Boys Preview
There is no international flair in the boys' race, but there should be plenty of competition among the field of fifteen. Three runners, all juniors, return from the 2016 race including Harrison Osborne of Scarborough, Nick Dall of Waterville and Sam Russ of Lincoln Academy. Dall and Russ bring in two of the top three qualifying times with Dall's 4:27 topping the field, while Russ's 4:35 is third.
Dall took 3rd in the 1600 in the 2017 Class B State meet; he also placed in the 3200. He is the current KVAC Champion in the 800, and the indoor mile, and took the 1600 in 2016. In cross-country Dall was 4th in the State in 2016 and is the two time defending champion for both the KVAC and the Northern Maine regional.
Nick Dall, Junior, Waterville
Osborne ran the course in 5:06 last year to finish 8th,
but enters this year's race with a season's best 4:47.The junior competed in
the state 1600 final for Scarborough and runs cross-country for the Red Storm.
Harrison Osborne, Junior, Scarborough
Russ's 1600 personal best of 4:35.68 was good for 3rd
at the Class B State Championships; he also took the 2nd spot in the
mile at the Indoor Championships this February. He currently holds the KVAC
title in both the 1600 and 3200. He had a strong cross-country season finishing
4th in the Southern Maine regional final and is expected to compete
for the state B title this fall.
Sam Russ, Junior, Lincoln Academy
Just ahead of Russ at Southern Maine Regional was Wells High School's senior Mitch Libby. He brings the second fastest qualifying time and
is competing in the High School Mile for the first time. In addition to his 3rd
place cross-country finish at regionals last year he was 3rd in the
State meet. His mile time was good enough for 2nd this spring at the Class B
meet; he also runs a strong 800 and put up a PR of 1.57.82 at the New England
meet.
Mitch Libby (#114), Senior, Wells
Alec Troxell, entering the 11th grade at Deering, finished 20th
in the State Class A cross-country championships last season after an 8th
place finish at the Southern Maine regionals. His 16:36 at the Festival of
Champions is 8th best 5K time among returning Class A runners. His qualifying
time is 4.36 and is the fourth best in the field.
Alec Troxell, Junior, Deering
Troxell's 4.36 is matched by Troy Hendricks. The senior from Sacopee Valley placed 5th in the 2017 Class C State meet to go with the third spot in the 3200; he was 19th in 2016 State C Cross-Country Championship.
Wells has two representatives at Griffin Allaire, who finished 12th in the State Class B Cross-Country meet as a freshman, joins Mitch Libby. The sophomore has a qualifying time of 4:38.
Another top 20 finisher at the Class B Cross-Country Championship is junior Matthew Todd of Greely. His 14th place finished helped the Rangers take the team title.
Dominic Sclafani's qualifying time of 4:39 came in the KVAC
Championship meet where he took 3rd in both the 1600 and 3200 for
Class A Oxford Hills. Sclafani will be a senior this fall and is expected to
lead the Vikings cross-country team.
Dominic Sclafani, Senior, Oxford Hills
Aiden Willey, a 10th grader, represents the Bonny Eagle Scots. Willey competed in the State Championship in both the 1600 and indoor mile as a freshman. He also ran a sub 17 minute 5K and took second in the boys freshman race at the Festival of Champions last fall in Belfast. Willey's qualifying time is 4:41.
Aiden Willey, Sophomore, Bonny Eagle
Evan Merchant of Jonesport Beals qualified with a time of 4:46. He placed 16th in the State Class C cross-country final, after taking 9th in the Northern Regional. Merchant was the only member of the Jonesport Beals team running in either the regional or the state meet. It's a small school with just about 100 students in grades 9-12. While in winter other top runners are working on their times on indoor ovals Merchant hits the hardwood for the Royals' legendary basketball team.
Tenth grader Jack Bassett can claim home track advantage as the only Caper in the boys' field. Qualifying at 4:47, Bassett claimed the 6th podium spot in the Maine Class B Championship meet this spring.
Jack Bassett, Sophomore, Cape Elizabeth
Two runners from Aroostook County are making the long commute down. Caribou senior Evan Desmond has run a 4:47 but has also walked his way up the podium at the State Championships. He took 3rd this spring in the Class C 1600 race-walk, and was 6th the season before when Caribou competed in Class B. Desmond has also done well in the regional cross country meets finishing 6th and 4th the last two seasons to lead the Viking Pack.
Max Bartley of Presque Isle qualified at 4:52 at the State Class B Championship meet. He also runs cross-country and is expect to lead the Wildcats during his upcoming senior year.
Gabriel Calandri of Kennebunk rounds out the field with a 4:52 1600. There's just one 1600 in the Milesplit database for the rising senior to go with one 5k race. However Calandri is showing some strong times in the 400 and looks likely to contend for a championship podium spot in the 800 during his senior year.