Last Saturday was a very good day for local cross country runners, as they made their mark at the regional meet at Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland.

Ultimately, 10 of 12 teams qualified for the state meet, which will be held this coming Saturday, also in Cumberland.

Here’s how it all shook out:

Class A

Falmouth’s Georgia Moon finishes third at the Class A South cross country regional championship. Moon’s efforts helped the Navigators win the team title. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

Falmouth’s girls won the Class A South team title, as their 50 points were 17 better than runner-up Portland. The Navigators, who qualified for states for the 20th consecutive postseason, were led individually by Georgia Moon, who had the third-best time on the 5-kilometer course (19 minutes, 46.18 seconds). Also scoring were Parker Fox (fifth, 20:06.44), Maeve Ginevan (eighth, 20:22.42), Elle Foley (12th, 21:14.41) and Haley Barrett (22nd, 21:53.28).

“I think today we really saw our potential and we’ve known that we’re a deep, young team,” Ginevan said. “I think at states we should do pretty well as long as we’re all trying our best out there and pushing through the hard parts.”

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In the Class A South boys’ competition, Falmouth finished with 162 points and was fourth (Portland was first with 43), qualifying for states for the 26th consecutive postseason. The Navigators featured Frederick Brill, who came in 15th (17:39.11). Also scoring were Sean Lowery (23rd, 18:19.41), Christopher Jaynes (33rd, 18:43.0), Olin Johnson (42nd, 19:03.45) and Eli Sidhu (49th, 19:16.79).

Class B

Freeport’s Alex Gilbert finishes third in Class B South and helps the Falcons win the team title. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

In Class B, Freeport swept the titles.

The Falcons boys, who have won the state championship three years running, tallied 57 points, which left them 40 clear of runner-up Greely. Freeport, which qualified for states for the 15th consecutive postseason, placed three runners in the top 10: Alex Gilbert (third, 16:41.29), Conner Smith (fourth, 16:51.5) and Owen Dawson (10th, 17:48.07). Also scoring were Mungu Tussing (15th, 18:18.35) and Ian Guzman (25th, 18:40.02).

“We’re always thinking that we’re going to win,” Gilbert said. “We always want to win and we always want to do our best.”

The Rangers qualified for the 10th straight postseason and were paced by William Coull (seventh, 17:27.07). Also scoring were Tait Harvey (11th, 17:50.37), Owen Cooper (14th, 18:14.8), Zachary Doane (28th, 18:51.86) and Luca Cianchette (37th, 19:21.08).

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Yarmouth (105) was third and qualified for the second straight season. Cameron Pernal was the top finisher (12th, 17:55.63). Also scoring were Jackie Chalmers (17th, 18:26.1), Jeffrey Owen (18th, 18:26.59), Jesse Canfield (27th, 18:46.07) and Alyosha Sulyandziga (31st, 18:59.44).

Freeport’s Lucy Huggett winds up third in the Class B South race, helping the Falcons to the team crown. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

Freeport’s girls also placed first, as the Falcons’ 51 points were 30 fewer than runner-up York. Freeport qualified for the ninth consecutive postseason. Lucy Huggett (third, 19:48.27), Lilah Hall (seventh, 20:39.44) and Josie Spaulding (eighth, 20:45.41) all placed in the top 10. Also scoring were Ella Oshetski (11th, 21:08.3) and Esther Penney (22nd, 22:23.81).

 Yarmouth’s Olivia Wentworth heads toward a runner-up finish in the Class B South girls’ race. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald.

Yarmouth (109) tied with Cape Elizabeth but earned the third spot on the sixth runner tiebreaker as it qualified for the 14th straight postseason. The Clippers were paced by individual runner-up Olivia Wentworth (19:41.61). Also scoring were Madeleine Jones (fifth, 20:24.65), Abbie Grunewald (33rd, 23:25.57), Eleanor Weyenberg (34th, 23:25.94) and Abbey Hamilton (35th, 23:33.32).

Greely ended up sixth with 165 points, but managed to qualify for the 16th straight postseason. Rowan Barry led the way for the Rangers, coming in sixth in 20:31.43. Also scoring were Sarah Weisz (13th, 21:15.16), Emma Stein (18th, 22:02.74), Gina Lestage (52nd, 25:03.01) and Riley Record (76th, 27:30.79).

Class C

Maine Waldorf Academy’s Soren Stark-Chessa comes in first in the Class C South girls’ field.  Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

In Class C South, Maine Coast Waldorf’s girls’ team had 96 points and was third (Waynflete was first with 51). Soren Stark-Chessa was first individually in 19:09.37.

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After running in boys’ races as a freshman, Stark-Chessa’s presence in girls’ races in 2023 elicited grumbles within Maine’s cross country community, hateful comments on social media channels and news coverage by outlets like the New York Post, London’s Daily Mail and Fox & Friends. That created a tense atmosphere with a significant police presence at last year’s regional meet.

“It’s been a really amazing experience this season,” Stark-Chessa said. “Similar to last year actually. I haven’t really felt very much tension. That’s because I have a really great circle of people around me who are very loving and supportive and that really hasn’t changed. That’s one of the reasons I love this sport, and that makes me really happy to run.”

Maine law is clear that transgender students can compete in youth and high school athletics as the gender with which they identify. At least 26 states have passed legislation banning transgender athletes. New Hampshire became the first New England state to enact such a law in July.

Also scoring for MCW were Rahel Delaney (fifth, 21:16.3), Murreal Wilmot (26th, 24:50.09), Kayla McGuire (29th, 25:26.99) and Tashi Durham (35th, 26:19.0).

North Yarmouth Academy had 165 points and was eighth, but only six teams qualified for states. The Panthers were led by Hadley Smith (10th, 21:52.81). Also scoring were Acadia Guliani (15th, 23:17.69), Eliza Smith (27th, 25:12.28), Ellis Taylor (51st, 30:25.18) and Mina Ewing (62nd, 35:25.6).

The Class C South boys’ meet was won by Dirigo with 84 points. NYA (163) was seventh and qualified for states for the first time since 2019. The Panthers were led by Mael Saint-Hilaire (eighth, 18:42.62). Also scoring were Leif MacCarthy (12th, 19:16.43), Alex Rogow (45th, 20:51.23), James Vaillancourt (47th, 20:58.33) and Haddon Doyle (51st, 21:14.27).

MCW (257) was 12th, but failed to qualify, as only eight teams made the cut. The top finisher was Leighton Doyle (11th, 19:13.48). Also scoring were Leo Anderson (40th, 20:37.62), Fionn Mattson (59th, 21:50.79), Milo Emerson (68th, 22:23.56) and Cameron McLaughlin (79th, 23:41.31).

Press Herald staff writer Steve Craig contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net

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