The Jack Kelly Award

The Jack Kelly Award is given to the top boys runner in the state

Previous Winner

2010: Silas Eastman Fryeburg

Christian Bale starred as lead Newsie Jack Kelly in the Disney film The Newsies. The film follows the life of the Newsies as they make a living selling news papers in New York in the year of 1899. Jack Kelly is the main vocal leader of the group. His dream has always been to run away from the refuge and live in Santa Fe where he can reunite with his parents. He and the Newsies form a strike against Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst because they raised the distribution price of the papers, and the Newsies make a living off of selling papers. Jack Kelly gets every Newsie in New York to turn against Pulitzer and Hearst to try to make a stop with this. With the help of his friends, and his singing voice, Jack Kelly beats Pulitzer and Hearst and they lower the distribution price. Kelly has the option to go to Santa Fe at the end of the movie, but chooses to stay in New York because he felt like he was a part of a family there. Jack Kelly is the true definition of a leader.

And the winner is......

Matt McClintock Madison

SB: 15:38.00

Matt McClintock of Madison was flat out the most dominant runner in the state this year. His season was highlighted at the Class C state meet as he became only the seventh athlete to tun under 16 minutes on the Twinbrook course running a time of 15:52. McClintock rolled through the competition this year. At the Festival of Champions, McClintock pulled out a twenty second victory running a time of 16:08.07 on a day where the conditions were horrible. Last week at the New England Championships, McClintock placed third running a very fast time of 15:39. If McClintock plans to run at the Footlocker North East Regional, he may have an outside shot at a top ten finish.

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg

   SB: 15:57

3. Nick Morris Scarborough

   SB: 16:29.73

4. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

   SB: 16:01.00

5. Tim Follo Falmouth

   SB: 16:11.00

6. Chase Brown Boothbay

   SB: 16:17.00

The Big Three Award (Male)

The Big Three Award is given to the best trio in the state of Maine

When Danny Ainge brought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the summer of 2007, the Celtics instantly became the most popular team in the NBA. The Celtics jumped right out of the gate as they won 30 of their first 34 games behind the brilliance of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett. The reason why I chose to write about THIS big three and not the recent is because all three players meshed together. Ray Allen is the shooting specialist who will go down as maybe the greatest shooter ever in the NBA. Garnett is the crafty low post scorer who will certainly make the Hall of Fame when he is done, and then you have Paul Pierce who can shoot, pass, and slash to the basket. The thing that really sets them apart from the other big three is that they know their role. The three all met in the summer before their championship run to make a compromise. They all realized that the number of shots that they’d take would go down, and they accepted their roles to make a championship team.

And the winner is........

Falmouth- Tim Follo, Thomas Edmonds, Jay Lesser

The Falmouth trio consisting of Tim Follo, Thomas Edmonds, and Jay Lesser helped the Yachtsmen win their first state championship since 2002. Tim Follo led the charge for Falmouth this fall as we saw him bring his talents to another level. Follo is a big time racer, and it showed at the state meet as he nabbed the runner up spot, and last week at the New England Championships where he placed 11^th overall. It was a great way to end a brilliant xc career at Falmouth for him. Thomas Edmonds and Jay Lesser each had great years for the Yachtsmen as well. Both runners earned All-WMC honors along with Follo. With Follo and Edmonds graduating this year, it will be Jay Lesser's time to shine next fall as he hopes to lead the Yachtsmen to another state title.

2. Scarborough- Nick Morris, Ian Morris, Robby Hall

3. Caribou- Ron Lund, Caleb Chapman, Ryan Washington

4. NYA- Cam Regan, Evan Kendall, Alex Coffin

5. Wayneflete- Abshir Horor, Abukar Adan, Josh Espy

End of Season Awards

Schedule of Awards

The Erin Hannon Award- Tomorrow Morning

The Henry Rowengartner Award- Tomorrow Night

2010 Winner: Dan Curts Ellsworth

Tuesday

The Tyra Collette Award- Morning

The Matt Saracen Award- Night

2010 Winner: Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

Wednesday

The Summer and Marrisa Award- Morning

The Corey and Shawn Award- Night

2010 Winner: Jacob Brooks and Peter LePage Massabesic

Thursday

The Big Three Award (Female)- Morning

The Big Three Award (Male)- Night

2010 Winner: Nick Morris, Tom Hague, Zach Brown Scarborough

Friday

The Alex Russo Award- Morning

The Jack Kelly Award- Night

2010 Winner: Silas Eastman Fyreburg

Boys XC Power Rankings: Week 9

Team

1. Falmouth

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st Class B

   Falmouth took home its first title since 2002 in dominating fashion as they were lead by Tim Follo who placed second overall. Look for the Yachtsmen to contend for a top eight finish at the New England Championships in Rhode Island on November 12^th.

2. Scarborough

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st Class A

   Scarborough took its sixth Class A title in eight years behind Nick Morris's first place finish. Look for the Red Storm to contend for a top ten finish at the New England Championships.

3. Bangor

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 2^nd Class A

   The Rams nabbed the runner up spot in Class A behind Jonathan Stanhope's 12^th place finish. Look for Bangor to contend for a top fifteen finish at the New England Championships.

4. NYA

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st Class C

   NYA took home its second straight title behind Alex Coffin's tenth place finish. Look for NYA to contend for a top twenty finish at the New England Championships.

5. Greely

   Previous: 9

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 2^nd Class B

   The Rangers nabbed the runner up spot in Class B behind the duo of Stefan Sandrueter and Nate Maderia. They placed fourth and fifth respectively. Look for Greely to contend for a top twenty finish at New England's.

6. Caribou

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 3^rd

   Caribou narrowly missed a runner up finish as they finished one point behind Greely. Ron Lund led the way for the Vikings as he placed tenth overall.

7. York

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 4^th Class B

   York placed fourth in Class B behind Mitch Finitz's seventh place finish. Look for the Wildcats to contend for a top twenty finish at the New England Championships.

8. South Portland

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 3^rd

   South Portland placed third in Class A behind Darryl Wilkinson's 14^th place finish. Expect the Red Riots to be one of the favorites in the SMAA as they bring back three runners from their top five.

9. Mt. Ararat

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 4^th Class A

   Mt. Ararat placed fourth in Class A behind Andy Reifman-Packett's sixth place finish. Expect Mt. Ararat to one of the favorites in the KVAC next fall as they bring back five of their top six runners.

10. Cape Elizabeth

    Previous: 10

    Last Meet: States

    Place: 5^th Class B

    The Capers placed fifth in Class B behind Peter Doane's 8^th place finish. Expect Cape Elizabeth to be one of the favorites in the WMC next year as they bring back five of their top six runners.

Team of the Week: Falmouth Yachtsmen

Individual

1. Matt McClintock Madison

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 15:52.97

   McClintock joined elite company on Saturday as he became only the sixth runner to run under 16 minutes at Twinbrooks. Look for McClintock to contend for a top five finish at the New England Championships in Rhode Island.

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:14.15

   Eastman showed incredible strength on Saturday as he widened his lead on Tim Follo by over fifteen seconds during the last mile. His time of 16:14.15 was the second fastest of all classes. Look for Eastman to contend for a top ten finish at the New England Championships.

3. Nick Morris Scarborough

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:46.81

   Morris won his second straight individual title as he edged Harlow Ladd by .02 seconds on his lean at the end. Look for Morris to contend for a top 25 finish at the New England Championships.

