Girls
There was plenty of excitement to go around at Saturday's Eastern Maine girls regional cross country championships at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast.
Not only that, but plenty of surprises.
The Brewer Witches ran perhaps their strongest race of the season in the Class A race, placing six runners in the top 20 to annex a 51-80 victory over runner-up Mt. Blue. Defending regional and state champ Brunswick finished third with 98 points, Bangor fourth with 132, Mount Ararat fifth with 147, Hampden Academy sixth with 166 and Lewiston rounded out the state-meet qualifiers with 171.
The Class B and C races were both excitingly close, and Mount Desert Island successfuly defended their Class B crown, winning for the third consecutive year and holding off a tough John Bapst team 68-70. Caribou finished third with 90, followed by Ellsworth (96), Presque Isle (132), Medomak Valley (174) and Leavitt (201).
Orono was perhaps the more surprising team of the day, knocking off two-time defending champ Mattanawcook in dramatic fashion, 61-64. George Stevens was right behind in third with 65 points, while Foxcroft took fourth with 72, Lee Academy fifth with 150 and Bangor Christian sixth with 155.
In Class A, Mt. Blue junior Melody Lam cracked the 20-minute barrier in the 5K for the first time in her career, leading wire-to-wire and touring the fast Belfast course in 19:46 on a day which was perfect for running.
Brewer's pack power was a bit too much for the Cougars, as Michelle Haluska (4th), Sara Chavarie (8th) and Kaitlin Noyes (10th) all earned top-10 finishes while Brooke Madden (14th), Ashley Geiser (15th) and Caitlyn Wilson (16th) packed in behind the top three soundly.
Bekah Clark rounded out Brewer's lineup in 32nd.
The spread between Haluska and Geiser was 1:18, a solid formula for winning in championship meets. The Witches competed Saturday without one of their top runners, Katie Snow, who had been sick all week.
Katie Porter spearheaded Bangor with a seventh-place effort, as the Rams also ran without one of their top athletes, Rachel Huber, who injured her ankle in practice recently.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Melody Lam JR Mt. Blue 19:46.17 1
2 Kate Spies SO Mt. Ararat 20:07.42 2
3 Kathleen McMahon FR Brunswick 20:17.30 3
4 Michelle Haluska SO Brewer High School 20:28.99 4
5 Morgan Beede JR Cony High School 20:35.55 5
6 Addie Cullenberg FR Mt. Blue 20:38.51 6
7 Katie Porter SR Bangor High School 20:54.83 7
8 Sara Chavarie FR Brewer High School 20:58.64 8
9 Meghan McDonough SO Brunswick 21:01.17 9
10 Kaitlin Noyes SR Brewer High School 21:05.54 10
11 Hannah Hart SR Edward Little 21:14.31 11
12 Kendall Lunn JR Bangor High School 21:16.73 12
13 Stephanie Elwell JR Edward Little 21:23.93 13
14 Brooke Madden SR Brewer High School 21:29.38 14
15 Ashley Geiser SR Brewer High School 21:31.02 15
16 Caitlyn Wilson SR Brewer High School 21:36.40 16
17 Erin Fitzsimmons JR Mt. Ararat 21:36.84 17
18 Shelby Aseltine SO Mt. Blue 21:37.22 18
19 Blakelee Jordan SO Hampden Academy 21:38.26 19
20 Gwen Beacham SO Mt. Blue 21:42.75 20
State Qualifying Teams
1 Brewer High School 51 4 8 10 14 15 16 32
Total Time: 1:45:33.57
Average: 21:06.72
2 Mt. Blue High School 80 1 6 18 20 35 37 48
Total Time: 1:46:18.92
Average: 21:15.79
3 Brunswick High School 98 3 9 24 28 34 36 49
Total Time: 1:48:08.26
Average: 21:37.66
4 Bangor High School 132 7 12 23 31 59 62 76
Total Time: 1:50:57.15
Average: 22:11.43
5 Mt. Ararat High School 147 2 17 38 39 51 58 69
Total Time: 1:51:45.10
Average: 22:21.02
6 Hampden Academy 166 19 30 33 41 43 45 53
Total Time: 1:52:48.93
Average: 22:33.79
7 Lewiston High School 171 22 25 26 27 71 75
Total Time: 1:54:23.48
Average: 22:52.70
In Class B, MDI apparently has a flare for the dramatic, as the held off Bapst by two points for the second consecutive week.
Heather Spurling's second-place finish led the Trojans, but it was Frances Blank in 21st who turned out to be the difference.
Blank finished two slots ahead of Bapst's No. 5 girl.
ALso for the Trojans, Kailyn Russell finished ninth, Mackenzie Curtis 17th and Kymry Brooks 19th.
Brianne Dunn of Ellsworth cruised to the day's fastest time, winning easily in 19:32.31.
