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Interviews: Chandler Vincent | Olivia Skillings
It was fast and furious at the Recreational Fields in Freeport as the boys from Freeport, Poland, Merriconeag, and York sped through the woods. With perfect running conditions on a fast Freeport 5k course, it was sure to be some fast times ran.
Chandler Vincent of Freeport has been itching for his first win of theseason and wasted no time today as he took an early lead right from the gun. Vincent would be followed closelyby Merriconeag’s duo, Tucker Pierce and Zack Neveu, and the York pack with Sam Seawell leading the way for Evan Hultstrom, Rex Brockelman, and Rees Schaeffer.
Flying through the mile at 5:15, it was Vincent leading Pierce by a few strides, as both had broke away from the chase pack. Leading the chase pack through the mile at 5:22 was Sam Seawell of York as he was followed by his teammate Evan Hultstrom, who was stride for stride with Merriconeag’s Zack Neveu. Not far back was York’s 3 and 4 runners Rees Schaeffer and Rex Brockelman.
A little over the half way mark of the race, Vincent had start to put a 7 second gap between him and Pierce. Still running strong was Seawell as his teammates, Hultstrom and Brockelman, moved up to 4th and 5th with Neveu in 6th. Tailing Neveu was Schaeffer, York’s #4 runner. Eric Brobst and Henry Jacques of Freeport started to make their move up into the race as they sat 8th and 9th going into the second mile.
Vincent had put strong 36 second cushion between him and Pierce as he would cross the line in a relaxed 16:51. Pierce followed in 17:27. Seawell would finish well over the last mile as he finished with a 17:36. The strongest closing over the last mile had to be Brobst of Freeport, finishing a second behind Seawell in 17:37. Not far behind was Hultstrom and Brockelman, finishing closely in 17:41.8 and 17:41.9 taking 5th and 6th. The next 3 runners, all from Merriconeag, finished within a second of each other as Zack Neveu crossed first of the three in a 17:53.8 followed by Dylan Wu and Nick Neveu with a 17:54.7 and 17:54.8.
In the end York would be Victorious over Merriconeag. In a 35-44 win. The Wildcats averaged 17:46 with a 1-5 split of only 20 seconds! Thats an improvement of 10 seconds for their pack time. Finishing off York’s top 5 would be Rees Schaeffer and Tucker Corbett, as they finished respectively 10th and 11th with a 17:55 and 17:56.
Like Vincent, Olivia Skillings was looking for her first win of the season. More importantly, she was looking for her first win in High School. Skillings was looking to do that today as she took off right from the gun and getting out in-front everybody.
Going through the first mile in 6:28, Skillings would lead the way, but only a few strides behind were chasers of Hannah Schnyder and Chloe Hight of Freeport and York’s top 3 runners, Kathryn Miller, Amanda Fiorentino, and Milia Cryan, as they lead Sam Pierce of Merriconeag.
Opening up her stride, Skillings lead the way still but had put a 6 second gap on. Moving her way up the pack was Miller of York as she tried to chase Skillings down. Following Miller was Schnyder of Freeport. Moving up the pack as well was Pierce of Merriconeag. She was sitting 4th, but running stride for stride with her was York’s Fiorentino along with her teammate, Cryan.
Coming into the finish, Skillings would have a 33 second gap over Miller and cross the line a 20:32. The freshman from York would continue to show off her talent with 21:05. Not far back would be Skillings teammate, Sam Pierce. Pierce would move and finish 3rd overall. Schnyder would take 4th in a 21:24. Behind Schnyder would Fiorentino and Cryan, placing 5th and 6th with a 21:30 and 21:36.
Barely taking the win, York would edge out Merriconeag in a 37-39 win. It came down to the 5th runner of each team. Katherine Bullock (22:25) and Cori Galante (22:54) would place 11th and 13th as they rounded out York’s top 5. York would average 21:54 where Merriconeag would average a 21:59.