she has run under 19 minutes for 5k with her 18:59 effort at Lawrence, she is coming into FOC running at the top of her game, and could win the seeded race as a sophomore. Brunswick's Tessa Cassidy is another harrier to keep an eye on, Cassidy who finished 15th a year ago is coming off her fastest performance of the season as he clocked 19:46 on her home course. Speaking of freshman race, last year's runner-up Tia Tardy has been unbeatable this fall and comes into FOC looking to keep that streak in tact. Tardy has been very consistent all fall, he rlast race out was a 19:19 effort to win the Sectional XC invitational.
2013 third place finisher Anne McKee (Kent's Hill) has been sidelined by injury for a few weeks, she said earlier this week she pfelt good and planed on racing, it's hard to guage her fitness at this time, but she did mention she had been cross-training. McKee is a talent, she borke 19 minutes last fall at FOC when she crossed the finish line in 18:59.40
One of the favorites to win the freshman race is Anna Slager of Gorham. The freshman has been one of the best runners in the SMAA, only losing to Marshwood's Maddy Doyle at Vaughn Woods, her last time out she ran a lifetime best 19:31 defeating Casey Lring of South Portland by 29 seconds. Loring is another runner to watch to Saturday after finishing 7th in 2013, Loring is off to a strong start as one of the best runner in the SMAA, her 20:00 was a seasonal bet last week.
The out of state talent to be aware is Amy Laverty of Cumberland, RI who placed 9th a season ago, Laverty hasn't raced in a while so expect her to have fresh leg looking to have a big race. She's no stranger to success as she won the freshman race 2 years ago. Also Betsy Dumais of Burrillville, RI is another out of state competitor to watch, Dumais has a best time of 19:50 on the year, and was a 10th in the race a season ago. In the freshman race all eyes will be on Erin Magill of Harwood Union, VT, Magill is coming off a 19:59 performance at the Manchester Invitational where she placed 11th in the small school race.
Marshwood's Maddy Doyle has been turning it on as of late, she ran the 2nd fastest time in course history at the always tough Vaughn Woods course, and then followed that up with a 15th place finish in the small school race at Manchester, where she was the 3rd Maine runner to cross the line. Right behind Doyle at Manchester was senior Hannah Austin of NYA, Austin placed 11th in this race last year, and comes into the race having several consistent races including a sub 20 effort two weeks ago.
Two others to runners that figure to be in the mix are Hannah Steelman of Orono who has paced the Red Riots to an undefeated season to this point. Steelman has been a big part of that team success finishing 2nd to Tia Tardy on several occassions, and last time out ran 19:28.94 at the Sectional XC Invite. MDI's Waylon Henggeler was the runner directly in front of Steelman last weekend running 19:28, Henggeler is a top talent who placed 14th in FOC last fall, and is moving in the right direction, she'll try to get that low stick for the Trojans as they look to win the team title again.
Hampden Academy's Elizabeth Labun is having a strong senior season, Labun already has a 19:29.60 for 5k this fall. A year ago she placed 24th and will be looking to improve on that on Saturday. She was just 10 seconds back of Guadalupi last week at Cony so she's running a high level right now.
The Contenders
Kialeigh Marston (Bonny Eagle)
Grade: Sr.
Last Year: FOC Champion
Fastest Time at Belfast: 18:42.94 (10th fastest in meet history)
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:01.00 | 1st | 2014-09-12 | SMAA:BE-McA-San-@ TA |
Anne Guadalupi (Cony)
Grade: So.
Last Year: Won freshman race, 8th fastest overall
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:05.73
2014 Season 5k's
| 21:02.50 | 1st | 2014-09-26 | KVAC: MCI, Bel, Brw, Wtv, HA, CH, Mar, EL @Cony | |
| 19:37.00 | 1st | 2014-09-19 | KVAC: LA, Law, Cam, Cony, Ersk, Bel, Ocean @Medomak Valley | |
| 18:59.00 | 1st | 2014-09-11 | KVAC: Ox Hills, Brw, Bruns, Cony, Mt B, MCI, Sko, HA @Lawrence | |
| 20:46.00 | 1st | 2014-09-05 | KVAC: Belfast, Erskine, Cony, Morse, Camden Hills @ Winslow |
Tessa Cassidy (Brunswick)
Grade: Jr.
Last Year: 15th
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:39.21
2014 Season 5k's
| 19:48.67 | 1st | 2014-09-25 | KVAC: Mt Ararat, Morse, Mt Blue @Brunswick | |
| 20:44.21 | 1st | 2014-09-19 | KVAC: Morse, Brunswick, Waterville @Mt Ararat | |
| 19:06.80 | 2nd | 2014-09-11 | KVAC: Ox Hills, Brw, Bruns, Cony, Mt B, MCI, Sko, HA @Lawrence | |
| 21:14.00 | 1st | 2014-09-05 | KVAC: Brunswick, Ox Hills, Leavitt, Mt Ararat @ Maranacook |
Anne McKee (Kent’s Hill)
Grade: Jr.
