Boys State XC Recap: Comeau, Valentine, & Daigle Win Titles

Results: Class A | Class B | Class C | Combined

The Class A boys race was an absolute slugfest and in the end, Hampden Academy senior Abbott Valentine avenged his loss at last week's Northern Maine Regional as he held off a strong challenge by Bangor's Daniel McCarthy. Those two had the fastest times of the day and considering the course was slowing Valentine's winning 15:34.44 effort was a tremendous effort. The time is the fastest ever run in a Maine High School cross-country state champion meet surpassing the 15:35.40 by Lisandro Berry-Gaviria in the 2018 Class A state meet.. McCarthy had to settle for the runner-up finish with his 15:35.79, the third fastest time ever at a state meet. Mt. Ararat's Grady Satterfield the leader at the halfway point placed third in 16:00.20.

Biddeford senor Chris Walton finished as the top runner from Southern Maine as the Regional runner-up clocked 16:21.21 for fourth place, he was followed by the Southern Regional champion Zach Barry of Scarborough in 16:31.31. Gorham's Calvin Cummings crossed the finish line in sixth with his 16:33.21. Sophomore Maddox Jordan of Noble placed seventh in 16:34.73 edging Falmouth senior Logan Ross 16:35.09 at the line. In ninth senior Andrew Keene of Kennebunk ran 16:51.95 and rounding out the top ten was Hampden Academy junior Charlie Collins in 16:57.81.

Hampden Academy easily won the team title as the Broncos tallied 69 points to win the first boys xc state title in school history. The Broncos had all five scorers inside the top 31 as they improved on their Northern Maine Regional runner-up from a week ago with a 17:01 average 5k for their scoring five. Bangor edged pre-meet favorite Brunswick for second 115-117 as the return of Fritz Oldenburg to the lineup for the Rams got them past the Dragons for the first time on the season. Portland the Southern Maine Regional champion was fourth with 143 points while South Portland was fifth with 174.

It was a bit of an adventure for Medomak Valley senior Connor Daigle  during the Class B state meet race. Running on a course that had significantly become muddier, and without the proper spike length in his shoes, Daigle fell six times during his race but still was able to best the field with a 16:35.75. Leavitt's Logan Ouellette ran a strong race to grab runner-up honors in 16:48.01, while Cape Elizabeth senior Owen Patry placed third in 17:08.80.

Sam York a junior from Mt. Desert Island held off a fast closing Jake Twigg of Poland 17:15.94 to 17:15.96 to place fourth. In sixth was Caribou senior Michael Cyr who clocked 17:18.05 while Poland senior Domenic Antonelli was next in 17:18.27. Freeport's Henry Horne finished eighth in 17:28.30 while Cony senior Jacob Pelletier was ninth in 17:31.05. Rounding out the top ten was junior Ephraim Willey of Caribou in 17:36.25.

In a bit of an upset Freeport who was the Southern Maine Regional runner-up easily won the title scoring 86 points as they were 28 points better than runner-up York. The Falcons had their five scorers in the top thirty-two overall. Cape Elizabeth was third with 131 points while Greely was fourth with 144 points as the Western Maine Conference swept the top four spots. Caribou tallied 148 points to round out the top five, and was the top school from Northern Maine.

Monmouth Academy junior Brosnan Comeau bided his time in the lead pack before using a strong kick to win in the last 150m in 16:43.78 to win the Class C title. Comeau becomes the first athlete to win an individual title in Monmouth Academy school history. Comeau closed out his season winning the MVC title, the Southern Maine Class C regional title, and the state title, a huge improvement for someone who entered the season with a 17:56 best for 5k. Behind him Bucksport sophomore William Hileman earned runner-up honors in 16:49.57 while Orono senior Kyle McClellan last week's Northern Maine Regional champion placed third in 16:57.10.

Louis Walker of Maine Coast Waldorf finished fourth after running with the lead pack for the first half of the race, he was followed across the line by Houlton senior Daniel Ross in 17:16.69. Mt. Abrams junior Jeff Warnock placed sixth in 17:32, he was followed across the line by Ethan Linscott of Lee Academy in 17:37.85. Orono senior Colby Farnsworth scored an eighth place with his 17:39.85 while Bucksport sophomore Gage Bruns finished ninth in 17:43.62. Rounding out the top ten was Joshua Gosselin of Oak Hill in 17:44.46.

Orono won the team title with 69 points as the Red Riots were 11 points better than runner-up George Stevens Academy. Orono had four of the first 17 finishers en route to the title. It was the third title in school history for the Red Riots and their first since 2017. Maine Coast Waldorf the Southern Maine Regional champion was third with 103 points, while Boothbay/Wiscasset was next with 116 points. Rounding out the top five teams was Bucksport with 137 points.