4. Tim Follo Falmouth

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 2^nd Class B

   Time: 16:32.20

   Follo nabbed the runner up spot in Class B running a personal best on the Twinbrook course (16:32.20). Look for Follo to contend for a top 25 finish at the New England Championships.

5. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 2^nd Class A

   Time: 16:46.83

   Ladd narrowly missed the individual title as he finished just .02 seconds behind Nick Morris. Look for Ladd to contend for a top 25 finish at the New England Championships.

6. Chase Brown Boothbay

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 2^nd Class C

   Time: 16:37.63

   Brown placed second in Class C running a fine time of 16:37.63. Look for Brown to contend for a top 25 finish at the New England Championships.

7. Dan Curts Ellsworth

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 3^rd Class B

   Time: 16:38.43

   Curts placed third in Class B as he run a great time of 16:38.43. Look for Curts to contend for a top thirty finish at the New England Championships.

8. Josef Holt Telstar

   Previous: UR

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 3^rd Class C

   Time: 16:55.86

   Josef Holt placed third in Class C running a time of 16:55.86. Look for Holt to contend for a top thirty finish at the New England Championships.

9. Chris Dunn Kennebunk

   Previous: UR

   Last Meet: States

   Place: 3^rd Class A

   Time: 16:58.01

   Dunn placed third in Class A running a time of 16:58.01. Look for Dunn to contend for a top forty finish at New England's.

10. Benson Worthington Brunswick

    Previous: 9

    Last Meet: States

    Place: 4^th Class A

    Time: 16:58.94

    Worthington placed fourth in Class A running a time of 16:58.94. Look for Worthington to contend for a top forty finish at New England's.

Runner of the Week: Matt McClintock

Runners Knocking: Jack Pierce Merriconeag, Andy Reifman-Packett Mt. Ararat, Cam Nadeau Biddeford, Abshir Horor Wayneflete, Stefan Sandrueter Greely, Nate Maderia Greely, Mitch Finitz York

Boys XC Power Rankings: Week 8

Team

1. Falmouth

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class B

   Falmouth dominated their Class B Regional behind Tim Follo's second place finish. The Yachtsmen look like the overwhelming favorite to win their first Class B state title since 2002.

2. Scarborough

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class A

   The Red Storm captured the Western A title behind Nick Morris's first place finish. Scarborough looks like the favorite to defend their title from last year.

3. Caribou

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 1^st

   The Vikings squeaked by Ellsworth to take the Eastern B title behind Caleb Chapman's fourth place finish. Look for Caribou to contend for a top three finish in Class B this Saturday.

4. NYA

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class C

   NYA captured their second straight Regional title behind Cam Regan's sixth place finish. They look like the early favorite for Class C heading into the state meet this Saturday.

5. Bangor

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 1^st Class A

   The Rams took home the Eastern A title behind Jon Stanhope's tenth place finish. Look for Bangor to contend for the team title for Class A this Saturday.

6. South Portland

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 2^nd Class A

   The Red Riots placed second in Class A at the Western Maine Regional Championships behind Ryan Tuttle's 13^th place finish. Look for South Portland to contend for a top three finish in Class A this Saturday.

7. York

   Previous: 10

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 3^rd Class B

   York placed third in Class B at the Western Maine Regional Championships behind Mitch Finitz's fifth place finish. Look for the Wildcats to contend for a top three finish in Class B this Saturday.

8. Mt. Ararat

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 2^nd Class A

   Mt. Ararat placed second in Class A East behind Andy Reifman-Packett's third place finish. Look for Mt. Ararat to contend for a top five finish this Saturday.

9. Greely

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 4^th Class B

   The Rangers placed fourth in Class B West behind Nathan Maderia's third place finish. Look for Greely to contend for a top three finish in Class B this Saturday.

10. Cape Elizabeth

    Previous: UR

    Last Meet: WMR

    Place: Runner up Class B

    Cape Elizabeth seems to be getting hot at the right time. They placed second in Class B West behind Peter Doane's sixth place finish. Look for the Capers to use their momentum and push towards a top three finish in Class B this Saturday.

Team of the Week: Cape Elizabeth

Teams Knocking: Ellsworth, Freeport, Hampden Academy, Mt. Blue, Messalonskee, Brunswick Wayneflete

Individual

1. Matt McClintock Madison

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class C

   Time: 16:00.23

   McClintock took home another Regional Title as he cruised to the fastest time of all classes (16:00.23). Look for him to take his third individual title in a row this Saturday.

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class B

   Time: 16:18.11

   Eastman was able to relax this week as he cruised to a fast time of 16:18.11 which was the second fastest time of all classes on Saturday. Look for him to take his second individual title in a row this Saturday.

3. Nick Morris Scarborough

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 1^st Class A

   Time: 17:03.30

   Morris cruised to an easy victory in Class A as he posted the seventh time of all classes (17:03.30). Morris looks like the early favorite to defend his individual title this Saturday.

4. Chase Brown Boothbay

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 2^nd Class C

   Time: 16:46.31

   Brown placed second in Class C West running a fine time of 16:46.31. His time was the third fastest of all classes on Saturday. Look for Brown to try and chase down Matt McClintock this Saturday.

5. Tim Follo Falmouth

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 2^nd Class B

   Time: 16:55.71

   Follo placed second in Class B West running a time of 16:55.71. Look for Follo to try and chase down Silas Eastman this Saturday.

6. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:41.34

   Ladd received a tough challenge from Brunswick's Benson Worthington with Ladd eventually coming out on top as he ran the fastest time of all classes (16:41.34). Look for him to battle it out with Nick Morris for the individual title in Class A.

7. Dan Curts Ellsworth

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:41.90

   Curts cruised to an easy victory at Belfast as he posted the second fastest time of all classes (16:41.90). Look for Curts to battle with Tim Follo for second place in Class B.

8. Jack Pierce Merriconeag

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: WMR

   Place: 3^rd Class C

   Time: 16:53.96

   Pierce placed third in Class C West as he ran a time of 16:53.96. Look for Pierce to contend for a top three finish in Class C this Saturday.

9. Benson Worthington Brunswick

   Previous: 9

   Last Meet: EMR

   Place: 2^nd Class A

   Time: 16:45.57

   Worthington continues to get better every week as he placed second to Harlow Ladd running a time of 16:45.57. Look for him to contend for a top three finish in Class A this Saturday.

10. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt. Ararat

    Previous: 10

    Last Meet: EMR

    Place: 3^rd Class A

    Time: 16:53.77

    Reifman-Packett placed third in Class A East running a time of 16:53.77. Look for ARP to contend for a top three finish in Class A this Saturday.

Runner of the Week: Matt McClintock Madison

Runners Knocking: Josef Holt Telstar, Jon Stanhope Bangor, Abshir Horor Wayneflete, Cam Regan NYA, Bryant Perkins Sanford, Chris Dunn Kennebunk, Cam Nadeau Biddeford

Boys XC Power Rankings: Week 7

Teams

1. Falmouth

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Falmouth took home the WMC title behind Tim Follo's second place finish. The Yachtsmen look like the overwhelming favorite to take the Western B title this Saturday in Cumberland.

2. Scarborough

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: Home

   Place:1st

   Scarborough cruised to an easy victory on the tough Smiling Hill Farm course behind Nick Morris's first place finish. Look for the Red Storm to take the Western A title this Saturday in Cumberland.

3. Caribou

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: PVC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Caribou took home the PVC title behind Caleb Chapman's fourth place finish. The Vikings look like the early favorite to take the Eastern B title in Belfast this Saturday.

