Nov 01, 2011

Class A State Championship

Race Videos Girls (MaineTrackXC) | Boys (MaineTrackXC)| Girls (Azad) | Boys (Azad)

Nick Morris of Scarborough outleaned Harlow Ladd of Messalonskee in the closest finish in state meet history 16:46.81 to 16:46.83. Abbey Leonardi cruised to an impressive 4th straight individual title running the fastest time of the day 18:27.19. Cheveus girls dominated the Class A race for the 4rd straight seaon, placing 4 in the top 6 finishers. On the boys side Scarborough repeated as champions, holding off a strong effort from runner-up Bangor

Boys Race Video

This race will go down in history as maybe the closest finish in state meet history. It's a shame one athlete had to win & the other athlete get second. After almost 5k, the boys Class A race came down to .02, as defending state champion Nick Morris of Scarborough used a lean to get by Harlow Ladd of Messalonskee who had seemingly won the race until his final stride. Morris known for his finishing kick looked like he was going to run out of room. "I knew about 3 steps from the finish I was going to lean, I'm used it to doing it in the 800m." Morris would say after the race. Even after the race, Ladd who had seemingly done everything he could to secure his first individual state championship, taking the lead early, then having Morris take the lead during mile 2, then coming back turning it into a kicking race. "I wanted it to come down to a kick, I was confident I could win" Ladd said post race. A stunned Ladd after the race knew he let one slip away, " "I learned a valuable lesson out there today, I'm never going to forget this for the rest of my life" he would say post race. the final times 16:46.81 to 16:46.83

While Morris & Ladd battled, Kennebunk senior Chris Dunn had his best performance of the season nabbing 3rd, and breaking 17 minutes with his 16:58.01 just edging out the new face of distance running this post-season Benson Worthington of Brunswick 16:58.94. Biddeford's Cam Nadeau the first junior across the line was 5th in 17:05.38, Nadeau will be the top returner in 2012. Last year's runner-up Andy Reifman-Packett of Mt Ararat was 6th in 17:05.38. Lewiston's Mohammed Barre had a breakthrough race finishing 7th (17:27.44), Barre was 5th in last week EM regional. Windham's Keegan Breenan fared well in the tough conditions grabbing the 8th spot (17:30.32), Brennan was 6th a week ago at the WM regional, he was 14 seconds faster today. Mt Blue's Justin Tracy continued his strong post season performances with a 9th place run (17:32.41), he would grab the final individual spot in the New England's. Rounding out the top 10 was Andrew Closson of Hampden Academy (17:32.63).

Finish Line Screenshot from Sub5 finish line video

Boys Top 20

  1 Nick Morris               SR Scarborough           16:46.81    1
  2 Harlow Ladd               SR Messalonskee          16:46.83    2
  3 Chris Dunn                SR Kennebunk             16:58.01    3
  4 Benson Worthington        SR Brunswick             16:58.94    4
  5 Cameron Nadeau            JR Biddeford             17:05.38
  6 Andy Reifman-Packett      SR Mt. Ararat            17:16.83    5
  7 Mohamed Barre             JR Lewiston              17:27.44    6
  8 Keegan Brennan            SR Windham High School   17:30.32    7
  9 Justin Tracy              JR Mt. Blue              17:32.41
 10 Andrew Closson            SR Hampden Academy       17:32.63    8
 11 Justin LeClair            SR Edward Little         17:35.24
 12 Jonathan Stanhope         SO Bangor High School    17:40.52    9
 13 Bryant Perkins            SR Sanford High School   17:43.94
 14 Darryl Wilkinson          SR South Portalnd        17:45.65   10
 15 Thomas Salamone           SR South Portalnd        17:46.53   11
 16 Nathan Mackenzie          SO Mt. Ararat            17:46.59   12
 17 Thomas Dean               SR Deering High School   17:51.13   13
 18 Jamie Ross                SO Brunswick             17:53.39   14
 19 Mohamed Awil              JR Lewiston              17:53.99   15
 20 Cody Vachon               JR Massabesic            17:54.60   16

Boys top 6 Teams

Scarborough repeated as state champions in Class A Boys action Bangor who didn't make the state meet last year earned the runner-up finish

Scarborough the pre-meet favorite won it's 2nd staright Class A title & 7th title in the last 10 years. It wasn't easy for the Red Storm, after race winner Nick Morris, 2nd runner Morris's brother Ian (17:56.09) didn't come in until #22. Scarborough packed in #2-#5 in a 11 second span to hold off a gritty effort by the Bangor boys. Senior Mike Tudor had the best race of the season for the Red Storm, he placed 5th on the team & 32nd overall (18:07.55), last week he was 38th in WM regional, today he was 40 seconds faster.