Other top-10 finishers included Kim Spencer of Bapst, who was third, Dacie Manion of Old Town in fourth, Alecia Palmer of Presque Isle in fifth, Mary Jo Sheehan and Dayna Michaud of Caribou in sixth and eighth, Bapst's Sarah Dickens in seventh and Ellsworth's Hayley White in 10th.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Brianne Dunn SO Ellsworth 19:32.31 1
2 Heather Spurling SR Mdi 19:50.79 2
3 Kim Spencer JR John Bapst 19:57.17 3
4 Dacie Manion SO Old Town 20:05.59 4
5 Alecia Palmer SO Presque Isle 20:06.49 5
6 Mary Jo Sheehan SO Caribou High School 20:10.36 6
7 Sarah Dickens FR John Bapst 20:20.98 7
8 Dayna Michaud SO Caribou High School 20:38.95 8
9 Kailyn Russell SO Mdi 20:42.36 9
10 Hayley White SO Ellsworth 20:45.63 10
11 Rosie Vachon JR Ellsworth 20:47.95 11
12 Hannah Saunders SR Caribou High School 20:54.03 12
13 Laura Dacyczyn SR Leavitt 20:55.41 13
14 Gwen Moiles SO Medomak Valley 20:59.77 14
15 Mary Carmack FR John Bapst 21:05.41 15
16 Kate Goodness SR Old Town 21:10.64 16
17 Mackenzie Curtis JR Mdi 21:16.94 17
18 Adriana Walsh SO Winslow High School 21:25.19 18
19 Kymry Brooks SR Mdi 21:26.08 19
20 Katie Jacobs SR Waterville 21:26.12 20
State Qualifying Teams
1 Mount Desert Island High 68 2 9 17 19 21 26 28
Total Time: 1:44:44.55
Average: 20:56.91
2 John Bapst High School 70 3 7 15 22 23 37 47
Total Time: 1:44:36.02
Average: 20:55.21
3 Caribou High School 90 6 8 12 30 34 46 61
Total Time: 1:46:07.07
Average: 21:13.42
4 Ellsworth High School 96 1 10 11 36 38 60 74
Total Time: 1:46:06.16
Average: 21:13.24
5 Presque Isle High School 132 5 24 27 32 44 51 58
Total Time: 1:48:36.12
Average: 21:43.23
6 Medomak Valley High Schoo 174 14 29 41 42 48 50 59
Total Time: 1:51:25.56
Average: 22:17.12
7 Leavitt Area High School 201 13 31 45 49 63 69 78
Total Time: 1:53:07.25
Average: 22:37.45
In Class C, Orono tucked five scoring runners in the top 25 and that was the difference in holidng off Mattanawcook and GSA.
Sophie Arabadjis finished fifth among scoring athlets while Anne Davison was eighth and Leila Doerfler 11th.
Fort Kent's Grace Boutot and Kaitlyn Bernard finished 1-2 individually, with Boutot, also a competitive biathlete, clocking a 20:11.62.
The Warriors, however, could not field enough runners to compile a team score, as they only had four runners.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Grace Boutot SR Fort Kent 20:11.62
2 Kaitlyn Bernard SR Fort Kent 20:59.20
3 Chelsie Oldfield FR Foxcroft Academy 21:09.18 1
4 Jana Larlee SR Mattanawcook 21:25.58 2
5 Faith Mackey FR Searsport 22:04.94
6 Allegra Pellerano SR George Stevens 22:10.35 3
7 Annie Seekins SR Searsport 22:11.71
8 Bandy Carle FR Calais High School 22:15.96
9 Kelsey Ottmann SR Penquis 22:25.57
10 Hannah Ruhl SR Mattanawcook 22:43.17 4
11 Lauren Remington SO Calais High School 22:58.62
12 McKenna Peat JR Greenville 23:21.25
13 Destiny Neureuther FR Greater Houlton 23:24.50
14 Sophie Arabadjis SR Orono High School 23:29.97 5
15 Kimber Thomas JR Central High School 23:41.92
16 Grace Poulin SO Bangor Christian 23:50.84 6
17 Gretel Breton SO Greenville 23:54.57
18 Mindy Carter SO George Stevens 24:09.72 7
19 Kasi Parker SR Greater Houlton 24:13.92
20 Anne Davison SR Orono High School 24:22.45 8
State Qualifying Teams
1 Orono High School 61 5 8 11 12 25 32 42
Total Time: 2:03:58.25
Average: 24:47.65
2 Mattanawcook Academy 64 2 4 17 19 22 26 38
Total Time: 2:00:00.11
Average: 24:00.03
3 George Stevens Academy 65 3 7 14 20 21
Total Time: 2:01:43.99
Average: 24:20.80
4 Foxcroft Academy 72 1 9 13 16 33
Total Time: 2:03:43.07
Average: 24:44.62
5 Lee Academy 150 10 27 31 36 46
Total Time: 2:20:18.91
Average: 28:03.79
Boys
While Saturday was a day of continuting dynasties for two teams in the Eastern Maine boys cross country championships in Belfast, it was a day of redempiton for another.
