One Shoe, No Problem for Luke Laverdiere

WMC Championship

Derek Veilleux

Oct 16, 2015

One Shoe, No Problem for Luke Laverdiere

Freeport & Ryan Morrison best in D1, Wells best team in D2

Boys D1 Results | Boys D2 Results | JV Boys Results | Boys Overall

Race Videos: Varsity Boys | JV Boys

Photos : Varsity Boys | JV Boys

Sophomore Luke Laverdiere of Yarmouth lost his right show in the first 800m of the race, but didn't let that stop him from cruising through the first mile in 4:58 en route to his 16:35 winning effort, 14 seconds better than D1 Champion Ryan Morrison of Greely. Luke's winning time was the 5th fastest in course history.

During the first 200m someone stepped on the back of Laverdiere heel, he ran the next half mile with a "flat tire" before kicking the right show off before the mile mark. He would run the next 2 miles through woody trails with just one shoe, but it barely look like it slowed him down.

"I was looking to see how fast I could go on this course." Laverdiere said post race, he said the race taught him not to have excuses.

After going through in 4:58, he had opened up a 14 second lead over the chase pack of Chandler Vincent (Freeport), Ryan Morrison (Greely), Patrick Carty (Fryeburg) & Jeremiah Sands (Falmouth).

Luke continued to push as he hit two miles in 10:20, Morrison broke away from the chase pack and was running alone in second 16 seconds back. Vincent was in third another 4 seconds back,

Joining the top runners was Kyle Hansen of Greely, along with Carty & Sean Soucy of Falmouth. Back in 7th place with a mile to go was Henry Jacques of Freeport.

In the last mile there was much that changed, as Laverdiere navigated his way through the rocky section on his way to a fine 16:35 clocking, he would finish 14 seconds up on D1 champion Ryan Morrison of Greely.

Next was Vincent of Freeport who has been battling a foot injury for the last month, he took a cortisone shot on Friday morning, and it helped him finish 3rd as he broke 17 minutes with his 16:55. His teammate Jaques had the best close over the final mile moving from 7th up to 4th overall in 17:00.

Soucy rounded out the top 5 at 17:05, while Hansen of Greely finished two seconds later. Carty was 7th, and the second D2 runner across the line, while Rex Brockelman of York closed well for 8th.

The D1 team race couldn't have been much closer as the top 3 were separated by just 1 point each. #7 Freeport the defending Class B state champion edged #4 York 57-58, while fellow Class B rival #5 Greely was 3rd at 59 points, all three beat #2 ranked Falmouth who scored 68.

In D2 it was Wells winning the title by 4 points over Yarmouth.

In the combined team results York & Freeport tied at 77, but the Wildcats got the tie-breaker on the strength of their #6 runner.