4. NYA

   Previous: 9

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 2^nd

   NYA won the Division two title and placed second in the combined results at the WMC Championships behind Cam Regan's fourth place finish. NYA looks like the early favorite to take the Class C West title in Cumberland this Saturday.

5. Greely

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 3^rd

   Greely placed second in the Division one race and third overall behind Stefan Sandrueter's sixth place finish. Look for Greely to contend for a top three finish at the Western Maine Regional Championships on their home course this Saturday.

6. South Portland

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: at McAuley

   Place: 1^st

   The Red Riots won their meet at McAuley behind Thomas Salamone's fourth place finish. Look for South Portland to contend for a top three finish at the Western Maine Regional Championships this Saturday.

7. Mt. Ararat

   Previous: UR

   Last Meet: KVAC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Mt. Ararat proved on Saturday that they are a force to be reckoned with in Class A as they won the KVAC Championships behind Andy Reifman-Packett's third place finish. Look for Mt. Ararat to challenge for the team title at the Eastern Regionals in Belfast this Saturday.

8. Bangor

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: KVAC Championships

   Place: 2^nd

   The Rams placed second at the KVAC Championships behind Jonathan Stanhope's fourth place finish. Look for Bangor to challenge for the team title at the Eastern Regional s in Belfast this Saturday.

9. Freeport

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 4th

   The Falcons placed third in the Division one race and fourth overall in the combined results at the WMC Championships. Look for Freeport to contend for a top three finish at the Western Regionals in Cumberland this Saturday.

10. York

    Previous: 3

    Last Meet: WMC Championships

    Place: 5^th

    The Wildcats placed fourth in the Division one race and fifth overall in the combined results at the WMC Championships. Look for York to contend for a top three finish in Class B at the Western Maine Regionals in Cumberland this Saturday.

Team of the Week: Mt. Ararat

Teams Knocking: Ellsworth, Cape Elizabeth, Hampden Academy, Mt. Blue, Brunswick, Wayneflete

Individual

1. Matt McClintock Madison

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: MVC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:23

   McClintcok cruised to another easy victory on the tough Augusta course running a fine time of 16:23. Look for McClintock to repeat as the Western Class C Champion at Cumberland this Saturday.

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:37.67

   Eastman got a serious challenge from Tim Follo at the WMC Championships on Saturday with Eastman eventually pulling out the victory running a time of 16:37.67. Eastman looks like the early favorite to take the Western B title in Cumberland this Saturday.

3. Nick Morris Scarborough

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: Home

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:29.73

   Morris ran a fantastic time of 16:29.73 on the very hilly Smiling Hill Farm course. Look for Morris to challenge for the individual title in Class A at the Western Maine Regional Championships this Saturday.

4. Tim Follo Falmouth

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 2^nd (1^st in Division One)

   Time: 16:38.21

   Follo nearly pulled off the upset of the year as he came oh so close to edging Silas Eastman. Follo was the first Division one runner to cross the line that day in a time of 16:38.21. If Saturday was any indication, then we are in for one heck of a race at the Western B Regionals in Cumberland.

5. Chase Brown Boothbay

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: MVC Championships

   Place: 2^nd

   Time: 16:56

   Brown placed second at the MVC Championships running a time of 16:56 on the tough Augusta course. Look for Brown to try and close the gap between himself and Matt McClintcok at the class C Western Regional Championships this Saturday.

6. Dan Curts Ellsworth

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: PVC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:23.8

   Curts took home the PVC title as he cruised to a fine time of 16:23.8. Curts looks like the overwhelming favorite to take the Class B East title in Belfast this Saturday.

7. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: KVAC Championships

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 17:28.3

   Ladd took home the KVAC individual title as he cruised to a time of 17:28.3. Ladd looks like the overwhelming favorite to take the Class A East title in Belfast this Saturday.

8. Jack Pierce Merriconeag

   Previous: 9

   Last Meet: WMC Championships

   Place: 3^rd (2^nd in Division two)

   Time: 16:44.5

   Pierce placed second in the Division two race and third overall at the WMC Championships running a time of 16:44.50. Look for Pierce to contend for a top three finish in class C a the Western Regional Championships this Saturday.

9. Benson Worthington Brunswick

   Previous: 10

   Last Meet: KVAC Championships

   Place: 2^nd

   Time: 17:52.5

   Worthington placed second at the KVAC Championships running a time of 17:52.5. Look for him to contend for a top three finish in Class A East this Saturday at Belfast.

10. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt. Ararat

    Previous: 8

    Last Meet: KVAC Championships

    Place: 3^rd

    Time: 17:55.8

    Reifman-Packett placed third at the KVAC Championships running a time of 17:55.8. Look for ARP to contend for a top three finish in Class A East this Saturday at Belfast.

Runner of the Week: Tim Follo Falmouth

Runners Knocking: Alex Buteel Orono, Jon Stanhope Bangor, Cam Regan NYA, Josef Holt Telstar, Chris Dunn Kennebunk, Cam Nadeau Biddeford, Mitch Finitz York, Will Shafer GNG, Bryant Perkins Sanford

Mid-Season Awards: Boys XC

Boys XC Mid-Season Awards

The Jack Kelly Award – Runner of the Year

Previous Winners

2010: Silas Eastman Fryeburg

Matt McClintock Madison SB: 15:38.00

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg SB: 15:57

3. Nick Morris Scarborough SB: 16:35

4. Harlow Ladd Messalosnkee SB: 16:37

5. Tim Follo Falmouth SB: 16:39.3

The Matt Saracen Award – Most Improved Runner

Previous Winners

2010: Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

Cameron Nadeau Biddeford SB: 16:37

2. Jonathan Stanhope Bangor SB: 17:19.7

3. Benson Worthington Brunswick SB: 17:12.1

4. Jamie Ross Brunswick SB: 17:33.1

5. Nate Maderia Greely SB: 17:00.0

The Henry Rowengartner Award – Rookie of the Year

Previous Winners

2010: Dan Curts Ellsworth

Caleb Lord Hampden Academy SB: 17:51.96

2. Spencer Brown Falmouth SB: 17:48.00

3. William Fletcher MDI SB: 17:57.94

4. Jacob Archer Bangor SB: 18:04.29

5. Jacob Terry Scarborough SB: 18:14.63

The Cory and Shawn Award – Best Dynamic Duo

Previous Winners

2010: Jacob Brooks and Peter LePage Massabesic

Jamie Ross and Benson Worthington Brunswick

2. Nick Morris and Robby Hall Scarborough

3. Stefan Sandrueter and Nate Maderia Greely

4. John Wilkinson and Thomas Salamone South Portland

5. Lucas Bourget and Justin Leclair Edward Little

The Big Three Award – Best Trio

Previous Winners

2010: Nick Morris, Tom Hague, Zach Brown Scarborough

Nick Morris, Robby Hall, Wout Moulin Scarborough

2. Tim Follo, Jay Lesser, Thomas Edmonds Falmouth

3. Cam Regan, Evan Kendall, Alex Coffin NYA

4. Nick Kopf, Andrew Closson, Caleb Lord Hampden Academy

5. Caleb Chapman, Ryan Washington, Ron Lund Caribou

Boys XC Power Rankings: Week 5

TEAM

1. Falmouth

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 1^st

   Tim Follo's fifth place finish paced Falmouth to a victory at FOC. The Yachtsmen also had big races from Jay Lesser and Colby Howland. Falmouth faces a tough challenge when they head to Greely this Friday.

