Boys'
The Falmouth boys' come into the WMC Championships as the hottest team in the state after its statement win at the Festival of Champions. Expected to lead the way for the Yachtsmen is Jeremiah Sands, who finished third in Belfast. Falmouth recently finished third at Twin Brooks in Cumberland to Greely and Freeport, but were resting three of its top five. Connor Piers has steadily improved this season and has turned into a viable no. 2 runner. He recently ran 17:26 at Twin Brooks, and also finished 16th in Belfast. John Auer and Ben Wyman give the Yachtsmen the strongest top four in the state, but the key for them on Friday is their no. 5 runner. Charlie Henning had a spectacular race at the Festival of Champions, and will need another solid performance for Falmouth to remain at the top of the WMC.
The Greely Rangers, recently ranked fourth in the Saucony Flo 50 team rankings, come into the WMC Championships with good momentum after finishing fourth at the Festival of Champions. Greely was the top Class B team in the field, and recently won its home meet against a resting Falmouth team and Freeport. They finished fourth in D1 in 2015. Max Stickney has been the Rangers no. 1 runner this year and should contend for a top ten finish, and sophomore Luke Marsanskis had a breakout performance at FOC running 16:41.78 to place 21st. Greely's strength is their tight 1-5 pack and they have the tightest pack in the conference, which gives the Rangers a great chance on Friday. The Freeport Falcons will look to contend for a top three finish in D1 on Friday. With Henry Jaques at the helm, the Falcons have someone who is going to challenge for the individual title in D1. They are the defending WMC champs, but for Freeport to contend with Greely and Falmouth, they will need season best races from Alex Les, Eric Brobst and Liam Gallagher. Other teams expected to contend for a top spot in D1 are Cape Elizabeth and York.
Wells was the top D2 team last year and has a great chance to make it two in a row on Friday as they are expected to be led by Mitch Libby, who has emerged as one of the top runners in the conference. The Warriors' were ranked sixth in the most recent Saucony Flo 50 team rankings and had an impressive win back on Sept. 16 beating a resting Falmouth team and Freeport. Their core of Libby, Wesley Moody, Griffin Allaire and Mitch Stapleton is certainly strong enough to win the D2 title, but the Warriors' lack of fire-power at the front of the pack may not be enough to challenge the likes of Falmouth and Greely for the overall WMC title.
Maine Coast Waldorf will likely challenge Wells for the D2 title as they come into the WMC Championships with an impressive 10th place finish at the Festival of Champions. They were the second Class C team behind Orono (9th) and are led by Tucker Pierce, who is expected to challenge for a top three finish in D2. They averaged 17:33 for 5k at Belfast, and have a solid core of Nick Nevu, Dylan Wu and Elian Holder who compile to make one of the strongest 1-4 in Class C. Maine Coast finished fifth in D2 last year.
The Yarmouth Clippers will try and challenge for a top finish in D2 as well. Luke Laverdiere is the overwhelming favorite to win the individual title for the second year in a row, which gives the Clippers a needed low-stick but Yarmouth will need others to compete with Wells and Maine Coast. Sammy Potter finished 5th in D2 last year and will likely need a similar performance for Yarmouth to have a chance.
Individual
Luke Laverdiere (Yarmouth) Laverdiere has been the top runner in the state and recently won the Festival of Champions running the fourth fastest time in meet history (15:33.84). He won the WMC Championships last year losing his shoe midway through the race finishing in 16:35.
Henry Jaques (Freeport) Jaques finished fourth overall and third in D1 last year running 17:00, and has had a fantastic season in 2016. He ran 16:53 at Twin Brooks last week, and comes into the meet having run 16:14, which he ran at the Manchester Invitational in the small schools race finishing fourth.
Jeremiah Sands (Falmouth) Sands has had a great 2016 season and recently finished third at the Festival of Champions running a PB of 15:58.85. He beat Jaques by two seconds in Freeport earlier in the year, and finished second to Laverdiere in Yarmouth back on Sept. 24. He'll like be shooting for a fast finish on Friday as he hopes to lead Falmouth to the team title in D1.
Tucker Pierce (Maine Coast Waldorf) Pierce won his first three meets of the season before finishing a very respectable ninth at the Festival of Champions running 16:29.17, which is currently the second fastest time in Class C. He finished ninth overall, third in D2 last year, and hopes to lead Maine Coast Waldorf to the D2 team title.
Mitch Libby (Wells) Libby finished ninth in D2 last year and comes into Friday on a hot streak after winning his last two meets. He recently won on his come course running a PB of 17:12, and has run 17:20 or better in the 5k four times this season.
Connor Piers (Falmouth) Piers finished 15th overall in 2015 and has emerged as a potential top five finisher this year after his breakout performance at Festival of Champions. The junior finished 16th running a PB of 16:38.21 and finished second to Henry Jaques at Twin Brooks last weekend running 17:26.