Ruth White of Orono became just the fifth girl to win three New England cross country championships, successfully defending her title Saturday with a time of 17 minutes, 12.25 seconds at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast.
Running on the same 5-kilometer course where she won the Class C state championship a week earlier, White again beat Teanne Ewings (17:39.00) of Greater Houlton Christian Academy.
White, a senior, is the only Maine runner, male or female, to repeat as New England champion. She also won in 2021 and 2022.
Four other Mainers placed among the top 15 in the girls’ race: Soren Stark-Chessa (sixth, 18:07.09) of Maine Waldorf School, Cary Drake (eighth, 18:08.65) of York, Addy Thibodeau (12th, 18:22.15) of Bonny Eagle and Samantha Moore (15th, 18:29.00) of Portland.
Steven Hergenrother of Ridgefield, Connecticut, took the boys’ title in 15:21.87. Maddox Jordan of Noble was the best boys’ finisher from Maine, placing sixth in 15:42.08, and Portland’s Nathan Blades was 11th in 15:53.65.
FOOTBALL
KENNEBUNK 36, MASSABESIC 17: Jonah Barstow rushed for three touchdowns and kicked a 36-yard field goal, and the top-seeded Rams (9-1) pulled away in the second half to defeat the second-seeded Mustangs (5-5) in the Class B South final at Kennebunk.
Jaiden Homa had a receiving touchdown for Kennebunk, and Austin West added an 18-yard scoring run.
The Rams built a 15-0 lead on Barstow’s first two TDs, from 54 and 6 yards, sandwiched around his field goal.
Massabesic’s Zeke Rand caught a 68-yard scoring pass from Cameron Bradbury, and Brady Batson connected on a 22-yard field goal to make it 15-10 at halftime.
Kennebunk opened the second half with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Gray Compton to Homa. Caleb West answered with a 5-yard run, but West scored on an 18-yard run later in the third, and Barstow got his third touchdown from 14 yards out in the fourth.
Kennebunk, seeking its first state title since 1991, advances to face Lawrence in the championship game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium.
LAWRENCE 27, CONY 7: Colton Carter rushed for 221 yards and three touchdowns, and the top-seeded Bulldogs (9-1) relied on a dominant ground game to beat the third-seeded Rams (7-4) in the Class B North final in Winthrop.
Lawrence finished with 480 rushing yards, including 170 by Gaige Martin and 86 by Gavin Wilson. On defense, the Bulldogs picked off four passes from Cony quarterback Parker Morin.
Carter’s first two TDs, from 7 and 3 yards, gave Lawrence a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Wilson added a backbreaking 16-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left in the first half to make it 21-0.
BOYS’ SOCCER
MONMOUTH ACADEMY 5, EASTON 3: Patrick Strout recorded a hat trick to lead the Mustangs (16-1-1) to their first state championship since 2000 with a victory over the Bears (14-2-2) in the Class D final at Messalonskee High in Oakland.
Monmouth led 2-0 at halftime on goals by Strout and Sam Calder. Brandon Smith made it 3-0 midway through the second half, then set up Strout’s second and third goals.
Easton converted three penalty kicks in the final 13 minutes.
MT. ABRAM 1, GEORGE STEVENS 0: A corner kick by Morgan Thibodeau deflected into the goal off a Georges Valley player in the first half, and the Roadrunners (18-0) earned their first boys’ soccer state championship as they capped an undefeated season by shutting out the Eagles (13-3-2) in the Class C final at Mt. Ararat High in Topsham.
It was the 15th shutout of the season for Mt. Abram, which allowed just three goals.
The Roadrunners got the only goal they needed on their third corner kick. Thibodeau curled the ball toward the goal, and it crossed the line after hitting a Georges Stevens player for a 1-0 lead 16:05 into the game.
CARRABEC 1, SCHENCK/STEARNS 0: Christopher Caruso’s goal in the 11th minute lifted the Cobras (18-0) over the Wolverines (15-2) in the first eight-person boys’ soccer state championship game, at Cony High in Augusta.
Caruso put a shot into the lower left corner after a pass from Lucas Vicneire, and Carrabec held on from there to win its second state title, and first since taking the Class C crown in 2004.
GIRLS’ SOCCER
MADISON 3, PENQUIS VALLEY 1: Raegan Cowan capped a 58-goal season with the tying and go-ahead goals, and the Bulldogs (16-2) won the first eight-player state championship with a victory over the Patriots (16-1) at Cony High in Augusta.
Penquis scored first on a goal by Violet Chai in the first half. Cowan, though, tied the game just four minutes later, then put Madison ahead early in the second half.
Ella Haynie got the final goal for Madison, which had never won a state title.
PENOBSCOT VALLEY 1, ST. DOMINIC 0: Brooke Champion’s goal with 6:04 remaining in the first half was enough for the Howlers (18-0) to beat the Saints (12-4-1) in the Class D state championship game at Messalonskee High in Oakland.
The Howlers won their first state title since 1986, when they were in Class B. They were the runner-up to North Yarmouth Academy in 2019 and 2022.
Anna Theriault made 11 saves for St. Dom’s, which was in a state final for the first time since 2011.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
