CUMBERLAND — Kristin Sandreuter climbed out of the pool and off her bike. Kialeigh Marston returned from the sidelines. Sophia Canning crossed over from a soccer field.

All three emerged as Western Maine cross country champions on a raw and windy Saturday at Twin Brook Recreation Area.

Sandreuter, a Greely senior, put forth the fastest time of the day – 19 minutes, 2 seconds over 5 kilometers – to win the Class B title nearly a month after her last race, the Manchester (N.H.) Invitational. Inflammation in the connective tissue of her foot prompted a rest break interrupted only by aqua jogging and bicycle pedaling.

“I had no assessment of my fitness level from the cross training so I just figured I’d do the best I could,” said Sandreuter, who had to wait a minute and 20 seconds before any of the other 90 runners finished.

Heather Evans of York was second in 20:22, followed by Sydney Ambrose of Freeport, Caitlin Teare of Yarmouth and, in a clump separated by a half-second, Rhoen Fiutak of Cape Elizabeth, Ellie Teare of Yarmouth and Anna Lastra of Fryeburg Academy.

Freeport, a four-time state champion in Class C, won its first Western Class B girls’ title by placing its top five – Ambrose, Elly Bengtsson, Bethanie Knighton, Nina Davenport and Chloe Hight – among the top 21. Cape Elizabeth was 10 points back in second, followed by Greely, Yarmouth, York, Maranacook and Lisbon.

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The top half of teams and top 30 runners advanced to the state meet next week at Twin Brook.

In Class A, Marston (19:29) and Mary Szatkowski (19:38) finished 1-2 to lead Bonny Eagle to a 10-point victory over Massabesic. Falmouth was third, another 21 points behind.

A minor ankle sprain kept Marston from racing since she won the Festival of Champions in Belfast three weeks ago. Szatkowski missed that race because of SAT testing.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” Marston said. “I wanted to run with Mary. That was my plan.”

Bonny Eagle knew about Massabesic, a fellow SMAA member. Falmouth, recently moved up from Class B, was the wild card.

“When you do the virtual meet, we were seeded to win,” Szatkowski said, “but they’ve run on hillier courses so we really didn’t know what would happen.”

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Gabby Johnson of Massabesic edged Kiera Murray of Cheverus for third, both in 19:52. Casey Loring of South Portland was fifth in 20:06.

Joining the top three teams from Class A in qualifying for the state meet were Cheverus, Marshwood, Sanford, Windham and South Portland.

In Class C, Canning won by two seconds over Hannah Austin of North Yarmouth Academy less than 24 hours after notching two assists in a Waynflete playoff soccer victory.

A four-year soccer player who dabbled in cross country this fall because she plans to continue running in college, Canning had raced only twice before. That may explain her confusion about one of the course’s most difficult segments in the final mile.

“We were together for almost all of it until about Dead Man’s Cave, or whatever they call it,” Canning said. “I pulled ahead but she’s quick. Omigosh, on the hills I was always a little ahead, then a second later she’d be right next to me again.”

Canning finished in 20:37 to 20:39 for Austin.

Sophia Mayone, Phoebe Colvin-Oehmig, Gail Johnson and Ellie Chidsey finished among the top 15 for Waynflete among a field of 90 to help the Flyers run away with the team title, with 37 points to 101 for runner-up Boothbay Region. Also qualifying for the state meet were Monmouth Academy, St. Dominic, Merriconeag and NYA.

Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 orGjordan@pressherald.comTwitter: GlennJordanPPH


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