AUGUSTA — A year ago, Osman Doorow just didn’t feel like himself.

He tried running his best, but the results just weren’t there. He finished the KVAC meet seventh overall. For many, that’s a wonderful finish, but for Doorow it was a disappointment.

“Last year, my blood was not 100 percent and I was not feeling good,” said Doorow, who battled through an illness most of last fall. “If I’d go the first mile, then I’d slow down.”

This year, there was no slowing down the Lewiston senior. Doorow ran out ahead of the pack Saturday at Cony High School and never looked back. He won the KVAC championship and set a new course record at the same time.

“I felt really good,” Osman said. “The course was really good today. I was just trying to go under 17 and I did it.”

Doorow won the race in 16:38.1. Hampden’s Paul Casavant was second in 16:55.4 followed by Zachariah Hoyle of Messalonskee. EL’s Jacob Gamache was fourth followed by Hampden’ s Wyatt Lord in fifth and Mt. Blue’s Tucker Barber in sixth.

Doorow edged out Casavant at the Festival of Champions race as well.

“I thought some other guys were going to take the lead, but they didn’t,” Doorow said. “So I just took the lead and ran by myself.”

Hampden won the boys’ meet with 77 points, while Bangor was second with 102. Lewiston took third at 110. Mt. Blue followed in fourth with 131 and Brewer rounded out the top five with 148. Edward Little finished seventh and Oxford Hills was ninth.

In the girls’ race, Mt. Blue was the winner with 71 points, edging Brunswick by a point. Cony was third with 84 followed by Mt. Ararat (108) and Hampden (111). Lewiston was sixth with 129. Oxford Hills finished 10th.

The Cougars win was led by junior Maggie Hickey in fifth. She finished in 21:17.2. She was 15th overall last year.

“I’m happy with my race today,” Hickey said. “I thought I could do it, and I did it. And my team did well. So I’m excited.”

Cony’s Anne Guadalupi won the girls’ race in 20:23.2. Mt. Ararat’s Katherine Leckee was second in 20:28.7. Brunswick followed with a pair of runners, Tessa Cassidy and Tiffany Tanner respectively.

The boys’ course record was set by Mt. Blue’s Aaron Willingham last year. He won the race in 16:56.5. Doorow has had the best times in the state all season and seemed poised to test that record Saturday. He was coming off an impressive win at the Festival of Champions in Belfast last month. With the FOC win and the KVAC title, Doorow now has his sights set on the state crown.

“I just want to be the state champion this year and run a good time,” Doorow said.

Lewiston’s other top finishers included Abbas Muktar in 13th. Abdullahi Daud, Isse Tawane and Jacob Folster all placed 31st, 32nd and 33rd, respectively.

Gamache was 11th at the Festival of Champions and added a fourth-place finish Saturday. Though Gamache placed well, he said it was a struggle. He said the first two miles went reasoonably well, but the third mile was a challenge.

“I was a little worried,” Gamache said. “I was hoping for third. I just wasn’t feeling it today. It’s a hard course and I don’t think I was ready.”

EL also had Russell Allen take 23rd and Reece Rodrigue finish 28th.

“I was happy with it for the most part,” Gamache said. “I gave it right before the finish line. I’ve just got to kick a little harder, run a little faster right off and hit those hills a little better and keep going.”

In addition to Barber’s sixth-place finish, Mt. Blue had Zeke Robinson in 16th and Isaiah Reid in 26th. Andrew Roberts finished 30th.

Oxford Hills top runner was Ben Andrews in 35th. Zane Dustin and Logan Hallee finished 46th and 47th, respectively.

Hickey was among the top seeds in the girls’ race and lived up to her billing. She hooked onto a fast pace by running with Waterville’s Cecilia Morin, who was second in Class B. She then teamed up with a couple of other top runners to finish strong.

“We just pushed each other really well,” Hickey said. “I was kind of expecting to get somewhere around fourth. I was hoping to get third and beat a girl or two. I was pretty happy with my time. My goal was sub 21 and I was (21:17.2). So I’m really happy with that.”

In addition to Hickey, Mt. Blue had Meghan Charles take 11th with Maeve Hickey in 12th. Emily McCarthy finished in 19th. Zoe Huish finished 35th.

Edward Little’s Jillian Richardson finished in the top 10, running a time of 21:41.3. Other EL finishers included Kirsten Main in 32nd.

Lewiston’s top finishers included Kayla Allen in 14th while Zaid Teklu was 16th. Hamido Hassan took 22nd.

Oxford Hills’ best finish came from Carina Sclafani in 42nd with Madison Letourneau in 47th.

In the boys’ B meet, Waterville’s Nick Dall was first in 17:46.1. Morse’s Christopher Wallfield was second followed by Leavitt’s Jarod Farrar, who finished in 18:25.2.

Waterville was the top team with 55 points followed by Belfast with 90. Leavitt finished 10th overall.

In the girls’ race, Waterville’s Lauren Brown won the overall race in 19:52.4. Morin was second in 20:58.5. Morse’s Sydney McCarren was third.

Leavitt had a pair of runners in the top 10. Julia Labbe was fifth in 22:11.6 while Kayleigh Cote was ninth in 22:49.1 Leavitt also had Ashley Pratt in 21st and Chloe Veilleux in 23rd.

Waterville won the team competition with 52 points followed by Maranacook with 75. Leavitt finished sixth with 110.

kmills@sunjournal.com

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