Cross country: Class B, C regionals a prelude to States

The cross country season is rapidly tracking to its climax – next weekend’s States in Belfast – and this past Saturday, East and West held their Regional meets to determine who’ll compete.

On the boys’ side in Class B, York took top honors, with Greely winning second; on the girls’ side, Yarmouth stole the show, with Greely followed trailing closely.

However, it was Cape’s Mitchel Morris who finished first for the boys, and Greely’s Katherine Leggat-Barr setting the pace for the girls.

The top seven boys teams advance to States:

1. York, 72

2. Greely, 92

3. Cape Elizabeth, 105

4. Freeport, 118

5. Fryeburg, 126

6. Gray-New Gloucester, 151

7. Maranacook, 156

As do the top seven girls teams:

1. Yarmouth, 39

2. Greely, 45

3. Cape Elizabeth, 54

4. York, 115

5. Maranacook, 153

6. Morse, 164

7. Freeport, 185

Likewise, the top 30 boys earn a spot on the larger stage, including local runners below:

1. Mitchell Morris, Cape Elizabeth, 16:45.48

2. Harrison Knowlton, Leavitt, 17:11.15

3. Patrick Carty, Fryeburg, 17:12.20

4. Luke Laverdiere, Yarmouth, 17:26.71

5. Chandler Vincent, Freeport, 17:32.05

6. Kyle Kennedy, Cape Elizabeth, 17:36.65

7. Rex Brockelman, York, 17:37.13

8. Ben Garcia, Gray-New Gloucester, 17:40.56

9. Tucker Corbett, York, 17:43.35

10. Tom Rose, Fryeburg, 17:43.51

11. Eric Brobst, Freeport, 17:46.34

12. Kyle Hansen, Greely, 17:49.55

13. Ethan Harriman, Maranacook, 17:53.78

14. Sam Sewall, York, 17:54.52

15. Evan Hultstrom, York, 17:57.60

16. Henry Jaques, Freeport, 18:00.58

17. Ryan Morrison, Greely, 18:01.12

18. Troy Cochran, Greely, 18:03.64

19. Connor Rog, Greely, 18:15.49

20. Nick Harriman, Lisbon, 18:19.42

23. Austin Cross, Gray-New Gloucester, 18:23.58

24. Mac Huffard, Cape Elizabeth, 18:28.63

29. Jared Duperre, Cape Elizabeth, 18:38.07

As do the top 30 girls, including:

1. Katherine Leggat-Barr, Greely, 19:46.76

2. Grace Cowles, Yarmouth, 20:22.17

3. Anneka Murrin, Yarmouth, 20:23.06

4. Izzy Evans, Greely, 20:33.08

5. Abigail Hamilton, Yarmouth, 20:35.12

6. Caitlin Teare, Yarmouth, 20:35.28

7. Audrey Blais, Lake Region, 20:37.18

8. Liv Palma, Cape Elizabeth, 20:38.90

9. Rhoen Fiutak, Cape Elizabeth, 20:43.14

10. Emily Mason, Greely, 20:46.90

11. Hannah Despres, Maranacook, 20:49.57

12. Madori Kwan, Cape Elizabeth, 21:02:54

13. Kathryn Miller, York, 21:12.80

14. Sam Feenstra, Cape Elizabeth, 21:20.21

15. Sophia Stickney, Greely, 21:22.80

16. Emma Shedd, Cape Elizabeth, 21:23.51

17. Lily Johnston, Freeport, 21:38.68

18. Kristina Smith, Greely, 21:39.97

19. Addie Blais, Lake Region, 21:43.67

20. Julia Labbe, Leavitt, 21:45.55

On the boys’ side in Class C, the top seven teams again earn a trip to States, including:

1. Boothbay, 51

2. Merriconeag, 51

3. Winthrop, 89

And on the girls’ side:

1. Waynflete, 39

2. Merriconeag, 66

3. NYA, 120

Merriconeag posted a particular impressive performance in virtue of its small size – but then, it’s long excelled at the few sports it fields teams in (see their dominance on the ski slopes for further proof). Tucker Pierce finished third among all boys (17:42.52), while Zach and Nick Neveau went six-seven, respectively (18:06.19, 18:07.54). Dylan Wu claimed 16th and Lars Gunderson 25th.

Among girls, Olivia Skillings, just a freshman, took second for Merriconeag (21:09.54) while Samantha Pierce took fourth (21:33.10). Fiona Ahearne finished sixth (21:50.78), and Louise Ahearne claimed 13th. All earned spots in Belfast next weekend.

Lake Region junior Nick Scarlett rounds a bend at Twin Brook Saturday morning.Cape Elizabeth’s Mitchell Morris took first in the Boys Class B Regional Final Saturday.Chandler Vincent claimed fifth for Freeport in the boys race at Twin Brook Saturday afternoon.Cape’s Kyle Kennedy, who finished sixth, leads York runner Rex Brockelman by less than a second.Gray-New Gloucester’s Austin Cross finished 23rd, earning him a trip to next weekend’s States.Lucas Nickerson of Gray-New Gloucester, nears the finish at Twin Brook Saturday.Bennett Hight, of Freeport, completes the 5K circuit at Twin Brook.