2. Scarborough

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 4^th

   Scarborough placed fourth at FOC behind Nick Morris' third place finish. Expect the Red Storm to go unchallenged when they head to Cheverus this Friday.

3. York

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: at Traip

   Place: 1^st

   York won easily at Traip without their number one runner, Mitch Finitz. Josh Brooks placed second overall. Look for the Wildcats to go unchallenged once again when they go to Traip this Friday.

4. Bangor

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 6^th

   Bangor placed sixth at FOC behind Jonathan Stanhope's 14^th place finish. They look like the early favorite in class A east heading towards the post season.

5. Caribou

   Previous: 3

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 7^th

   Caleb Chapman lead Caribou to a seventh place finish at FOC placing 30^th. Caribou looks like the early favorite in Class B East heading towards the post season.

6. Freeport

   Previous: 10

   Last Meet: at Traip

   Place: 2^nd

   Freeport placed second at Traip behind Taylor Saucier's fourth place finish. They will face a tough challenge when they head to NYA this Friday.

7. Greely

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: at Traip

   Place: 3^rd

   Greely placed third out of six teams at Traip last Friday behind Nate Maderia's ninth place finish. They will face a tough challenge when they host Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth on Friday.

8. South Portland

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 11^th

   South Portland placed 11^th at FOC behind Thomas Salamone's 47^th place finish. The Red Riots head to Marshwood this Friday.

9. Hampden Academy

   Previous: UR

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 8^th

   Hampden Academy placed 8^th at FOC behind Andrew Closson's 20^th place finish. Look for Hampden to challenge Caribou at the Eastern B Regionals in two weeks.

10. NYA

    Previous: 7

    Last Meet: FOC

    Place: 13^th

    NYA placed 13^th at FOC behind Evan Kendall's 46^th place finish. They will face a tough challenge this Friday when they host Freeport.

Team of the Week: Falmouth Yachtsmen

Teams Knocking: John Bapst, Ellsworth, Cape Elizabeth, Mt. Blue, Brunswick, Wayneflete, Mt. Ararat

Individual

1. Matt McClintock Madison

   Previous: 1

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 16:08.07

   McClintock took the lead from the opening gun and never looked back as he cruised to a fine time of 16:08.07 at Belfast on Saturday. Expect him to run another fast time on his home course this Wednesday.

2. Silas Eastman Fryeburg

   Previous: 2

   Last Meet: Home

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 15:57

   Eastman became only the second runner to break 16 minutes so far this fall as he cruised through his home course running a time of 15:57. Expect him to go unchallenged when Fryeburg heads to Lake Region this Friday.

3. Nick Morris Scarborough

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 3^rd

   Time: 16:37.40

   Morris used his devastating kick to pull away from Chase Brown and Tim Follo to nab the third spot at FOC. Expect Morris to go unchallenged when Scarborough heads to Cheverus on Friday.

4. Chase Brown Boothbay

   Previous: 4

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 4^th

   Time: 16:38.72

   Chase Brown placed fourth at FOC running a time of 16:38.72. Look for Brown to try and close the gap between himself and Matt McClintock as they head towards the post season.

5. Tim Follo Falmouth

   Previous: 5

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 5^th

   Time: 16:39.31

   Follo was the first class B runner to cross the line on Saturday as he ran a fine time of 16:39.31. Expect Follo to come out with another victory this Friday when Falmouth heads to Greely.

6. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee

   Previous: 6

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 9^th

   Time: 16:57.71

   Ladd placed ninth at FOC running a time of 16:57.71. He will face a tough challenge when Messalonskee heads to the Mt. Blue Relays on Friday.

7. Dan Curts Ellsworth

   Previous: 7

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 6th

   Time: 16:44.96

   Curts placed six at FOC running a time of 16:44.96. He was the second class B runner to cross the line that day. He looks like the early favorite to take the Class B Regional title in a few weeks.

8. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt. Ararat

   Previous: 8

   Last Meet: at Morse

   Place: 1^st

   Time: 10:14 (2 Miles)

   Andy Reifman-Packett cruised to an easy victory at Morse as his time of 10:14 was over thirty seconds faster than the second place finisher. Expect to contend for the win at the Mt. Blue Relays this Friday.

9. Alex Buteel Orono

   Previous: 9

   Last Meet: FOC

   Place: 7^th

   Time: 16:51.68

   Alex Buteel proved why he will be a force to be reckoned with in class C this past Saturday as he placed seventh running a time of 16:51.68. Look for him to win the Wolverine Invitational this Wednesday.

10. Jack Pierce Merriconeag

    Previous: 10

    Last Meet: at Fryeburg

    Place: 2^nd

    Time: 16:30

    Pierce placed second to Silas Eastman on Friday running a fine time of 16:30. He will face a tough challenge when Merriconeag heads to NYA this Friday.

Runner of the Week: Matt McClintock Madison

Runners Knocking: Josef Holt Telstar, Jonathan Stanhope Bangor, Chris Dunn Kennebunk, Cam Nadeau Biddeford, Mitch Finitz York, Bryant Perkins Sanford, Will Shafer GNG, Benson Worthington Brunswick

Looking Forward to Next Fall

With the cross country season officially over it’s time to look at what’s in store for next year. It seems like Falmouth and Scarborough are good every year and that won’t change next fall as both teams bring back at least three runners from their top five. These two teams are very evenly matched and it if they both go to Festival of Champions next year, it should be a very entertaining meet. There is a big gap after those two teams. Greely has the best chance to catch Falmouth. They lack the fire power up front, but they have great depth and they should very dangerous going into the post season. Edward Little is the next best class A team. Expect them to challenge Scarborough next year. NYA will be the top class C team next year as they will look to defend his title. The individual title for class A is up for grabs once again. There are at least five runners who could take the title. The class B title is a little more predictable. Silas Eastman was undefeated in the state of Maine this past fall. He will be the favorite to take the crown next year. The class C race might be the most competitive. We have two of the best runners in the state going against each other in Matt McClintock of Madison and Chase Brown of Boothbay. Don’t sleep on Wayneflete’s Abshir Horor. He had a great first season of XC and he will only get better. Here’s a look at what’s in store for next year:

1. Falmouth
Place at State meet: Runner up Class B
Top Returners: Tim Follo, Connor McGrory, Thomas Edmonds
Falmouth will return four runners from their top five next year which makes them the team to beat in class B for the second year in a row. Look for Tim Follo to have an outstanding senior year as he’ll look to close the gap between him and Fryeburg’s Silas Eastman. They key for Falmouth will be their four and five runners. If Henry Briggs and Azad Jalalia can improve over the summer look for them to push Falmouth over the edge. Falmouth will definitely be a title contender next year.

2. Scarborough
Place at State Meet: 1st Class A
Top Returners: Nick Morris, Robby Hall, Ian Morris
It seems like Scarborough is good every year and next year shouldn’t be any different. Their loss to Tom Hague and Zach Brown will hurt them, but they have the class A winner Nick Morris leading them along with Robby Hall who will look to have a break out year next year. The key for the Red Strom next year will be the improvement of Ian Morris and Wout Moulin. If they improve over the summer Scarborough will be in good shape to defend their state title.

3. Greely
Place at State meet: 5th Class B
Top Returners: Stefan Sandrueter, Nathan Maderia, Issac Emery
This will be the first year in a while where Greely doesn’t have any fire power in front. Stefan Sandrueter is their top returner. He placed 10th at the state meet so expect him to have a great season next year. Nathan Maderia and Isaac Emery will look to improve upon last season. If they can close the gap between them and Sandrueter expect Greely to contend for the title next October.

