Portland freshman Tenley Flint places 16th individually and helps the Bulldogs to a fifth-place team finish at Saturday’s Class A South regional cross country meet. Portland qualified for states for the first time since 2011. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster. More photos below.
Four local cross country teams, the Cheverus girls, Deering boys, Portland girls and Waynflete girls, qualified for the state meet last Saturday at the regional championships at Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland.
Class A
The big news coming out of the Class A girls’ meet was Portland qualifying for states for just the second time this century and the first time since 2011. The Bulldogs had 126 points and placed fifth (Bonny Eagle won the regional title with 59 points).
Portland was led by freshman Tenley Flint, who was 16th individually for scoring purposes, completing the 5-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 21.95 seconds. Freshman Annabelle Brooks was 18th (21:34.26). Also scoring were freshman Greta Holmes (21st, 21:38.69), freshman Taylor Austerer (34th, 22:19.95) and senior Lucy Medd (37th, 22:25.67).
“The success of the younger runners couldn’t have happened without the support of our tremendous upperclassmen who were so encouraging throughout the season,” said Bulldogs’ coach Sophia Payson-Rand. “This group of young women is super talented and yet, this was still a developing year for them as many had never experienced big races.
“While we will be losing five seniors, I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with this very strong group of younger runners for three more years. This has been an absolutely fantastic season with a truly great and well-rounded team that stepped up for each other and worked so well together.”
Cheverus (205) was eighth and also qualified.
Cheverus, which qualified for the fourth consecutive year, was paced by Grace Turner (15th, 21:19.15). Also scoring were Mackenzie Turner (22nd, 21:38.70), Leska Whitmarsh (29th, 21:45.02), Daniella Niedermeyer (56th, 23:26.89) and Sophie Schuele (83rd, 25:44.50).
Deering didn’t score as a team, but Megan Cunningham had the 13th-best time (20:56.86). Teammate Hadley Poirier did not finish.
In the Class A boys’ meet, won by Falmouth with 90 points, Deering (196) was seventh and qualified.
The Rams, who qualified for the eighth time in nine seasons, were led by Owen Pfaff (25th, 17:54.82). Also scoring were Alexey Seredin (26th, 17:55.13), Joey Lancia (27th, 18:01.14), Isaac Tabb (32nd, 18:12.66) and Owen Richards (86th, 19:42.23).
Deering’s Alexey Seredin finished 26th in the Class A boys’ race and helped the Rams qualify as a team.
Portland (220) was 10th and Cheverus (337) finished 14th. Both schools failed to qualify.
The Bulldogs’ top individual was Liam Niles (28th, 18:03.82). Also scoring were Wyatt Dana (33rd, 18:17.36), Will Brewster (37th, 18:26.73), Miles Fischer (46th, 18:42.66) and George Theall (76th, 19:30.56). Portland qualified in 2017 and 2018, but couldn’t do so this year.
The Stags were paced by Michael Luna (45th, 18:40.51). Also scoring were Jackson Wilson (66th, 19:14.85), Anthony Zerillo (70th, 19:17.56), Will Herman (77th, 19:30.67) and Andrew Griffiths (79th, 19:34.04).
Class C
Waynflete’s Blythe Thompson runs in the Class C South girls’ meet. Thompson’s eighth-place individual finish helped the Flyers come in fourth and qualify for states as a team.
In Class C, the Waynflete girls had 105 points and came in fourth (Maine Coast Waldorf won the meet with 37 points). The Flyers, who qualified for states for the 15th year in a row, were led by Blythe Thompson, who finished eighth in 22:30.30. Also scoring were Anna Wildes (12th, 22;48), Ellie Simmons (24th, 24:02.90), Maddie Landry (26th, 24:15.50) and Claire DiNapoli (35th, 25:18.50).
Waynflete’s boys had 208 points and finished ninth, but only eight teams from the region qualified (MCW was first with 28 points). The Flyers’ top individual was Levi Lilienthal (21st, 18:58.34). Also scoring were Connor Feeney (31st, 19:26.59), Ethan Armstrong (40th, 20:06.78), Sawyer Linehan (54th, 20:37.00) and Ethan Freeman (62nd, 21:10.90). Waynflete missed out on the state meet for the first time since 2013.
Waynflete’s Levi Lilienthal competes in the Class C South boys’ race. Lilienthal came in 21st.
State final Saturday
The state finals are Saturday, also in Cumberland.
The Waynflete girls run in the Class C race at 12:20 p.m.
The Cheverus and Portland girls compete in the Class A race at 1:40 p.m.
Deering’s boys race in the Class A meet at 2:20 p.m.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.”
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