Falmouth’s John Auer heads toward a seventh-place finish at the Class A boys’ cross cross country state meet, helping the Yachtsmen repeat as state champions.

Forecaster Country was again the epicenter of the high school cross country world Saturday.

Not only was Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland the host site, but two local teams, the Falmouth boys and Yarmouth girls, won state titles and three individuals were tops in their class. 

For many area standouts, the season isn’t over, as they’ll get to run one final time at the New England championships.

Here’s a recap of all of Saturday’s action:

Class A

Falmouth’s boys’ team won Class A for the second straight season and captured the program’s sixth all-time championship by tallying 73 points, which was 22 better than second-place Scarborough. The Yachtsmen placed two runners in the top 10, John Auer (seventh on the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes, 44.75 seconds) and Connor Piers (ninth, 16:56.32). Also scoring were Alex Kinley (13th, 17:19.98), Charlie Henning (17th, 17:31.68) and Douglas Cooke (27th, 17:45.51). Falmouth enjoyed a top 10 state meet finish for the 10th year in a row and qualified for the New England meet as a team.

“You can’t point to one guy,” Falmouth co-coach Jorma Kurry said. “It was a total team effort.”

Greely, the defending Class B champion, in its first year running in Class A in the postseason, had 105 points to finish third. The Rangers were led by Luke Marsanskis, who was 10th in 17:08.44. Also scoring for Greely were Matthew Todd (15th, 17:25.13), Caleb Thurston (16th, 17:29.17), Sam Wilson (29th, 17:50.57) and Adam Bruder (35th, 17:59.55). Greely earned its fourth straight top four state meet finish and also qualified for New Englands as a team.

In the girls’ meet, won by Camden Hills with 73 points, defending Class B champion Greely (107) was runner-up and Falmouth (131) placed third.

The Rangers were led by Carolyn Todd (fourth, 19:26.64). Also scoring were Marin Provencher (14th, 20:20.51), Chloe Smith (19th, 20:49.03), Julia Curran (22nd, 21:02.67) and Elsa Dean-Muncie (48th, 22:18.02). Greely enjoyed its seventh straight top five state meet finish and will run as a team at New Englands.

Falmouth had the fastest individual, freshman Sofia Matson, who finished with a time of 18:41.60. The Yachtsmen had two other top 10 finishers: Malaika Pasch (fifth, 19:39.80) and Karley Piers (seventh, 19:41.16). Also scoring were Kayla Sarazin (51st, 22:28.43) and Lauren Welch (67th, 23:29.22). Falmouth has now placed in the top five at states six years running.

Class B

Yarmouth’s girls won their first Class B championship in 2015 and were runners-up to Greely a year ago. This fall, the Clippers captured their second crown by scoring 67 points, 18 better than runner-up York. Yarmouth was led by individual runner-up Sophia Laukli (19:42.61) and fourth-place finisher Anneka Murrin (19:56.17). Also scoring were Sadie Cowles (18th, 21:40.64), Grace Elder (19th, 21:41.56) and Abi Thornton (24th, 21:50.89). The Clippers have posted four straight top two finishes and will run as a team at New Englands.

Freeport had 204 points to place ninth. The Falcons boasted the individual champion in Lily Horne, who won the race in 19:10.85.

“Part of me was thinking, ‘I’m going to pay for this, it’s too fast,’ ” Horne said, of her fast start. “I was in pain, I will say that, but mentally, I think I knew I was going to make it when I got to the top of the Pain Cave – there’s a 90-degree turn there – and I could look back and didn’t see anyone.”

Also scoring for Freeport were Emily Sclar (40th, 22:50.09), Patricia Depere (46th, 23:12.64), Elsa Blease (58th, 23:56.00) and Katie Morrissey (59th, 23:58.03).

The Class B boys’ race was won by Lincoln Academy with 56 points, but the biggest drama came courtesy Yarmouth’s Luke Laverdiere, who easily took the individual title in 15:43.89, which was just a half-second shy of Brunswick’s Will Geoghegan (15:43.37) for the course record.

“I didn’t know where I’d be at the end and I saw the clock and was like, ‘Whoa, that’s really close.'” Laverdiere said. 

“(Luke’s) in a class all by himself,” Yarmouth coach John Rogers said. 

