Perfect running conditions will likely greet the best runners in Southern Maine as they embark on the Southern Maine Cross-Country Regional at Twin Brook Recreation Park in Cumberland on Saturday. The Class C boys will get the action underway at 11 am followed by the girls at 11:40 am. Class A boys will go next at 12:20 p.m. followed by the girls at 1 p.m. Closing out the day the Class B boys toe the line at 1:40 p.m. with the girls set to go off at 2:20 p.m.
Class C Girls
2024 Top Runners: Soren Stark-Chessa (Maine Coast Waldorf) #2, Karen Higgins (Boothbay/Wiscasset) #9, Paige Alexander (Waynflete) CP, Grace Alexander (Waynflete) C#9, Elise Abbott (Traip Academy) C#10
2024 Top Teams: Waynflete (#9), Boothbay/Wiscasset (MVC Champions), Maine Coast Waldorf
Twelve teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top six girls teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. Hopefully no other teams drop below five runner starting the race. Soren Stark-Chessa is the defending regional champion and has been racing very well heading into the championship season. Expect Stark-Chessa and Karen Higgins to battle it out for top honors.
Teams, we think that will advance: Waynflete, Boothbay/Wiscasset, Maine Coast Waldorf, Dirigo, Madison, NYA
2023 Team Champion: Waynflete (53 points)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
1 Soren Stark-Chessa 10 Maine Coast Waldorf 19:17.78 1 2 Grace Alexander 10 Waynflete School 20:40.29 2 4 Rahel Delaney 10 Maine Coast Waldorf 21:25.60 4 5 Bryanna Hagopian 10 Madison Area 21:28.74 5 6 Lucy Olson 10 Waynflete School 21:48.24 6 7 Paige Alexander 9 Waynflete School 22:08.42 7 8 Leah Harper 9 Madison Area 22:12.04 8 9 Hadley Smith 10 North Yarmou 22:52.38 9 10 Karen Higgins 9 Boothbay/Wiscasset 23:00.38 10 11 McKenzie Boyle 9 Dirigo High School 23:13.35
Class C Boys
2024 Top Runners: Pi Crosby (Waynflete) C#2, William Morris (Dirigo) C#5, Alfie Cognata (Winthrop) C#10
2024 Top Teams: Boothbay/Wiscasset, Lisbon, Dirigo
Seventeen teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top nine teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. The # of teams could drop if one team don't show up to the starting line with five runners. Pi Crosby is the favorite but MVC champion William Morris could challenge
Teams, we think that will advance: Boothbay/Wiscasset, Lisbon, Dirigo, Winthrop, Old Orchard Beach, Waynflete, Maranacook, Richmond, NYA
2023 Team Champion: Winthrop (59)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
2 Pi Crosby 11 Waynflete School 18:19.59 2 3 Desmond Robinson 11 Carrabec Hig 18:23.55 5 Evan Schneider 11 Old Orchard Beach 18:32.76 4 6 William Morris 9 Dirigo High School 18:38.74 5 9 Benjamin Fournier 11 Richmond Hig 19:11.40 8 13 Aspen Mitchell 11 Mt. Abram 19:35.70 11 14 Malachi Ganong 10 Lisbon High School 19:42.34 12 15 Maixent Machefert 10 Maine Coast Waldorf 19:49.50 13 16 Camden Cyr 11 Traip Academy 19:50.50 17 Seth Price 11 Carrabec Hig 19:54.71
Class A Girls
2024 Top Runners: Samantha Moore (Portland) #5, Allie Schmitt (Cheverus) #10, Laurel Driscoll (Scarborough) CP, Marina Violette (Bonny Eagle) CP, Mackenzie Shields (Thornton Academy) CP, Georgia Moon (Falmouth) CP, Maeve Ginevan (Falmouth) A#9, Hannah Keene (Kennebunk) A#10
2024 Top Teams: Falmouth #4, Portland #5, Thornton Academy #8,
Sixteen teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top eight girls teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. The # of teams could drop if two teams don't show up to the starting line with five runners. Samantha Moore of Portland is the defending regional champion.