Last year the Bangor boys didn't even qualify as a team for the state meet. Add Eastern Maine champion & now Class A state runner-up one year later to their resume and first year head coach Adam Goode a former Bangor standout & Umaine runner should get a lot of credit. Goode's charges ran a patience race, and for a team racing at twin brook for the first team you would have never known it. The Rams seemingly way back at the mile, moved up steadily throughout mile 2 to put themselves into a good position to make a run at a state title. No other team in the race closed better than the Rams, and they made it interesting getting 5 scorers in before Scarborough the eventual champion had their 5 scorers in. Bangor was led by the 12th place finish of Jonathan Stanhope.

South Portland the WM regional runner-up had their best team finish at the state meet in recent memory. The Red Riots finished 3rd with 130 points to edge Mt. Ararat (140) by 10 points. Massabesic (168) rounded out the top 5 teams.

Look for Scarborough & Bangor to be two of the top teams again next year

   1 Scarborough High School      85    1   17   18   22   27   46   47
      Total Time:  1:28:48.40
         Average:    17:45.68

   2 Bangor High School           99    9   20   21   24   25   64   85
      Total Time:  1:29:49.62
         Average:    17:57.93
   3 South Portland High Schoo   130   10   11   33   35   41   54   73
      Total Time:  1:30:43.65
         Average:    18:08.73
   4 Mt. Ararat High School      140    5   12   26   40   57   60   80
      Total Time:  1:30:38.29
         Average:    18:07.66
   5 Massabesic High School      168   16   23   37   39   53   74   89
      Total Time:  1:31:32.18
         Average:    18:18.44
   6 Cheverus                    179   19   29   30   42   59   62   90
      Total Time:  1:32:04.16
         Average:    18:24.84

Girls Top 20

Start of the Class A girls race (Photo by Pam Swan)

Girls Race Video

Abbey Leonardi (Kennebunk) crossed the finish line first for the 4th consecutive year, this time the senior covered the 5k course at twinbrook in 18:27.19. Her time was 22 seconds slower than last week's effort but course but running the 3rd race of the day this week may have had something to do with that. This is the first time a girl has won 4th titles in a row, it's only been done one time on the boys side. Leonardi was pleased with her effort, and thanked her coaches, teammates, family for all the support over the past 4 years. Abbey was never challenged in the race as she led from start to finish.

EM Regional Erzsebet Nagy of Lawrence ran even with Cheverus's Emily Durgin until the final 600m before making her move to secure the runner-up spot, her time of 18:59.82 was the 2nd best of the day, the only girl besides Leonardi to crack the 19 minute barrier. It's been a great first year of xc for Nagy, was she glad she made the switch? "I made the right decision, I had a lot fun this xc season". Nagy did say she wouldn't continue on to the NE'S, citing she needed a break & wanted to get ready for the swim season.Erzsebet will be the top returner in 2012. Durgin of Cheverus who has been the runner-up 3 times finished 3rd in her senior campaign, but the fact that she finished the race this well was a confidence builder for her as she had dropped out of 3 other races this fall including last week's WM regional. It's well known she's been battling a case anemia. Durgin said she felt good untilt he final half mile or so, she was pleased with the 19:03.88 clocking all things considered.

The purple & gold of Cheverus was evident at the front of the race as they impressively crossed 3-4-5-6. Durgin as mentioned before was 3rd, while last week's WM regional runner-up Fiona Hendry ran a strong 4th (19:25.15), sophomore Kiera Murray nabbed 5th overall (19:56.02) while sophomore Shannon Conley struggled across the line in 6th (19:59.55). Conley had to receive medical attention after the race. After the purple & gold line, Nyajock Pan of South Portland crossed in 7th (20:24.87). Teresa Muphy of Brunswick closed well over the final mile for 8th (20:34.95) as did Kelly Lynch of Mt Ararat, who finished 9th (20:37.53). Rounding out the top 10 was Gabbi Johnson of Massabesic, she was the top freshman in the field (20:38.02).

