Orono's Ruth White has been the head of the class of 2024 for three years now. White had an outstanding career and 2023 was more of the same. Ruth became the first Maine high school girl to break 17 minutes for 5k with her record-breaking 16:56.92 effort at the Maine XC Festival of Champions. She won her third straight Class C and New England titles this fall and ran under 17:20 for 5k five times. Class B champion Cary Drake repeated champion and joined an elite group of Maine girls who have run under 18 minutes for 5k with her 17:56.67 effort at FOC. Bonny Eagle's Addy Thibodeau was the A runner-up and earned All-New England honors again with her 12th-place finish and personal best of 18:22.15.