The Caribou boys finished third here last year and second the two previous years, all three times with Ellsworth taking home the trophy.
This time, it was a different maroon team who ruled the trails, as the Vikings placed all five scoring runners in the top 15 to post a comfortable 57-89 over the three-time defending champion Eagles.
An improving MDI team ran to an impressive third with 128 points, followed by Medomak (145), Belfast (145), Leavitt (191), Erskine (221) and Winslow (228).
Lewiston breezed to its second straight Class A title, overwhelming Brunswick 51-93.
Mt. Blue was third with 140, Mount Ararat fourth with 141, Morse fifth with 144, Cony sixth with 152 and Hampden seventh with 154.
Foxcroft Academy also won in emphatic fashion, annexing its third straight Class C crown with 33 points.
Bangor Christian was second with 77 points while Orono was fourth with 103, Lee fourth with 108, Calais fifth (109), GSA sixth (151) and Schenck seventh (184).
In Class B, seniors Jesse Stephens and Steve Melbourne powered the Vikings proficient pack with seventh and ninth place finishes.
Finn Bondeson, Tim Freme and Christian Sleeper were right behind in 12th, 14th and 15th, respectively.
Sam Seekins of Erskine Academy went on to capture the individual crown, touring the fast 5K course in 16:39.49 while Ellsworth's Ben Chapman captured second and John Bapst freshman Gabe Stewart third. Ryan James of Belfast was fourth.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Sam Seekins JR Erskine Academy 16:39.49 1
2 Ben Chapman JR Ellsworth 16:51.88 2
3 Gabe Stewart FR John Bapst 16:52.61 3
4 Ryan James JR Belfast High School 17:09.26 4
5 Mike Nelson JR Waterville 17:16.52 5
6 Patrick O'Donnell JR Medomak Valley 17:18.26 6
7 Jesse Stephens SR Caribou High School 17:24.05 7
8 Lauren Turner SR Leavitt 17:29.44 8
9 Steve Melbourne SR Caribou High School 17:29.57 9
10 Ryan Widzgowski JR Camden Hills 17:30.22
11 Jeremiah Roper SR Ellsworth 17:32.71 10
12 Jeff Hale SO Waterville 17:34.43 11
13 Finn Bondeson JR Caribou High School 17:42.55 12
14 Alex Goldrup SR Medomak Valley 17:47.83 13
15 Tim Freme JR Caribou High School 17:50.85 14
16 Christian Sleeper SO Caribou High School 17:58.87 15
17 Colby Levesque SO Winslow High School 18:03.45 16
18 Jason Johnson SR Presque Isle 18:07.44 17
19 Sam Swann SO Mdi 18:07.44 18
20 True Muzzy FR Mdi 18:12.16 19
State Qualifying Teams
1 Caribou High School 57 7 9 12 14 15 38 65
Total Time: 1:28:25.89
Average: 17:41.18
2 Ellsworth High School 89 2 10 21 25 31 50 69
Total Time: 1:29:46.76
Average: 17:57.36
3 Mount Desert Island High 128 18 19 24 28 39 41 49
Total Time: 1:32:16.32
Average: 18:27.27
4 Medomak Valley High Schoo 145 6 13 36 44 46 59 70
Total Time: 1:32:12.55
Average: 18:26.51
5 Belfast High School 145 4 20 27 40 54 73 76
Total Time: 1:32:21.80
Average: 18:28.36
6 Leavitt Area High School 191 8 30 42 51 60 62
Total Time: 1:34:06.93
Average: 18:49.39
7 Erskine Academy 221 1 32 52 61 75 80 83
Total Time: 1:35:11.49
Average: 19:02.30
8 Winslow High School 228 16 37 43 58 74 78 79
Total Time: 1:36:16.74
Average: 19:15.35
In Class A, Lewiston made sure this one was never in doubt, as Robbie Leeman, Matt Driscoll and
Hussain Ibrahim all cracked the top 10, finishing fourth, fifth and sixth while Faisal Abdillahi was 11th.
Justin Leclair took 22nd to round out the Blue Devils' lineup.