  1 Abbey Leonardi            SR Kennebunk             18:27.19
  2 Erzsebet Nagy             JR Lawrence              18:59.82
  3 Emily Durgin              SR Cheverus              19:03.88    1
  4 Fiona Hendry              SR Cheverus              19:25.15    2
  5 Kiera Murray              SO Cheverus              19:56.02    3
  6 Shannon Conley            SO Cheverus              19:59.55    4
  7 Nyajock Pan               JR South Portalnd        20:24.87    5
  8 Teresa Murphy             SO Brunswick             20:34.95    6
  9 Kelly Lynch               SO Mt. Ararat            20:37.53    7
 10 Gabrielle Johnson         FR Massabesic            20:38.02    8
 11 Charlotte Pierce          JR Thornton Academy      20:46.17    9
 12 Laura Broderick           SO Kennebunk             20:48.99
 13 Kylee Parker              JR Hampden Academy       20:49.71   10
 14 Addie Cullenberg          SR Mt. Blue              20:53.66   11
 15 Samantha Cox                 Bonny Eagle           20:54.71   12
 16 Hannah Damron             SR Windham High School   21:02.84   13
 17 Emma Wood                 SR Mt. Ararat            21:04.44   14
 18 Talia McKay               SR Windham High School   21:10.28   15
 19 Mikayla Frazier           SR Massabesic            21:15.09   16
 20 Jocelyn Acheson           JR Massabesic            21:15.61   17

Girls top 6 Teams

Cheverus won for the 3rd straight year Mt. Ararat was the Class A girls runner-up for the 2nd straight year

The Cheverus Stags left no doubt as to who the team title would go to in Class A, as they placed there top 4 girls in spots 3-4-5-6, Emily Durgin led the Stags, a week after not finishing the WM regional race. Rounding out the scoring 5 for the Stags was senior Lizzy Gwilym in 36th place. Cheverus scored just 41 to win the title, last year the Stags had 45.

Mt Ararat & Massabesic had a great duel for the runner-up trophy with the Eagles edging out the Mustangs by 1 point for 2nd. Ararat was led by sophomore Kelly Lynch in 9th (20:37.53) & Emma Wood in 17th (21:04.44). For the Eagles they beat Massabesic at positions 1, 2, 4, 5 with the Massabesic having the edge at position #3. It was a matter of seconds that seperated the two teams. Freshman Gabbi Johnson led the Mustangs with a 10th place finish (20:38.02) while Mikayla Frazier & Jocelyn Acheson finished 19th & 20th

Brunswick the EM regional runner-up was 4th overall with 112 points while Mt. Blue rounded out the top 5 with 155 points.

Mt Ararat will enter the 2012 season as the early favorite

   1 Cheverus                     41    1    2    3    4   31   34   37
      Total Time:  1:40:30.60
         Average:    20:06.12
   2 Mt. Ararat High School       92    7   14   22   23   26   44   67
      Total Time:  1:47:01.51
         Average:    21:24.31
   3 Massabesic High School       93    8   16   17   24   28   46   60
      Total Time:  1:46:58.00
         Average:    21:23.60
   4 Brunswick High School       112    6   20   21   29   36   51   64
      Total Time:  1:47:51.27
         Average:    21:34.26
   5 Mt. Blue High School        155   11   27   32   40   45   57   74
      Total Time:  1:49:48.99
         Average:    21:57.80
   6 Windham High School         157   13   15   35   41   53   76   79
      Total Time:  1:49:47.47
         Average:    21:57.50

Other Media Coverage

Girls XC: Perfect Finish for Leonardi (PPH)

Boys XC: He learned his lean won it (PPH)

Photo finish in Class A race (Morning Sentinel)

MDI girls win Class B state cross country title (BDN)

Scarborough boys win Class A state cross country crown; Bangor second (BDN)