4. NYA
Place at States: 1st Class C
Top Returners: Cam Regan, Evan Kendall, Nate McPherson
NYA will return one of the best the top 1, 2 combos in the state next year in Cam Regan and Evan Kendall. Expect both of them to have great seasons. If their number three runner Nate McPherson can improve expect NYA to win their second class C title in a row.

5. York
Place at States: 6th Class B
Top Returners: Mitchell Finitz, Alec Jordan, Nick Eaton
York will once again be one of the top teams in class B next year. Expect Mitchell Finitz to have a great season. He placed seventh at the state meet running a time of 16:59.10 which was good enough to qualify him for the New England Championships. If York wants to be the crème of the crop in class B then Alec Jordan and Nick Eaton will have to have huge years.

6. Ellsworth
Place at States: 7th Class B
Top Returners: Dan Curts, Blake Pattengale, Kody Holmes
Ellsworth will be the top B team in the east next year behind the brilliance of Dan Curts who had an amazing freshmen year. If Ellsworth wants to contend with Falmouth, Greely, and York for the state title then Kody Holmes and Blake Pattengale will have to step up next year.

7. Wayneflete
Place at States: Runner Up Class C
Top Returners: Abshir Horor, Abukar Adan, Josh Espy
Wayneflete has arguably the best trio in the state which makes them one of the favorites to take the class C crown in 2011. Abshir Horor had a great first season of cross country and he will only get better. The key for Wayneflete will be there four and five runners. If they can step up they will challenge NYA for the title next year.

8. Edward Little
Place at States: 5th Class A
Top Returners: Justin Leclair, Loucas Bourget, Nathan Mulligan
Edward Little placed fifth at the class A state meet this past fall and with Justin Leclair and Loucas Bourget returning look for them to improve upon their placing next year. Look for Justin Leclair to have a breakout year. He will be one of the top runners in the KVAC.

9. Kennebunk
Place at States: 10th Class A
Top Returners: Chris Dunn, Cameron Weiwil, Robert Ekland
Kennebunk will surprise a lot of teams next year. The bring back Chris Dunn, who is one of the top runners in the state, and Cameron Weiwil who placed 27th at the state fall in October (17:35.98). With that formidable 1, 2 punch look for Kennebunk to make some noise next year in the SMAA.

10. South Portland
Place at States: 13th Class A
Top Returners: Ryan Tuttle, Ben Allen, Austin Gotts
South Portland was very young this year so look for them to comeback a more experienced and successful next year. Ryan Tuttle, Ben Allen, and Austin Gotts all placed in the top 40 at the state meet so they should defientely be able to move up next year.

Predictions

Class A Top Three
1. Scarborough
2. Edward Little
3. Kennebunk

Class B Top Three
1. Falmouth
2. Greely
3. York

Class C Top Three
1. NYA
2. Wayneflete
3. Boothbay

Individual Rankings

1. Silas Eastman Fryeburg JR
Place at States: 1st Class B
Fastest Time: 16:02.44
He didn’t lose in the state Maine this year. What makes you think next year will be any different? The kid is a stud. Look for Eastman to go to a whole new level next year. He will be the heavy favorite to defend his individual title next year.

2. Matt McClintock Madison SR
Place at States: 1st Class C
Fastest Time: 16:00.91
McClintock had a breakout year this fall as we saw him run the fastest time of all classes at the state meet in October (16:00.91). Look for him to continue to improve next year. He will be looking to defend his title next year, but he will be challenged by Boothbay’s Chase Brown.

3. Harlow Ladd Messalonksee SR
Place at States: 8th Class A
Fastest Time: 16:08
Ladd had a very impressive season this fall topped off with a second place finish at the Festival of Champions (16:11.5). An early stumble at the state meet caused Ladd to run in pain for the rest of the race. Expect him to contend for the individual title at the state meet next October.

4. Tim Follo Falmouth SR
Place at States: Runner Up Class B
Fastest Time: 16:21.44
Follo took his talents to the next level in the post season. He was the runner up at the class B state meet running a time of 16:21.44 and he was the second Maine finisher at the New England Championships placing 33rd. Expect Follo to continue to get better as he looks to close the gap between himself and Silas Eastman.

5. Chase Brown Boothbay SR
Place at States: Runner up Class C
Fastest Time: 16:12.05
Brown had a fantastic fall as we saw him place second to Matt McClintock at the class C state meet running a time of 16:14.97 which was good enough for the third fastest time of all classes. Expect Brown to have another great season next fall as he hopes to track down Matt McClintock.

6. Dan Curts Ellsworth SO
Place at States: 3rd Class B
Fastest Time: 16:26.45
Curts had a ridiculous freshmen year topped off with a third place finish at the state meet (16:28). Expect him to continue to excel now that he has a year of XC under his belt. Look for him to chase down Silas Eastman and Tim Follo next year.

7. Nick Morris Scarborough SR
Place at States: 1st Class A
Fastest Time: 16:25.15
Morris had a terrific fall as he won the class A state title running a time of 16:25. Look for him to be at the top of the pack next year as he looks to defend his title.

8. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt Ararat SR
Place at States: Runner up Class A
Fastest Time: 16:28.85
Reifman-Packett was the runner up at the class A state meet running a time of 16:28.85. Expect him to be with the crème of the crop next year as he looks to improve upon his finish at the state meet.

9. Eben Hodgkins Erksine SR
Place at States: 5th
Fastest Time: 16:32
Hodgkins had a breakout year this fall as we saw him place fifth at the class B state meet (16:41.15). Expect him to contend for a top three finish next fall.

10. Abshir Horor Wayneflete SR
Place at States: 10th
Fastest Time: 16:38
Horor had a brilliant first season of XC and he will only get better next year. He had an off day at the state meet as he placed 10th in class C running a time 17:20.38. Look for him to contend with McClintock and Brown for the class C title next year.

Predictions

Class A Top Five
1. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee SR
2. Nick Morris Scarborough SR
3. Andy Reifman Packett Mt Ararat SR
4. Bryant Perkins Sanford SR
5. Chris Dunn Kennebunk SR

Class B Top Five
1. Silas Eastman Fryeburg JR
2. Tim Follo Falmouth SR
3. Dan Curts Ellsworth SO
4. Eben Hodgkins Erksine SR
5. Thomas Bottomley Cape SR

Class C Top Five
1. Matt McClintcok Madison SR
2. Chase Brown Boothbay SR
3. Abshir Horor Wayneflete SR
4. Joseph Holt Andrews SO
5. Jack Pierce Merriconeag JR

Runners Knocking on the Door: Joseph Holt Andrews Telstar, Jack Pierce Merriconeag, Thomas Bottomley Cape, Mitchell Finitz York, Chris Dunn Kennebunk, Stefan Sandrueter Greely, Jonah Jones Mt Blue, Will Shafer GNG, Alex Bulteel Orono, Cam Regan NYA

The Jack Kelly Award

The Jack Kelly Award is given to the top runner in the state regardless of class. Christian Bale starred as lead Newsie Jack Kelly in the Disney film Newsies. The film follows the life of the newsies as they make a living selling news papers in New York in the year of 1899. Jack Kelly is the main vocal leader of the group. His dream has always been to run away from the refuge and live in Santa Fe where he can reunite with his parents. He and the newsies form a strike against Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst because they raised the distribution price of the papers, and the newsies make a living off of selling papers. Jack Kelly gets every newsie in New York to turn against Pulitzer and Hearst to try to make a stop with this. With the help of his friends, and his singing voice, Jack Kelly beats Pulitzer and Hearst and they lower the distribution price. Kelly has the option to go to Santa Fe at the end of the movie, but chooses to stay in New York because he felt like he was a part of a family there.