Teams, we think that will advance: Falmouth, Portland, Thornton Academy, Scarborough, Kennebunk, Cheverus, Marshwood, Gorham
2023 Team Champion: Bonny Eagle (43 points)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
1 Samantha Moore 11 Portland Hig 18:41.63 1 3 Hannah Keene 11 Kennebunk Hi 20:29.50 3 4 Marina Violette 10 Bonny Eagle 20:38.94 4 7 Ella Vinkemulder 10 Portland Hig 20:59.43 7 10 Maeve Ginevan 11 Falmouth Hig 21:13.83 10 11 Winni Moreland 10 Gorham High School 21:14.21 11 12 Mackenzie Shields 9 Thornton Academy 21:24.14 12 14 Allie Schmitt 9 Cheverus Hig 21:30.11 14 16 Georgia Moon 9 Falmouth Hig 21:46.09 16 17 Ava Chadbourne 11 Portland Hig 21:52.84 17
Class A Boys
2024 Top Runners: Aran Johnson (Portland) #4, Ellis Wood (Deering) #5, Henri Rivard (Marshwood) #6, Atticus Merriam (Scarborough) #7, Ethan Keller (Scarborough) #10, Charlie Jacques (Portland) CP, Finley Knappe (Kennebunk) CP, Andrew Catalano (Bonny Eagle) CP, Nicholas Kozeill (Scarborough) CP, Henry Morrison (Portland) CP
2024 Top Teams: Portland #1, Scarborough #2, South Portland #8
Eighteen teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top nine boys teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. Expect a close race at the front with five of the top ten ranked individuals in the state. The goal for many will be to ensure they punch their ticket to the state meet next week.
Teams, we think that will advance: Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Falmouth, Deering, Cheverus, Gorham, Bonny Eagle, Thornton Academy
2023 Team Champion: Portland (44 points)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
3 Ellis Wood 10 Deering High School 16:53.78 3 5 Henri Rivard 10 Marshwood Hi 17:00.57 5 7 Ethan Keller 11 Scarborough 17:22.70 7 8 Harrison Dunne 11 Bonny Eagle 17:35.47 8 11 Evan Small 11 South Portla 17:39.94 11 12 Aran Johnson 11 Portland Hig 17:41.44 12 14 Atticus Merriam 9 Scarborough 17:46.95 14 16 Owen Blades 10 Portland Hig 17:50.54 16 18 Andrew Catalano 11 Bonny Eagle 17:51.50 18 19 Finley Knappe 11 Kennebunk Hi 17:52.76 19
Class B Girls
2024 Top Runners: Zoe Carroll (York) #3, Rowan Barry (Greely) #6, Lucy Huggett (Freeport) #8, Olivia Wentworth (Yarmouth) CP, Haley Marston (Leavitt) CP,
2024 Top Teams: Freeport #2, York #3, Cape Elizabeth #10
Fourteen teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top seven girls teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. The # of teams could drop if two teams don't show up to the starting line with five runners.
Teams, we think that will advance: Freeport, York, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Greely, Morse, Lincoln Academy
2023 Team Champion: York (73 points)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
3 Haley Marston 10 Leavitt Area 20:09.28 3 4 Dylan Burmeister 11 Lincoln Academy 20:39.88 4 5 Lucy Huggett 10 Freeport Hig 20:40.24 5 6 Rowan Barry 10 Greely High School 20:46.67 6 14 Madelyn Hutchins 10 York High School 21:36.95 14 15 Hannah Frothingham 10 Cape Elizabe 21:39.53 15 17 Emma Stein 10 Greely High School 21:55.58 17 18 Karianna Hultstrom 10 York High School 21:55.64 18 19 Eleanor Weyenberg 9 Yarmouth Hig 21:59.61 19 21 Josie Spaulding 11 Freeport Hig 22:10.73 21
Class B Boys
2024 Top Runners: Sam Laverdiere (Lake Region) #1, Aidan Ring (York) #2, Alex Gilbert (Freeport) #3, Conner Smith (Freeport) CP, Aidan Roberts (Falmouth) B#6, William Coull (Greely) B#7, Levi Riggs (Morse) B#8, Tait Harvey (Greely) B#9
2024 Top Teams: Freeport #3, York, Morse
Thirteen teams enter at least five runners so based on that, the top seven boys teams will advance along with the top thirty individuals. The top three runners in the state based on our weekly rankings will square off head to head for the first time this season which should make for a great race. Defending champion Sam Laverdiere will look for his second straight title.
Teams, we think that will advance: Freeport, York, Morse, Yarmouth, Greely, Wells, Poland
2023 Team Champion: Freeport (52 Points)
Top Returners from the 2023 Race
1 Sam Laverdiere 11 Lake Region 16:29.36 1 2 Alex Gilbert 10 Freeport Hig 16:32.71 2 3 Aidan Ring 11 York High School 16:46.28 3 7 William Coull 11 Greely High School 17:26.66 7 8 Levi Riggs 10 Morse High School 17:30.84 8 10 Conner Smith 11 Freeport Hig 17:31.70 9 12 Aidan Roberts 11 Lake Region 17:39.16 11 13 Hayden Atkinson 10 York High School 17:46.29 12 17 Abraham Medrano 10 Wells High School 17:54.35 16 18 Hans Bakke 11 York High School 17:55.03 17