Maine runners & teams prepared for the New England Championship
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The top 25 Maine boys & girls plus the 6 best teams from each gender will descend on Derryfield Park in Manchester, NH for the 79th Council of New England Secondary School Principals' Association Boys' and Girls' Cross Country Championships on Saturday. Qualifying for the meet are the 3 state championship teams from each of the classes, plus the next 3 best teams with a merge of results. Individually, the results from the 3 state championships were combined, with the 25 fastest advancing. They will compete against athletes & teams from Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, & Connecticut.
Leading the way on the boys side is Josef Holt of Telstar who was the Class C State Champion last week. Holt finished 5th in the meet last fall which was held at Twin Brook in Cumberland. This fall Josef has been outstanding, he ran on the New England Course in late September in the Manchester Invitational. He finished 2nd in that race clocking the 4th fastest time in meet history, 15:27. A week later Holt blitzed the Maine Festival of Champions course at Belfast smashing the course record by 20 seconds with his 15:06.92. The last few weeks Holt has focused on keeping up a high intentsity training program focused on running well at the New Englands & three weeks later at Footlocker Northeast. A New England title is well within Josef's ability level, not having to exert an all out effort during the championship season will no doubt leave his legs feeling good. The last time a maine athlete won the NE's was back in 1998 as current Ellsworth assistant coach Louie Luchini broke the tape first.
Ellsworth Dan Curts is a two-time returning All-New England selection. Curts placed 19th as a sophomore, and moved to 17th a junior a year ago. He has battled a hamstring injury since early October which has limited his workouts. Despite this he still won the Eastern Maine Regional & repeated as Class B State individual champion. If Curts runs, he was still debating last week, he'll no doubt be looking to earn ALL-NE honors for the 3rd straight time. Dan is no stranger to running fast on the Derryfield Park course, earlier this fall he ran won the Manchester Invitational in front of Holt, with the #2 time in history, 15:23.
While Holt & Curts have the impressive resume, and past ALL-NE Honors there are a few for Maine runner with a shot at a top 25 finish. Class B runner-up Liam Simpson of Cape will be looking to carry over his success of the championship meets this weekend. Simpson had his breakout race last fall at the NE meet where he finished 33rd, the senior has followed that up with his best campaign this fall. At the Manchester Invitational earlier this year on the same course, he placed 9th running 16:13. Ellsworth Brayden Beardsley has been on a roll the last 3 weeks, the senior was 3rd in the Class B state meet, and 3rd fastest overall. Beardsley has taken his running to another level, if he can keep it up for one more week he could have himself an All-NE award. Gray New Gloucester's Will Shafer has had his best fall, he is coming off a 4th place finish in the Class B state meet, where he ran a 16:32 personal best at Twin Brook. Shafer has great speed and if he runs the course smartly could bltiz the last mile well under 5:00. Peter Doane of Cape will be in the mix for a top 25 finish, the senior was 5th fastest overall at the state meet running 16:37, at the Manchester Invitational Doane finished 18th in the Elite race in 16:35. Class A champion Josh Horne has pushed the pace in most of his races this fall, he'll be able to follow this time, and the senior has proven he's capable of running fast time. Horne ran under 16 minutes at the FOC, and easily ran to win at states last week.
A team top 10 finish is possible this year as well. Class B Champion Cape Elizabeth could crack the top ten, as could Class A champion Lewiston, along with Class B runner-up Ellsworth. It's a tall task to finish in the top ten, the last Maine team to do so was Greely in 2009. In order to secure a top finish you need to have the front runners, as well as a tight pack. Cape & Ellsworth have the front runners, while Lewiston has the tight pack. These three teams will also be battling for the honor of top Maine team, in the combined overall results from the state meet Cape had a slim 9 point edge on Lewiston with Ellsowrth 36 points back.
Greely's Kirsten Sandreuter leads the Maine female contigent into the New England Championship this weekend. The senior successfully return from injury as she blitzed the field to win the Class B State title, her winning time of 18:37.96 was 5th fastest in Twin Brook course history, not bad for someone who was sidelined 3 plus week due to an achilles injury. Sandreuter is no stranger to running well at Derryfield Park, earlier this fall she won the girls small school race at the Manchester Invitational running 18:59. A year ago Kirstin finished 13th to earn ALL-NE honors.
Others who should challenge for ALL-NE honors are Class A state champion Kialeigh Martson, the sophomore seems to run better the more competition there is, and she'll have plenty on Saturday. Marston who has a best 5k of 18:42 on the season, that mark is the 20th fastest in NE this fall. South Portland's Shannon Conley finished 19th as a freshman will be looking to add another ALL-NE honor in her senior campaign. After not finishing at the regional meet, Conley rebounded with a Class A runner-up finish last weekend, running a fine 19:40 on the tough Twin Brook course. Ellsworth's Aleta Looker was the Class B runner-up to Sandreuter, but was left to run much of the race alone, she still clocked the 4th fastets time overall. Looker has always run well at Derryfield Park, she won the Manchester Invitational small school race 2 years ago and this past fall finished 3rd running 19:23. Cheverus senior Kiera Murray had her best race of the season to finish 3rd in the Class A meet last weekend, if she can repeat she'll be in the low 19's with a shot at the top 25. Bonny Eagle senior Mary Szatkowski is another threat for the top 25, a year ago she finished 35th, and has had a strong senior season. Szatkowski was 4th in the Class A meet last week, she has a best time of 18:35 for 5k this fall.
Mt Desert Island was the top Maine team at the state meet once again, they haven't focused on the NE meet in the past few years, but if they do they should contend for top Maine team along with Class A champion Bonny Eagle & Class A runner-up Massabesic. The Scots were the top Maine team last year with a 15th place finish.