And the winner is………




Silas Eastman Fryeburg
The kid is an absolute stud. He won his first state championships last Saturday running the second fastest time of all classes (16:02.44). The thing that is amazing about Eastman is that he was never challenged in any of his races. He simply dominated the state of Maine this year as evidence to his first place at the Southwest Classic where he ran a time of 16:40 in the heat, and was nearly 40 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. He won the Western Regional title running a time of 16:20 which was good for the second fastest time of all classes. He was slightly pushed the Western Maine Conference Championship where Abshir Horor and Tim Follo slowly started to close the gap on him, but that’s been it as far as competition. Eastman is only a sophomore so expect to improve over the course of his career. He has already received comparisons to Greely legend Ben True which is truly remarkable. Expect him to challenge for a top ten finish at the New England Championships on Saturday. I can’t wait to see what kind of times he will run over the course of his high school career.

Rest of the Top Five:

2. Matt McClintock Madison
Season Best: 16:00.91

3. Nick Morris Scarborough
Season Best: 16:25.80

4. Chase Brown Boothbay
Season Best: 16:12.4

5. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee
Season Best: 16:08

The Big Three Award

The Big Three Award

The Big Three Award is given to the top 1, 2, 3 combo in the state. When Danny Ainge brought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the summer of 2007, the Celtics instantly became the most popular team in the NBA. The Celtics jumped right out of the gate as they won 30 of their first 34 games behind the brilliance of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett. The reason why I chose to write about THIS big three and not the recent is because all three players meshed together. Ray Allen is the shooting specialist who will go down as maybe the greatest shooter ever in the NBA. Garnett is the crafty low post scorer who will certainly make the Hall of Fame when he is done, and then you have Paul Pierce who can shoot, pass, and slash to the basket. I’d like to make a shout out to Paul Pierce as he surpassed the 20,000 point mark last night in their win against the Bucks last night. The thing that really sets them apart from the other big three is that they know their role. The three all met in the summer before their championship run to make a compromise. They all realized that the number of shots that they’d take would go down, and they accepted their roles to make a championship team.






And the winner is……….




Scarborough
Nick Morris, Tom Hague, Zach Brown

All three runners had great seasons as Scarborough won its fourth state title in the last six years. Nick Morris had a phenomenal year as he won the state meet running a time of 16:25.8 while Tom Hague placed sixth (16:48.3) and Zach Brown, who had an off day, placed 22nd (17:26.7). The thing that is remarkable about this “big three” is that they all have run under 17 minutes more than once. At the Festival of Champions “the big three” were all placed in the top 20. Morris led the way that day as he placed 6th (16:36.44) while Tom Hague (16:51.67) and Zach Brown (16:56.99) placed 12th and 16th respectively. They were the reason why Scarborough was so dominant this year, and look for all of them to have great races at the New England Championship’s next Saturday.

Rest of the Top Five

2. Gorham
Logan Marshall, Jeremy Earl, Andy Turner

3. Caribou
Christain Sleeper, DJ Flynn, Celeb Chapman

4. Falmouth
Tim Follo, John Lake, Tom Edmonds

5. Cape
Thomas Bottomley, Reid Douty, Leo Ledman

The Corey and Shawn Award

The Corey and Shawn Award (Best Dynamic Duo)

The Corey and Shawn Award is given to the best 1, 2 combo in the State. Corey Matthews (Ben Savage) and Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong) ruled the TV sitcom Boy Meets World for seven amazing years. As each season progressed the dynamic duo continued to get funnier and wittier. In the show, Corey and Shawn were best friends their entire lives. They did everything together whether it was taking a test together or plotting a scheme on Minkus. Even though they were best friends, there were times where it looked like their friendship may come to a halt. In season three Corey wanted to use a video that he had done to turn in Shawn’s half brother. Shawn didn’t like the idea so he ruined the tape. They ended up getting in a fight in the middle of the hall way that was broken up by Jonathan Turner and Eli Williams. They solved their issues by the end of the episode when Shawn saves Corey from getting beaten up by Shawn’s half brother. Corey asks why Shawn why he would threaten to turn in Shawn’s brother since he was “family”. Shawn responds saying that "you don’t have to be blood to be family". They hit their peak in season five. It was right around Corey and Topanga’s break up and they both gave us some great comic relief. Corey Matthews and Shawn Hunter will be remembered as two of the greatest sitcom characters in history, and two of the greatest people that have touched my heart.


And the winner is…….


Jacob Brooks and Peter LePage Massabesic
Jacob Brooks and Peter LePage both had fantastic seasons this year as they placed 7th and 9th respectively at the state meet last Saturday. They were also the key reason why Massabesic placed third in class A this year. Jacob Brooks was consistently the number one runner for Massabesic. He had a very impressive run at the Western Maine Regional’s placing second to Scarborough’s Nick Morris running a time of 17:02.8. LePage had on off race that day as he placed 13th with a time of 17:26.7. The two both had strong races at the Festival of Champions as Brooks and LePage finished 20th and 24th respectively. Brooks ran to a time of 17:03.69 while LePage was just behind running a time of 17:05.47. They both had very impressive seasons and look for them to have strong races at the New England Championships next Saturday.

Rest of the Top Five

2. Nick Morris and Tom Hague Scarborough

3. Logan Marshall and Jeremy Earl Gorham

4. Tim Follo and John Lake Falmouth

5. Cam Regan and Evan Kendall NYA

End of the Season and Upcoming Awards

State Meet Review
Saturday was the end of a great season for Maine XC. Scarborough took the title in Class A. Caribou surprised a lot of people in Class B as they won their first state title in a long time, and NYA took the class C title in dominating fashion. NYA was one of the most underrated teams this year. They have a great dynamic duo with Cam Regan and Evan Kendall, and strong 3-5 runners to make them the clear cut favorite in class C. They will return four of their top five next year so expect them to be one of the top teams in the state in 2011. Nick Morris of Scarborough took a lot of people by surprise as he took home the individual title out kicking Mt Ararat's Andy Reifman-Packett. Morris is only a junior so expect him to be right up there next year. Silas Eastman did what he has done the entire season as he dominated the field in the class B race running the second fastest time of all classes. He was 19 seconds ahead of second place finisher Tim Follo of Falmouth. Falmouth ran their hearts out on Saturday as they were without their number two runner John Lake, who suffered a stress fracture. Henry Briggs ran his best race of his high school career running a huge personal best of 17:30. Falmouth has four out of their top five returning so expect them to be the favorite in class B next year. Madison's Matt McClintock had the most impressive race of the day as he posted the fastest time of all classes running a time of 16:00.91.

