Last Saturday, Western Maine cross country runners had the rare opportunity to race on a dry Twin Brook Recreation Area course. Fast times and clean shoes were the order of the day.
This Saturday, the top runners from Western Maine will be joined by their Eastern Maine peers at Twin Brook for the state cross country championships, and the 600-plus runners on hand will not have the same luxury.
With rain expected to drench the area over the two days leading up to the meet, Twin Brook should become the muddy mound cross country runners have come to expect this time of year.
That won’t do much to discourage Lewiston in its pursuit of its first boys’ state championship since 2007. The Blue Devils won their second consecutive Eastern Maine title in Bath last week in typical pack fashion, placing five of the top 13 to beat Bangor, which had beaten the shorthanded Devils the week before at KVACs. Western A champion Scarborough and runner-up Falmouth should be their most serious challengers.
If big meet experience counts for anything, Lewiston should have the advantage with seniors Mohamed Awil, Mohamed Mohamed and Farhan Abdillahi and junior Isaiah Harris counting among their top scorers. Harris, who finished third at regionals, and Awil also figure to be among the top competitors for the individual title, along with Eastern A champion Josh Horne and Mt. Blue teammates Aaron Willingham and Dan Lesko, Eastern A runner-up Jonathan Stanhope of Bangor, and Hampden Academy’s Caleb Lord.
The Class C boys race features the top runner in the state, Telstar’s Josef Holt-Andrews. Last week, Holt-Andrews broke the 16-minute mark at Twin Brook (15:54.75) to pick up his first regional title, 79 seconds ahead of his next closest competitor, Ben Allen of Winthrop. Allen should battle Matt Malcom of North Yarmouth Academy and Fort Kent’s Matthew Toussaint, the Eastern C champion from Fort Kent, for second.
As expected, Boothbay dominated for the Western C team title. But the Seahawks could finally face a stern test from Eastern Maine champion Orono for the top spot in the state.
Class B could have some of the tightest battles on the boys’ side. Defending champion Dan Curts of Ellsworth has been battling injuries since the Festival of Champions, but still won the Eastern Maine title by three seconds over teammate Brayden Beardsley. Western B champion Liam Simpson of Cape Elizabeth and Western Maine Conference champion Will Shafer of Gray-New Gloucester should also challenge Curts’ title. The team title is expected to be a duel between defending champion Cape Elizabeth and Eastern Maine champion Ellsworth.
Defending Class A girls champion Bonny Eagle is favored to repeat, but will be challenged by Massabesic and Brunswick. Western Maine runners figure to dominate the race for the individual title, with Bonny Eagle’s Kialeigh Marston and Mary Szatkowski and Cony’s Anne Gaudalupi among the top contenders.
In Class B, Mount Desert Island is a heavy favorite to defend its crown. Kirstin Sandreuter of Greely and Aleta Looker of Ellsworth are the top contenders for individual honors.
In Class C, Waynflete, Orono and Washburn appear to have the inside track for the team gold. Washburn senior Carsyn Koch is seeking her fourth consecutive individual title.
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