Last Year: 3rd
Fastest Time at Belfast: 18:59.40
2014 Season 5k's
Hasn't run any because of injury
Tia Tardy (Orono)
Grade: So.
Last Year: 2nd in freshman race, 19th overall
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:56.51
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:16.90 | 1st | 2014-09-30 | Lynx Invitational | |
| 19:19.24 | 1st | 2014-09-27 | Sectional XC Invitational |
Amy Laverty (Cumberland, RI)
Grade: Jr
Last Year: 9th
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:23.07
2014 Season 5k's
| 19:55.60 | 2nd | 2014-09-06 | Injury Fund X-C Carnival |
Anna Slager (Gorham)
Grade: Fr
Last Year: DNC
Fastest Time at Belfast: N/A
2014 Season 5k's
| 19:31.00 | 1st | 2014-09-26 | SMAA: Por-San-SP @ Gorham | |
| 21:58.00 | 2nd | 2014-09-19 | SMAA: Bid-Gor-McA @Marshwood | |
| 20:10.00 | 1st | 2014-09-12 | SMAA: De-Go-No@ Westbrook | |
| 20:35.00 | 1st | 2014-08-28 | Jack Wilkinson Invitational |
Casey Loring (South Portland)
Grade: Jr
Last Year: DNC
Fastest Time at Belfast: N/A
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:00.00 | 2nd | 2014-09-26 | SMAA: Por-San-SP @ Gorham |
Betsy Dumais (Burrillville, RI)
Grade: Sr
Last Year: 10th place
Fastest Time at Belfast: N/A
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:49.00 | 1st | 2014-09-19 | Blackstone Valley Invitational | |
| 19:50.88 | 7th | 2014-09-06 | Injury Fund X-C Carnival |
Maddy Doyle (Marshwood)
Grade: Sr
Last Year: 43rd
Fastest Time at Belfast: 20:31.46
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:07.00 | 15th | 2014-09-27 | Manchester Invitational | |
| 26:59.00 | 26th | 2014-09-26 | SMAA: Deer-Msh-TA @ Scarborough | |
| 21:32.00 | 1st | 2014-09-19 | SMAA: Bid-Gor-McA @Marshwood |
Hannah Austin (NYA)
Grade: Sr
Last Year: 12th
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:27.16
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:12.90 | 17th | 2014-09-27 | Manchester Invitational | |
| 19:46.00 | 1st | 2014-09-20 | WMC: GNG, NYA, Traip, Wells @ Fryeburg | |
| 19:49.00 | 3rd | 2014-09-12 | WMC: Greely, Kennebunk,NYA, Poland @ Merriconeag | |
| 20:09.91 | 1st | 2014-09-05 | WMC: Freeport, Merriconeag, Yarmouth @ NYA |
Waylon Henggeler (MDI)
Grade: Sr
Last Year: 14th
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:31.72
2014 Season 5k's
| 19:27.70 | 2nd | 2014-09-27 | Sectional XC Invitational |
Elizabeth Labun (Hampden Academy)
Grade: Sr
Last Year: 24th
Fastest Time at Belfast: 19:32.85
2014 Season 5k's
| 21:12.70 | 2nd | 2014-09-26 | KVAC: MCI, Bel, Brw, Wtv, HA, CH, Mar, EL @Cony | |
| 19:29.60 | 3rd | 2014-09-11 | KVAC: Ox Hills, Brw, Bruns, Cony, Mt B, MCI, Sko, HA @Lawrence | |
| 19:59.45 | 1st | 2014-09-05 | KVAC: Brewer, Hampden, Waterville, Bangor @ Skowhegan |
Hannah Steelman (Orono)
Grade: So
Last Year: DNC
Fastest Time at Belfast: 20:35.04
2014 Season 5k's
| 20:44.00 | 2nd | 2014-09-30 | Lynx Invitational | |
| 19:28.94 | 3rd | 2014-09-27 | Sectional XC Invitational |
Others to Watch
Laken Kerrigan (Seacoast) was 19th in the small school race at Manchester last weekend, 20:27
Gabbi Pabst (Westbrook) Pabst has a 2 race winning streak coming into FOC
Halee Phelps (Wetsbrook) Phelps has been a shadow of Pabst all season long expect the same on Saturday
Haley Lawrence (Ellsworth) Lawrence broke through at the Sectional XC meet last weekend running 19:31 for 5k
Rhoen Fiutak (Cape Elizabeth) Fiutak has won all but one of the races she'e been in this fall. placed 23rd last year
Olivia Skillings (Merriconeag) Skillings will be contending for the freshman race win, has been outstanding this fall, coming off back to back wins
Mira Wyman (Falmouth) Wyman has been in the top 5 of all her races this fall, and last time out took the win, placed 45th in 2013
Grace Cowles (Yarmouth) Cowles new the XC this fall has made an immediate impact, her best effort of the year was 20:28 clocking at Twin Brook
Maggie Hickey (Mt Blue) Hickey is having a trong sophomore campaign that includes a 20:17 5k pr