Performers of the Week
Team: Caribou Vikings
Runner: Nick Morris Scarborough

Upcoming Awards
The awards for this season will be announced throughout the week. There are six categories. The award for the Rookie of The Year will be posted later today. Here is the schedule of awards:

Today
The Henry Rowengartner Award (Rookie of the Year)

Tuesday
The Matt Saracen Award (Most Improved Runner)

Wednesday
The Corey and Shawn Award (Best Dynamic Duo)

Thursday
The Big Three Award (Best Top Three in the State)

Friday
The George Feeny Award (Coach of the Year)

Saturday
The Jack Kelly Award (Runner of the Year)

Class A State Meet Preview

Team Preview
Scarborough looks like the early favorite heading into the state meet with Mt Ararat, Gorham, Massabesic, Mt Blue, and Edward Little right at their heels. They key to this race will be the number four runners. If Scarborough wants to win, Robby Hall will have to try to close the gap between him and Scarborough’s “big three”. Gorham’s Will Ross will have to step up big time on Saturday especially since Cortland Dunn still isn’t back to race form since getting his appendix removed. Mt Ararat’s Nick Demonthenes will have to have a big race if Mt Ararat wants to close the gap between them and Scarborough. Other teams looking for top five finishes will be Lewiston, Cheverus, and Sanford.

Prediction
Scarborough will win their fifth title in the past seven years on Saturday. Nick Morris will lead the way for them as he will place in the top five, and teammates Tom Hague and Zach Brown will place in the top 15. Expect Scarborough to have a score in the low seventies. Mt Ararat will be the runner up, and their top runner, Andy Reifman-Packett, will contend for a top three finish. Following them will be Gorham, Massabesic, and Mt Blue. Other teams that could jump into the top five are Lewiston and Cheverus.

Top 5
1. Scarborough
2. Mt Ararat
3. Gorham
4. Massabesic
5. Mt Blue

Individual Preview
The individual race will be fun to watch as there are at least five runners who could take the crown. Leading that group of runners will be Messalonkee’s Harlow Ladd. Ladd won the Eastern A Championship running a time of 16:30.95 as he was ten seconds ahead of second place finisher Will Lundquist of Cony. Expect him to be in the top pack as well. Andy Reifman-Packett of Mt Ararat will look to make a splash as well. Scarborough’s Nick Morris won the Western A Regional on Saturday so expect him to contend for a top three finish as well. Jacob Brooks of Massabesic is another one to watch. He was second to Morris on Saturday running a time of 17:02.8. Gorham’s Logan Marshall should be right the top guys. He placed fifth at the Western A Regional’s on Saturday. Also look out for Faisal Noor of Edward Little. He was fifth at the Eastern A Regional’s on Saturday. Jack Terwilliger of Cheverus placed ninth in just his second race back from an IT Band injury that sidelined him for seven weeks, so he could very well sneak into the top five. Other runners who will look for a top ten finish will be Tom Hague of Scarborough, Bryant Perkins of Sanford, and Peter LePage of Massabesic.

Prediction
Harlow Ladd will pull away in the final mile to take the crown in what could be a very fast time depending on the weather conditions. Rounding out the top five will be Andy Reifman-Packett, Nick Morris, Will Lundquist, and Logan Marshall. The next five spots will be up for grabs so look for Jacob Brooks, Jack Terwilliger, Bryant Perkins, Tom Hague and Peter LePage to fill in those spots in no particular order. Also look for runners such as Jaron Jones of Mt Blue, Hussein Mohamed of Edward Little, and Jake Letourneau of Mt Ararat to make a run towards a top ten finish. The order of the finish will be:

1. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee
2. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt Ararat
3. Nick Morris Scarborough
4. Will Lundquist Cony
5. Logan Marshall Gorham
6. Jack Terwilliger Cheverus
7. Jacob Brooks Massabesic
8. Bryant Perkins Sanford
9. Tom Hague Scarborough
10. Peter LePage Massabesic

Week 9 Power Rankings

Team

1. Scarborough
Previous: 1
Last Meet: Western A Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Scarborough dominated the Western A Regional on Saturday with an incredibly low score of 38 points. Nick Morris led the way for them as he placed first with a time of 16:59.3. Scarborough will be the heavy favorite to take home the state title on Saturday.

2. Mt Ararat
Previous: 8
Last Meet: Eastern A Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Mt Ararat took home the Eastern A crown on Saturday as they put their top three runners in the top ten overall. Look for Mt Ararat to contend for a top two finish at the State meet on Saturday.

3. Falmouth
Previous: 2
Last Meet: Western B Regional’s
Finish: 3rd
Falmouth lost just their second meet of the season on Saturday as they placed third at the Western B Regional. Maybe losing before the state meet was just what they needed. Look for them to contend for the title on Saturday.

4. Caribou
Previous: 5
Last Meet: Eastern B Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Caribou took the Eastern B Regional crown on Saturday behind DJ Flynn’s 6th place finish (17:21.57). They ended up putting three runners in the top ten overall. Look for Caribou to contend for the state title on Saturday.

5. Greely
Previous: 7
Last Meet: Western B Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Greely won the Western B Regional’s for the fourth year in a row. This was a surprise because many expected the Rangers to be behind Falmouth and Cape, but with all of the top guys running well, look for Greely to make a splash at the state meet.

6. Massabesic
Previous: 6
Last Meet: Western A Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Massabesic placed 2nd at the Western A Regional’s behind Jacob Brooks 2nd place finish (17:02.80). Look for Massabesic to contend for a top three finish at the state meet.

7. Cape
Previous: 4
Last Meet: Western B Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Cape ran a very solid race on Saturday as they were paced by Thomas Bottomley and Reid Douty who finished fourth and fifth respectively. Look for Cape to contend for a top three finish at the state meet.

8. Gorham
Previous: 3
Last Meet: Western A Regional’s
Finish: 3rd
Gorham placed third at the Western A Regional’s behind Logan Marshall’s fifth place finish (17:12.50). Look for Gorham to contend for a top three finish at the state meet.

9. Mt Blue
Previous: 9
Last Meet: Eastern A Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Mt Blue placed second at the Eastern A Regional’s behind Jaron Jones’ sixth place finish (17:10.35). They ended up putting three runners in the top 11 spots overall. Look for Mt Blue to contend for a top four finish at the state meet.

10. Hampden Academy
Previous: UR
Last Meet: Eastern B Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Hampden Academy ran to an impressive second place finish on Saturday behind Evan Piccirillo’s third place finish (16:53.63). Look for Hampden Academy to make a statement on Saturday.

Team of the Week: Mt Ararat

Teams Knocking on the Door: Edward Little, Lewiston, Cheverus, NYA, Ellsworth, York, Yarmouth

Individual
1. Silas Eastman Fryeburg
Previous: 1
Last Meet: Western B Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Time: 16:20.40
Eastman dominated the field at the Western B Regional on Saturday running to an impressive time of 16:20.40. He will be the overwhelming favorite to take the individual crown on Saturday.

2. Matt McClintock Madison
Previous: 3
Last Meet: Western C Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Time: 16:13.40
McClintock won round three on Saturday as he beat Chase Brown by 21 seconds running to a very impressive time of 16:13.40. His time was the fastest of all classes. McClintock will be the early favorite to take the class C title on Saturday.

3. Harlow Ladd Messalonskee
Previous: 4
Last Meet: Eastern A Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Time: 16:30.95
Ladd continued his fine season with a victory at the Eastern A Regional’s running a time of 16:30.95 which was the second fastest time of all classes. Ladd will be the favorite in the class A race on Saturday.

4. Chase Brown Boothbay
Previous: 2
Last Meet: Western C Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Time: 16:34.3
Brown raced to a second place finish on Saturday running a time of 16:34.3. Brown will look to close the gap between him and McClintock as he looks for his first state title.

