Cross Country
Wildcats XC shines on home turf
By Kevin Higgins
Nat Freeman fights off the competition as he nears the finish in last Friday's Wildcats Cross Country meet at York. The boys' team finished a close second to Falmouth.
Photo by Steve Rasche
Annie Boardman powers home for York as the Wildcats dominated in their only home meet of the season last Friday, Sept. 8.
Photo by Steve Rasche
Following the races, runners jogged down to and jumped in the ocean for their cool-down, while the York parents broke out the grills and hosted a barbeque for all the teams.
The girls overpowered the competition, scoring 26 points. Falmouth (39) placed second, followed by Fryeburg (69) and Lake Region (94).
The boys' team finished with 41 points, a close second to Falmouth (30), but leagues ahead of Lake Region (80) and Fryeburg (90).
Lacey Cartier set the pace for the girls' race, finishing in first by a long distance. Her teammate, Chelsea Jordan, placed second. Following a pair of Falmouth runners and a Lake Region girl were Annie Boardman and Molly Carl, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.
Reaha Goyetche finished 10th, helping her team show the competition that having all five point-scorers in the top 10 is mighty hard to beat.
Cara Cavalieri and Monique Boutin finished 21st and 23rd respectively, and completed the top seven York runners for this race. Kylie Vallee and Glenn Swanson placed 26th and 27th, respectively. Lindsay Putnam finished 29th, rounding out this week's top10 for the Wildcats.
The advantage to having a large team is the ability to run in packs, with each runner helping push the pace of his teammates. The Wildcat boys' team derives its strength from this philosophy, sweeping fifth through eighth place this week.
Team Captain Nick McMahon paved the way in fifth place. Next, in quick succession, came Tom Ciampa and Nick Lumenello. Freshman Ryan James cruised in on their heels.
Unfortunately for York, Falmouth seems to have learned this tactic as well, placing three runners ahead of the top York pack, and four more just after it.
York's second pack came in just after the second Falmouth pack, with Ryan Means leading the way in 15th place. Luke Graziano came across the line one second later, in 16th place. Hanging on to them were Dan Herbein and Tristan Palhof, placing 18th and 19th, respectively.
Nat Freeman led the next group of York runners in 24th place. In 27th place, Jason Roy just beat out teammates Nate Hirst (28th) and Brian Farrell (29th) at the line for the last spot in the top ten.
On Monday, Sept. 11, the boys' team headed for the hills to prepare for this week's race. The top runners ran the trails at Mount Agamenticus, while the rest of the team ran the heights in York Woods. The hill work is crucial, as this week's course is one of the hilliest the Wildcats will run on all year long.
On Friday, Sept. 15, York will travel north to the Pineland Center in Gray. The competition will include Freeport, Poland and Waynefleet.
All of the runners fervently hope that the good weather from last Friday will continue through to this Friday and aid their races.
