Cross Country
York boys' and girls' cross-country teams qualify for state championship
By Kevin Higgins
CROSS COUNTRY TEAM MEMBERS GO WILD. While seeking wildlife in the woods around York, one photographer found Wildcats instead, coming upon several members of York's cross-country team. Both the boys' and girls' teams have qualified for the state meet this Saturday.
Photo by Mike Mullen
YORK - At the regional cross-country meet on Saturday, Oct. 21, the York girls shone as brightly as ever, and the boys' team qualified for the state meet for the 10th year in a row.
The Wildcat runners were not fazed by the quagmire at Twin Brook Recreational Area in Cumberland. Despite not running their fastest times of the season, all of them moved up on the pack, beating key opponents.
The girls' team placed second, with 69 points, behind Cape Elizabeth at 60. In a compilation of all three classes, A, B, and C, York beat all the class A and C teams as well. Cape, York, Maranacook (90), Falmouth (119), Fryeburg Academy (137), and Greely (144) all qualified for the state championship meet. For the other five teams in the region, cross-country is over until next year.
Cape Elizabeth (44) won the boys meet as well. Falmouth (93), Maranacook (100), Greely (115), York (150), and Poland (160) all qualified for the state championship meet.
As usual, Lacey Cartier paced the girls' team. The senior's fourth-place finish was matched with equally fast performances from her teammates. Molly Carl placed ninth overall, just passing teammate Reaha Goyetche in 10th place in the final stretch. Annie Boardman came across the line just a few seconds later in 16th place. Chelsea Jordan had been nursing a stress fracture in her foot for the past couple of weeks, but returned this week in fine style, wrapping up York's top five in 30th place. Monique Boutin continued the strong showing for York in 44th place. Kylie Vallee was not far behind, completing the Wildcat squad in 50th place.
Saturday was an equally good day for the boys' team. Despite losing all five of last year's top five from regional meet, the Wildcats qualified for the state meet for the 10th year in a row. Although none of the top five would have qualified alone, a 34 pack time enabled York to keep on running.
Tom Ciampa led the Wildcats for the third week in a row, finishing in 23rd place. Ciampa and Nick McMahon ran together for most of the race, but Ciampa edged away in the last half-mile. McMahon placed 26th. Just behind them were Nick Lumenello and Alex Moser. Lumenello had a great race, finishing in 29th place. Moser lost his shoe in the mud sometime before exiting the woods for the last time, but that couldn't stop him from passing 10 other runners between his shoe and the finish line to place 32nd. Kevin Higgins and Tristan Palhof also ran together for most of the race. Higgins edged away on the last hill to placed 40th overall and fifth on the team. Palhof placed 44th and Dan Herbein finished right on his heels in 46th place.
The state meet will be this Saturday, Oct. 28, at Leavitt High School in Turner. Along with six teams from the west, the York boys and girls will also compete against six other teams from eastern Maine. The boys hope to move up on the competition some more this week, possibly making a move on Greely, Maranacook or Falmouth, while the girls have their sights fixed on taking down Cape Elizabeth.
