ELLSWORTH – In mid-September, an unknown redheaded runner burst onto the Eastern Maine high school cross country scene, winning the junior varsity portion of the Ellsworth Invitational.

On Saturday, that same redhead left his mark in the Penobscot Valley Conference cross country ranks.

Mat Staples of Brewer, a sophomore running his first year of high school cross country, pulled away from his competition with about 800 yards to go to, beating out 92 other dalers by cruising the 2.85-mile course in 14 minutes, 52 seconds.

In team competition, the Ellsworth boys and Old Town girls won championships in the big school division while George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill swept small school honors.

Catherine Galipeau of GSA helped clinch her team’s title by winning the girls overall individual title.

Staples and Joey Luchini, a freshman from Ellsworth, ran step for step until the last half-mile when the Brewer runner started his kick.

“I mentally figured it as an 800 and left him there,” Staples said. “There were some good hills, and I took advantage of the corners. I didn’t expect to win it. I’ve got a lot of respect for (1992 winner Dan) Carter and Luchini.”

Staples had transferred to Brewer from Bangor at the start of this season.

“The reason he was running JVs was because he came out late, missed a few practices, and I hadn’t seem him run,” said Brewer Coach Phil Huckins. “I didn’t expect him to do quite as good a job as he did. I think he wanted to prove something to me. He proved it.”

Galipeau, meanwhile, cruised to the win in 17:05 – more than a minute ahead of runnerup Heather Arsenault of Bangor High – to win her second consecutive title.

Helping to key the GSA sweep were the Eagle pack runners.

In the boys race, Larry Malm and Dagan Heavrin, GSA’s No. 2 and 3 runners, both used big kicks to pass a number of runners in the sprint to the finish. GSA’s No. 1 man, Carter, finished fourth.

“I think its important that they realize that Danny doesn’t have to come in first for us to win,” said GSA Coach Tim Farrar. “Dagan ran a really great race and Larry has improved tremendously this season.”

The Old Town girls had to overcome a bit of adversity to win the school’s third consecutive PVC crown. With top runner Molly Dana sidelined with a sciatic nerve problem in her back, the rest of the Indians had to pick up the slack.

Despite GSA runners finishing first, fourth, and sixth, Old Town’s pack of Trina Smith (eighth), Jennifer Parady (10th), Debbie Godsoe (11th), and Caitlin Roxby (12th) helped Old Town to a five-point cushion over the Eagles.

“The kids came together,” said Coach Dana Maxim. “We don’t have a shining star, so to speak, but we pack it in.”

Ellsworth has battled with GSA and Sumner all season for bragging rights of the coastal region. With Saturday’s overall victory, Coach Andy Beardsley’s Eagles can now stake claim to being the best.

Ellsworth was paced by Luchini’s second place finish and Dana Bellows, who was third overall.

PVC Results

AT ELLSWORTH, (2.85-mile course) Penobscot Valley Conference Cross Country Championships

Ellsworth boys 78, George Stevens Academy 89, Sumner 100, John Bapst 110, Bangor 120, Stearns 155, Mount Desert Island 163, Old Town 175, Brewer 242, Hampden 252, Bucksport 277, Nokomis 321, Hermon 322

Big School Champ: Ellsworth.

Small School Champ: George Stevens Academy.

1. Mat Staples (Brewer) 14:52; 2. Joey Luchini (Ells) 15:09; 3. Dana Bellows (Ells) 15:15; 4. Dan Carter (GSA) 15:30; 5. Ryan Monohan (Stearns) 15:40; 6. Luke Leavitt (Bang) 15:44; 7. Jason York (Sears) 15:45; 8. Rick McIntyre (Stearns) 15:45; 9. D.J. Huntington (Bucks) 15:46; 10. Parker Pruitt (Sum) 15:47; 11. Tracy Comeau (OT) 15:50; 12. Larry Malm (GSA) 15:52; 13. Davey Seward (Sum) 15:55; 14. Dagan Heavrin (GSA) 16:02; 15. Jeremy Colson (Bang) 16:04; 16. Alan Guyette (Sum) 16:04; 17. David Dzurec (JB) 16:06; 18. Scott Cormier (OT) 16:06; 19. Scott Beal (Ells) 16:11; 20. Matt Fessenden (Bang) 16:12; 21. Billy Marhan (Ells) 16:12; 22. Marty Maines (JB) 16:15; 23. Brendon Trainor (JB) 16:16; 24. Courtney Tibbetts (Sum) 16:22; 25. Tom Miragliuolo (JB) 16:26.

Old Town girls 65, George Stevens Academy 70, Bangor 88, Sumner 105, John Bapst 140, Stearns 141, Bucksport 146, Brewer 193, Hermon 229, Mount Desert Island 232.

Big School Champ: Old Town.

Small School Champ: George Stevens Academy.

1. Catherine Galipeau (GSA) 17:05; 2. Heather Arsenault (Bang) 18:23; 3. Mattie Lord (Bucks) 18:35; 4. Morrow Pettigrew (GSA) 18:55; 5. Denise Harmon (Sum) 18:58; 6. Katie Burnes (GSA) 18:58; 7. Laura Smith (Hamp) 18:58; 8. Trina Smith (OT) 19:16; 9. Heather Scott (Sum) 19:20; 10. Jennifer Parady (OT) 19:25; 11. Debbie Godsoe (OT) 19:38; 12. Caitlin Roxby (OT) 19:38; 13. Eryn Leavitt (Hamp) 19:40; 14. Suzy Lommler (Stearns) 19:47; 15. Jen Collenburg (Bapst) 19:56; 16. Hannah Parsons (Bucks) 20:05; 17. Katie Clark (Bang) 20:06; 18. Jessica Benjamin (Ells) 20:08; 19. Laura Graves (MDI) 20:12; 20. Abby Seward (Sum) 20:15; 21. Laura Cyr (Stearns) 20:18; 22. Lissa Pierce (Bucks) 20:29; 23. Laurie Dubois (Stearns) 20:31; 24. Michelle Thurston (Brew) 20:45; 25. Alicia Brown (Hamp) 20:49

John Bapst JV boys 35, Ellsworth 48, Bangor 60, Hampden 104, Stearns 124

Dylan Trainor (Bapst) 16:41; Chris Fitch (Ells) 17:03; Paul Messer (Bapst) 17:05.

Bangor girls JV only full team

Emily Woodman (Bang) 21:17; Tena Young (Bang) 22:42; Holly Harnish (Bang) 22:46.