Brunswick's Will Geoghegan outduled some of the region's other top runners to post the day's fastest time of 16:13.51. Morse's Jason Kaake finished second and Kelton Cullenberg of Mt. Blue third.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Will Geoghegan JR Brunswick 16:13.51 1
2 Jason Kaake JR Morse High School 16:16.63 2
3 Kelton Cullenberg JR Mt. Blue 16:21.61 3
4 Liam Cassidy JR Brunswick 16:37.46 4
5 Robbie Leeman SR Lewiston 16:43.34 5
6 Matt Driscoll SR Lewiston 16:52.96 6
7 Hussain Ibrahim SO Lewiston 16:54.83 7
8 Luke Fontaine JR Cony High School 17:03.45 8
9 Sebastian Peters JR Lawrence 17:04.02 9
10 Sam Nisbett JR Bangor High School 17:08.27 10
11 Faisal Abdillahi JR Lewiston 17:14.44 11
12 Tyler Gammon SR Edward Little 17:21.40 12
13 Will Lundquist SO Cony High School 17:22.71 13
14 Alonzo James JR Morse High School 17:30.87 14
15 Kory Scarponi JR Morse High School 17:32.36 15
16 Evan Piccirillo SO Hampden Academy 17:32.73 16
17 Michael Brooks SR Lawrence 17:39.49 17
18 Tyler Toothaker SR Mt. Ararat 17:40.07 18
19 Briar Beede JR Cony High School 17:41.18 19
20 Parker Merrill SR Brunswick 17:44.51 20
State Qualifying Teams
1 Lewiston High School 51 5 6 7 11 22 38 47
Total Time: 1:25:35.83
Average: 17:07.17
2 Brunswick High School 92 1 4 20 32 35 36 54
Total Time: 1:27:45.96
Average: 17:33.20
3 Mt. Blue High School 140 3 24 28 33 52 56 57
Total Time: 1:30:27.04
Average: 18:05.41
4 Mt. Ararat High School 141 18 25 27 31 40 41 43
Total Time: 1:31:01.20
Average: 18:12.24
5 Morse High School 144 2 14 15 45 68 82 84
Total Time: 1:30:19.10
Average: 18:03.82
6 Cony High School 152 8 13 19 53 59 63 71
Total Time: 1:30:54.15
Average: 18:10.83
7 Hampden Academy 154 16 21 26 42 49 50 51
Total Time: 1:31:12.90
Average: 18:14.58
In Class C, Graham Pearsall's winning effort of 17:29.71 got the Foxcroft Ponies off on the right foot.
Kaleb Mann and Chris Bridges finished 4-5 for the Ponies while Seth Oldfield in eighth and Amos Almy (15th), the son of local road racer Chris Almy, rounded out the scoring.
Michael Rioux of Stearns went on to finish second while Ryan Cavanaugh of Calais captured third and Brandon Theriault of Schenck fourth.
Top 20 Individuals (State Qualifiers)
1 Graham Pearsall SR Foxcroft Academy 17:29.71 1
2 Michael Rioux SR Stearns High School 17:49.90
3 Ryan Cavanaugh FR Calais High School 18:00.10 2
4 Brandon Theriault SO Schenck High School 18:03.28 3
5 Nolan Dumont SO Mattanawcook 18:08.12
6 Kaleb Mann SR Foxcroft Academy 18:08.56 4
7 Chris Bridges SR Foxcroft Academy 18:13.69 5
8 Matt Guiod FR Mattanawcook 18:14.82
9 Jake Kuester JR Lee Academy 18:15.39 6
10 Steven Morrill SO Greenville 18:18.04
11 Nikos Christ SR George Stevens 18:26.60 7
12 Seth Oldfield JR Foxcroft Academy 18:36.80 8
13 Nate Fowler JR Bangor Christian 18:45.75 9
14 Patrick Egenhofer SR Orono High School 18:45.81 10
15 Brett Bradford SR Bangor Christian 18:50.94 11
16 Kalle Bailey SO George Stevens 18:53.97 12
17 Josiah Thurlow SO Lee Academy 19:00.15 13
18 Bradley Wilcox FR Bangor Christian 19:03.28 14
19 Amos Almy SR Foxcroft Academy 19:06.79 15
20 Jordan Hess SR Orono High School 19:25.01 16
State Qualifying Teams
1 Foxcroft Academy 33 1 4 5 8 15 58
Total Time: 1:31:35.55
Average: 18:19.11
2 Bangor Christian Schools 77 9 11 14 17 26
Total Time: 1:36:30.57
Average: 19:18.12
3 Orono High School 103 10 16 20 28 29 42 60
Total Time: 1:38:53.77
Average: 19:46.76
4 Lee Academy 108 6 13 24 25 40 49 54
Total Time: 1:39:11.05
Average: 19:50.21
5 Calais High School 109 2 19 21 32 35 73
Total Time: 1:39:09.60
Average: 19:49.92
6 George Stevens Academy 151 7 12 37 47 48
Total Time: 1:42:26.52
Average: 20:29.31
7 Schenck High School 184 3 27 34 41 79
Total Time: 1:56:34.55
Average: 23:18.91
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