Greely, MCW earn cross country hardware- Northern edition

The cross country season came to a close with the state meet Saturday at Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland.

As always, Forecaster Country runners set the tone and took home individual and team glory.

Here’s a recap.

Class B

Greely’s Sam Wilson (front) and Riley Franklin run in the Class B boys’ state meet Saturday. Franklin wound up fourth and Wilson fifth to help the Rangers capture the championship. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster.

Greely’s boys’ and girls’ teams both finished atop the Class B world, marking the second time in four seasons and fourth time overall that the Rangers accomplished that feat.

Greely’s boys finished with 65 points to win a 10th championship since 1999. York (83) was runner-up. Freeport (195) came in eighth and Yarmouth (243) placed 10th.

The Rangers had two top-five finishers, Riley Franklin (who was fourth on the 5-kilometer course in 17 minutes, 3.12 seconds, and Sam Wilson (fifth, 17:03.33). Also scoring were Leif Harvey (12th, 17:33.52), Elias Leggat-Barr (15th, 17:41.07) and Atticus Smith (29th, 18:03.34).

Throughout the regular season, Smith had been Greely’s sixth finisher. Saturday, he moved up 10 places over the final few hundred meters.

“It feels really good,” Smith said. “I’m a whole lot more excited than I thought I’d be.”

Freeport was led by Martin Horne, who placed sixth in 17:03.85. Also scoring were Henry Horne (35th, 18:11.34), Nate Davis (38th, 18:20.01), Heath Cockburn (57th, 19:02.50) and Caleb Hunter (59th, 19:09.01).

Yarmouth was paced by Odeh Rizkallah (10th, 17:31.41). Also scoring were Harrison Pendleton (51st, 18:45.20), Colin Senger (55th, 18:57.21), Lincoln Truesdale (58th, 19:05.39) and Dan LaMourie (69th, 19:37.15).

Greely’s girls won a 14th title, scoring 71 points, eight better than second-place Mt. Desert Island. Freeport (149) came in fifth and Yarmouth (152) was sixth.

The Rangers placed three runners in the top five, as Marin Provencher was third (20:14.84), Charlotte Taylor finished fourth (20:47.62) and Abby Hollis was fifth (20:48.12). Also scoring were Katie Hankinson (15th, 21:23.67) and Elsa Dean-Muncie (44th, 22:56.18).

“It was a lot of pressure,” Dean-Muncie said. “I was really nervous before the race, but my teammates were so supportive. They (said) there’s a reason there are five runners, so it doesn’t just fall on just one person.”

Greely coach David Dowling credited the title on “low sticks and a persistent fifth runner. She might not have had her best race, but it was darn strong and good enough.”

The Falcons were led by Jane Dawson (17th, 21:37.01) and Jillian Wight (18th, 21:37.24). Also scoring were Katie Whittier (35th, 22:31.81), Elsa Blease (38th, 22:41.22) and Emma Abbott (41st, 22:49.52).

Yarmouth’s top finisher was Sadie Cowles (22nd, 21:47.82). Also scoring were Maddie Marston (24th, 21:53.98), Mary Psyhogeos (29th, 22:17.68), Addison Hounchell (31st, 22:26.95) and Sophia Solmos (46th, 23:04.00).

Class A

Falmouth’s Sofie Matson heads for home in the Class A girls’race. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

In Class A, Falmouth didn’t win a team title, as its 114 points left it second to Bonny Eagle (72), but the Yachtsmen featured the state’s finest female runner, junior Sofie Matson, who won with a time of 17:52.02.

Karley Piers had the second-best time in Class A and was the second-fastest female in all classes, with a time of 19:18.61.

“Some people might look at it like, ‘Aw, Karley has to race against (Sofie) every race,’ but I look at it as a positive aspect,” Piers said. “I have the privilege to race against the fastest girl and just an amazing person. Every single race and every single day, I get to race with her and run with her, so it’s awesome.”

Also scoring were Viviana Griffin (28th, 21:34.48), Maeve Walsh (40th, 21:56.01) and Teagan Barry (43rd, 22:04.28) as the Yachtsmen placed second for the third time in four seasons.

Falmouth’s boys’ squad had a strong showing as well, as its 123 points left it fourth (Mt. Ararat won the crown with 84 points) and featured the fourth-fastest (Ben Greene, 16:22.38) and sixth-fastest (Benjamin Potter, 16:32.83) runners. Also scoring were Faran Igani (33rd, 17:50.36), Michael Smoluk (35th, 17:53.34) and Logan Ross (45th, 18:11.13).

Class C

Olivia Reynolds of Maine Coast Waldorf crosses the finish line first in the Class C girls’ meet. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

In Class C, the Maine Coast Waldorf boys scored 50 points, seven better than Orono, to win the title. North Yarmouth Academy (225) was seventh.

MCW had three runners score in the top 10, as Seamus Woodruff was third (17:20.68), Aidan Kusche came in seventh (17:59.25) and Bryan Stark-Chessa placed 10th (18:10.41). Also scoring were John Miles Muentener (11th, 18:10.84) and Louis Walker (19th, 18:31.99).

NYA was led by Chris Hamblett, who was 16th (18:25.68). Also scoring were James Tourigny (33rd, 19:12.13), Noah Hallward-Rough (49th, 19:52.74), Caleb Waterman (56th, 20:06.83) and Logan Welch (71st, 21:00.56).

The MCW girls had 57 points and were second to Orono (33). MCW did have the top individual in Olivia Reynolds (19:44.66). Also scoring were Emma Haims (seventh, 21:48.92), Ava Teegarden (13th, 22:21.46), Mamie Whittier (14th, 22:24.59) and Nora Goldberg-Courtney (22nd, 22:57.39).

NYA didn’t compete as a team, but Emma Collins had the 37th-best time (23:29.79).