All eyes will be on the Class C girl's race next Saturday as Orono senior Ruth White competes in her final MPA state cross-country championship. White has won two consecutive Class C titles and is the favorite to win her third straight individual crown. She will aim to put an exclamation point on her already historic career as she looks to join a short list of athletes who have won three or more individual XC titles.
Girls State Meet History
So far this season Ruth has kept her undefeated XC in-state victory streak going. The highlight was her Festival of Champions race where she claimed the state XC 5K record and improved her meet and course record to a blazing time of 16:56.92. White who announced she will run at Boise State University next fall won't be able to relax as she will be pushed by junior Teanne Ewings of Houlton/GHCA. A year ago Ruth triumphed at the state meet by one minute twenty-seven seconds, in her most recent race at the Northern Maine Regional her margin of victory was just thirteen seconds, the smallest margin of victory in any of her wins in her XC career.
Ewings a junior has made a huge jump this fall and could spoil the party though as she has been slowly closing the gap to White and at the Regional closed the gap down to 13 seconds. Earlier this fall at the Festival of Champions she clocked 17:15.47 to become the second-fastest XC 5K performer in state history. On the track, Teanne has shown her elite speed which could be a factor in the state meet if she can keep White close enough coming into the final 600 meters of the race.
Southern Maine Regional champion Soren Stark-Chessa of Maine Coast Waldorf will look to continue her strong running this fall. Stark-Chessa a transgender athlete has a 5K best of 18:09 this fall and clocked an 18:11 effort at the Maine Festival of Champions on the course at the Troy Howard Middle School.
Natalie Johnson of Houlton/GHCA has consistently run under twenty minutes in her last three race efforts. The junior finished third at the Northern Maine Regional last week.
Other individuals to watch
Teams: Orono, Houlton/GHCA, George Stevens/Blue Hill, Mattanawcook Academy, Waynflete, Maine Coast Waldorf, Boothbay/Wiscasset, Maranacook, North Yarmouth Academy
Looking at the race for the team title the Orono Red Riots has created a dynasty under coach Lin White. The Red Riots will be aiming for their sixth consecutive Class C title, and ninth title in the last ten years the race has been held. Coming off their best performance of the season in winning the Northern Maine Regional title by six points over Houlton/GHCA Orono is in a position to hoist the trophy once again.
Orono will count on the low stick from Ruth White. Behind her, a pair of sophomores Clara White, Ruth's younger sister, and Maya Boyington give the Red Riots two others with top-five potential. Last week at the regional meet sophomore Tilly Puleo came up with a huge effort as she finished eighth if she can repeat that Orono will be in great shape to win again.
Houlton/GHCA has been right there with Orono at the PVC Class C Championship and Northern Maine Regional races as they were just three and six points behind respectively. Houlton matches up well with Orono through the top three runners but will need a big race from junior Katie McQuarrie and sophomore Andrea Ross if they are going to take down the defending champions.
Southern Maine Regional Champion Waynflete will look to continue their strong running. The Flyers have a strong top three and similar to Houlton/GHCA will need a big effort from the fourth and fifth runners to have a shot at a state title.
Kaleb Colson of Sumner and Christopher Pottle of Winthrop will be two of the favorites to compete for the Class C individual title.
Colson a senior currently ranked fifth in our MileSplit Maine individual rankings won the Northern Maine Regional title a week ago as he clocked 16:32.54 to win the title by twenty-seven seconds en route to leading his team to a regional title. Over at Twin Brook in the Class C Southern Regional Pottle, a senior from Winthrop cruised to victory in 17:36.34. Pottle dominated the competition by forty-two seconds.
The last time the duo went head to head Colson got the better of Pottle at the Maine Festival of Champions. Colson finished eighth clocking a personal best of 16:02.38, while Pottle also clocked a personal best of 16:39.54 to place 30th.
In 2023 Pottle has won a total of six races including his last three. Colson has won nine races this fall. and has never lost to Pottle in a head-to-head race which includes the last two Class C state championship meets.
The weather and course conditions could play a factor in this one and that would likely help Pottle close the gap. The other caveat to this race is both runners will be trying to lead their respective teams to the team title.
Sumner's Ren Salisbury will be one to watch for as well, the senior has been improving with each race this fall. Salisbury was the Class C PVC and Northern Maine Regional runner-up. At the regional, he ran the best race of his season and career breaking the seventeen-minute barrier for the first time with his 16:59.40 effort.
Defending Class C state champion William Hileman of Bucksport can't be counted out either. Hileman was third in the Northern Maine Regional last week (17:11.98) with his teammate Gage Bruns finishing right behind him (17:12.08).
All-time boys XC state champions
Other Runners to Watch
Owen Beane (Orono)
Ben Arsenault (Orono)
Runner Jarrett (Foxcroft Academy)
Pi Crosby (Waynflete)
Desmond Robinson (Carrabec)
Silas Bartol (Maranacook)
Team-wise the favorite to win their first state title since winning three in a row from 1996-1998 is Sumner. Sumner has been the only Class C ranked inside the top ten all year and currently ranks ninth overall in the state. The Tigers are led by Colson and Salisbury who should deliver the low sticks. Behind them, seniors Riley Hastey and Asa Berry give them quality depth, and it will be up to another senior looking to close the deal in the fifth spot Claire Willett.
Southern Maine champion Winthrop will look to pull the upset. The Ramblers won the regional title last week with a score of fifty-nine to easily outdistance all other schools.
Orono has a shot at a podium finish, the Red Riots were the Northern regional runner-up, and George Stevens/Blue Hill and Bucksport figured to be in the mix as well.