5. Tim Follo Falmouth
Previous: 6
Last Meet: Western B Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Time: 16:37.80
Follo cruised to a second place finish at the Western B Regional’s running a fast time of 16:37.80. Look for Follo to contend for a top three finish on Saturday.

6. Dan Curts Ellsworth
Previous: 8
Last Meet: Eastern B Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Time: 16:26.45
Curts crushed the field on Saturday as he raced to a time of 16:26.45. He had the fastest time of all classes which is truly remarkable for a freshman. Look for Curts to contend for a top three finish on Saturday.

7. Nick Morris Scarborough
Previous: 7
Last Meet: Western A Regional’s
Finish: 1st
Time: 16:59.30
Morris took the Western A title as he outkicked Massabesic’s Jacob Brooks running a time of 16:59.30. Look for Morris to challenge for top three finish at the state meet on Saturday.

8. Will Lundquist Cony
Previous: UR
Last Meet: Eastern A Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Time: 16:40.66
Will Lundquist placed second at the Eastern A Regional’s running a time of 16:40.66. Look for him to contend for a top five finish on Saturday.

9. Andy Reifman-Packett Mt Ararat
Previous: UR
Last Met: Eastern A Regional’s
Finish: 3rd
Time: 16:57.30
Andy Reifman-Packett placed third at the Eastern A Regional’s running a time of 16:57.30. Look for him to contend for a top five finish on Saturday.

10. Eben Hodgkins Erksine
Previous: 9
Last Meet: Eastern B Regional’s
Finish: 2nd
Time: 16:45.69
Hodgkins ran to a second place finish at the Eastern B Regional’s running a time of 16:45.69. Hodgkins will be a part of that lead pack that will be chasing Silas Eastman on Saturday.

Runner of the Week: Dan Curts Ellsworth

Runners Knocking on the Door: Jacob Brooks Massabesic, Logan Marshall Gorham, Bryant Perkins Sanford, Evan Piccirillo Hampden, Jeff Hale Waterville, Christain Sleeper Caribou, Sam Johnston, Faisal Noor Edward Little, Jack Terwilliger Cheverus

Festival of Champions Preview

Girls Preview

Team
Cheverus and Massabesic go into the meet ranked 1 and 3 respectively in the latest poll which makes the girl’s race very interesting. Other teams who will want to make a statement this Saturday are Brunswick, John Bapst, Windham, and Falmouth. This will be a big test because we will finally see how the best teams stack up against each other. Will Cheverus run away with it? Will Massabesic finally put together and win? Or will we see an underdog come out on top a la The Mighty Ducks? We will have to wait and see.

Prediction
The Cheverus girls have looked very impressive this year, and they have been really hard to beat over the past couple weeks. The Massabesic girls have a lot of fire power with their top three runners Jocelyn Acheson, Charlotte Pierce, and Mikayla Frazier, but Cheverus has more talent and more depth. Other teams who look to contend for a top five finish will be Brunswick, Windham, John Bapst, and Falmouth. This is how the top five will play out on Saturday:

1. Cheverus
2. Massabesic
3. Brunswick
4. John Bapst
5. Windham

Individual Preview
Abby Leonardi looks like the runaway favorite in this one, and she will be looking to make history on Saturday as she looks to break Cassie Hintz’s record of 17:52.60. The top challengers for Leonardi will be Abby Mace of Maranacock and Cheverus teammates Emily Durgin and Fiona Hendry. Other runners who will be looking to make a splash are Mia Rapolla of Gorham, Kathleen McMahon of Brunswick, Dacie Manion of Old Town, Charlotte Pierce of Massabesic, and Addie Cullenberg of Mt. Blue. There is plenty of fire power in this race, and if the weather is acceptable then we could see some incredibly fast times on Saturday.

Prediction
Abbey Leonardi has to be the favorite. She has run under 18 minutes twice at distances of three miles, a feat that some fifth runners on boy’s teams haven’t even accomplished. The real question is will there be anybody to challenge Leonardi? Both Emily Durgin and Abby Mace have had very impressive seasons so far, and they could challenge Leonardi. Durgin won the New England championships last year so we know how well she can run, and Mace has won every meet so far by a considerable margin. Here is how the top ten will play out on Saturday:

1. Abbey Leonardi Kennebunk
2. Emily Durgin Cheverus
3. Abby Mace Maranacock
4. Fiona Hendry Cheverus
5. Mia Rapolla Gorham
6. Kathleen McMahon Brunswick
7. Charlotte Pierce Massabesic
8. Alecia Palmer Presque Isle
9. Dacie Manion Old Town
10. Addie Cullenberg Mt Blue

Boys Preview

Team Preview
This has the makings of a classic meet. Eight of the top ten teams in my Week 5 Power Rankings will be attending, so the star power will be at a maximum. Scarborough will look to rebound from last week’s performance at the Southwest Classic, and Falmouth should be fully rested for a great run. Gorham won the Southwest Classic last week, so expect them to have a strong performance. Other teams that will be looking to make a splash are Cape, Massabesic, Edward Little, and Mt Blue. Will Scarborough redeem themselves and come out on top? Will Gorham continue to roll? Or will Falmouth ran past everybody with their rested legs?

Prediction
The real key in this meet will be the number five runners. Cortland Dunn of Gorham will need to have a good race if Gorham wants to have a shot of winning. Also Falmouth’s Henry Briggs will have to have a strong race if they want to come out on top. Scarborough’s number five runner Ian Morris will also have to make a big impact if Scarborough wants to win it. Watch out for Edward Little as well. Faisal Noor has had an outstanding year, and he has a very strong supporting cast behind him. Cape Elizabeth will also like to prove why they are a top team. They have had an excellent year so far, and don’t be surprised to see them catch some of the top teams. If everything goes as it should, the top five will look like this:

1. Falmouth
2. Gorham
3. Scarborough
4. Edward Little
5. Cape Elizabeth

Individual Preview
The individual race will be very entertaining to watch on Saturday as there are four possible runners that could come out on top. Jack Terwilliger of Cheverus hasn’t raced in three weeks, but that shouldn’t affect him on Saturday as he will be fully rested. Harlow Ladd of Messalonske is another favorite to watch. He has posted the fastest 5k of all classes so far with a time of 16:08, and he is also undefeated this year. Edward Little’s Faisal Noor will be with the top pack on Saturday. He has the second fastest 5k year with a time of 16:09, so look for him to challenge for the top spot. Another runner who will be looking to challenge will be Mike Tate from JH Gillis in Nova Scotia. He finished 7th at the Festival of Champions last year as freshmen running a time of 16:21.7 so look for him to challenge as well. Other runners to look out for will be Matt McClintock of Madison, Nick Morris of Scarborough, Tim Follo of Falmouth, Bryant Perkins of Sanford, Jeremy Earl of Gorham, Abshir Horor of Wayneflete,and Chase Brown of Boothbay.

Prediction
Jack Terwilliger looks like the early favorite in this one. He hasn’t raced in three weeks, but I don’t think that will affect him. The battle for the two spot between Harlow Ladd, Faisal Noor, and Mike Tate should be very exciting to watch as well. If everything goes the way it should, the top ten will be looking like this on Saturday:

1. Jack Terwilliger Cheverus
2. Harlow Ladd Messalonske
3. Mike Tate JH Gillis-NS
4. Faisal Noor Edward Little
5. Matt McClintock Madison
6. Tim Follo Falmouth
7. Bryant Perkins Sanford
8. Nick Morris Scarborough
9. Abshir Horor Waynefleter
10. Jeremy Earl Gorham