The Clippers had 115 points to finish third, a point behind Freeport.

The Falcons were led by Martin Horne (eighth, 17:22.99). Also scoring were Alex Les (12th, 17:45.64), Tom Doyle (24th, 18:22.98), Heath Cockburn (26th, 18:27.38) and Paul Biberstein (44th, 19:07.63). Freeport had its fifth straight top five state meet finish.

Also scoring for Yarmouth were Ben Cox-Faxon (15th, 17:53.64), Odeh Rizkallah (16th, 17:54.44), Sammy Potter (23rd, 18:20.69) and Daniel LaMourie (60th, 19:20.35). The Clippers finished in the top five for the third year in a row.

Class C

Maine Coast Waldorf had 77 points to finish second to Orono (48) in the Class C boys’ meet. North Yarmouth Academy (326) was 13th. 

MCW was led by Nick Neveu (fourth, 17:30.63). Also scoring were Matinicus Neveu (13th, 18:28.09), Aiden Kusche (14th, 18:28.67), Finn Dierks-Brown (18th, 18:35.46) and Calvin Soule (28th, 19:23.31).

NYA’s top finisher was Chris Hamblett (21st, 18:55.06). Also scoring were Kieran Rowe (56th, 20:36.20), Thai Crane (73rd, 21:52.07), T’Andre King (86th, 22:50.23) and Spencer Barton (90th, 23:12.80).

In the girls’ race, also won by Orono with 71 points (one better than Maranacook), MCW (88) finished fourth. MCW did have the first-place individual, Olivia Reynolds (20:13.10). Also scoring were Olivia Skillings (fifth, 20:37.74), Mamie Whittier (23rd, 22:10.52), Ava Teegarden (29th, 22:47.29) and Aniela Holtrop (30th, 22:48.23). 

New Englands

The New England championships will be held in Maine this year, as the region’s best runners will congregate in Belfast Saturday, Nov. 11.

In addition to the Falmouth and Greely boys’ squads and the Greely and Yarmouth girls’ team, Falmouth’s Matson, Pasch and Karley Piers, Freeport’s Lily Horne, MCW’s Reynolds and Yarmouth’s Laverdiere qualified as individuals.

Sun Journal staff writer Adam Robinson and Press Herald staff writer Glenn Jordan contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports 

Yarmouth’s Luke Laverdiere leaves the Class B field in his dust, winning the individual crown with a stellar time of 15 minutes, 43.89 seconds.

Yarmouth’s Anneka Murrin, front, and Sophia Laukli run near the front of the pack during the Class B girls’ state meet. Laukli wound up second individually while Murrin placed fourth, as the Clippers won the team title for the second time in three seasons.

Falmouth’s Connor Piers was ninth in the Class A boys’ race, helping the Yachtsmen to the state title.

Falmouth’s Charlie Henning was 17th in Class A.

Falmouth freshman Sofie Matson won the Class A girls’ individual title in 18 minutes, 41.60 seconds. The Yachtsmen were third as a team.

Falmouth’s Karley Piers was seventh in Class A.

Freeport’s Martin Horne, front, and Alex Les run in the Class B boys’ meet. Horne placed eighth and Les was 12th as the Falcons finished runner-up to Lincoln Academy as a team.

Greely’s Luke Marsanskis had the 10th-best individual time in the Class A boys’ race, helping the Rangers place third as a team.

Greely’s Matthew Todd was 15th in the Class A boys’ race.

Greely’s Caleb Thurston was 16th in Class A.

Greely’s Carolyn Todd placed fourth in Class A, helping the Rangers girls to a second-place team finish.

Maine Coast Waldorf’s Nick Neveu was fourth in the Class C boys’ meet, helping his team to a runner-up finish.

MCW’s Matinicus Neveu was 13th in the Class C boys’ race.

Maine Coast Waldorf’s Olivia Reynolds won the Class C girls’ meet and helped her team place fourth.

MCW’s Olivia Skillings was fifth in Class C.

North Yarmouth Academy’s Chris Hamblett was 21st in the Class C boys’ meet. The Panthers were 13th as a team.

Yarmouth’s Ben Cox-Faxon, front, and Odeh Rizkallah run in the Class B boys’ race. Cox-Faxon placed 15th and Rizkallah came in 16th. 

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