Class A Girls State Meet Preview
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Team
Previous Winners
| 2014: Scarborough | 2013: Bonny Eagle | 2012: Bonny Eagle | 2011: Cheverus | 2010: Cheverus |
The team competition for the Class A girls state meet should be one of the more intriguing story lines this weekend. Bonny Eagle, Massabesic, Scarborough, Brunswick and even Falmouth have all, at times, shown that they've been able beat each other. However, there can only be one champion on Saturday. Bonny Eagle looked very impressive in their win at the southern regional, scoring just 44 points on the strength of Kialeigh Marston's second place finish. Overall, the Scots placed four in the top 12 to out-distance themselves from SMMA rival Scarborough. They are the slight favorite to win on Saturday.
The Dragon's of Brunswick is one of the few northern Maine teams that will compete for a top three finish this weekend. They easily won their regional behind Tessa Cassidy's second place finish. Brunswick scored just 55 points easily dispatching runner-up Mt. Blue who scored 82. They have great senior leadership from Cassidy and Tiffany Tanner who both have championship experience. The rest of their top five is young, which includes a sophomore and a freshman. Cassidy and Tanner have both run at Twin Brook's which will Brunswick compete against the southern Maine teams.
Scarborough is also expected to challenge for the win. They were arguably the most impressive team in the state early in the season, and they have started to gain some momentum after their second place showing to Bonny Eagle last weekend. They have a tight 1-5 pack which is led by Laura Volan who should contend for a top ten finish. They had a 56 second 1-5 spread last weekend, and another tight pack at the state meet should serve very well for the Red Storm in their quest to win a second straight championship.
Another team that relies on a tight 1-5 pack is Massabesic. They placed third at the regional on the strength of two top ten finishes from Emily Wasina and Kylie Johnson, and placed five in the top 26 overall. Their lack of a front runner hurts them as teams like Scarborough and Bonny Eagle will most likely put a few runners ahead of Wasina and Johnson. The same can be said for Falmouth who is another team who will contend for a top five finish. Their 1-5 pack is very solid, but without a low stick, it would take a monumental effort for them to placed in the top three. Other teams contending for top five finishes will be South Portland, Mt. Blue and Cony.
Prediction
- Bonny Eagle
- Scarborough
- Massabesic
- Brunswick
- Falmouth
Individual
| Previous winners |
| 2014: Halee Phelps Westbrook 19:10.42 |
| 2013: Kialeigh Marston Bonny Eagle 19:34.16 |
| 2012: Erzsebet Nagy Lawrence 18:50.87 |
| 2011: Abbey Leonardi Kennebunk 18:27.19 |
| 2010: Abbey Leonardi Kennebunk 17:49.01 |
The battle for individual supremacy is wide open in Class A as there are as many as six runners who could come out victorious on Saturday. Familiarity of the course could definitely be a factor in deciding a champion which bodes well for Kialeigh Marston of Bonny Eagle. The senior has run at Twin Brook's a few times and has come along well this year. She placed second to Gorham's Anna Slager at the regional running in 19:57.04 and seems to be rounding into form at the right time. Marston won the state championship her sophomore year but failed to qualify her junior year, she'll be looking to re-capture what was once hers and end her high school career on a high note.
Gorham's Anna Slager is another runner to watch on Saturday. The sophomore won the regional last weekend running 19:48.37 and has been fortunate enough to have run the Twin Brook's course a few times already during her career. Last fall Slager placed seventh and will be looking to improve upon that pacing this weekend.
From Northern Maine watch for Cony's Anne Guadalupi. The junior won the northern regional last weekend running 19:10.24. She has shown the ability to beat some of the best runners in the state and will certainly challenge for the win on Saturday.
Brunswick's Tessa Cassidy will look to mix it up in the front pack this weekend as well. Cassidy has been an incredibly consistent performer throughout her high school career and placed second in her regional last weekend running 19:20.29. Last year she placed fourth at the state meet and is gunning for that elusive first state championship this weekend.
Mt. Ararat's Katherine Leckbee will also likely be running in the front of the pack this weekend. The sophomore's had a great second season on the trails having placed third at the northern regional and second at the KVAC championship. She was fifth last year as just a freshmen and will likely challenge for another top finish.
Other runners to watch are Serena McKenzie of South Portland, Talia Jorgenson of Cony and Laura Volan of Scarborough.
Prediction
- Anna Slager Gorham
- Anne Guadalupi Cony
- Kialeigh Marston Bonny Eagle
- Tessa Cassidy Brunswick
- Katherine Leckbee Mt. Ararat