Caribou, MDI run to PVC A-B titles Orono boys, MA girls claim Class C crowns

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BANGOR – The Caribou Vikings and Ellsworth Eagles have been rivals on the cross country paths in Class B over the last several seasons and Saturday’s Penobscot Valley Conference championship meet was no different.

The difference for the title came down to the fifth runner. Caribou’s No. 5 man, Drew Freme, finished four slots ahead of Eagles’ No. 5 Dan Whitney and the Vikings also tucked three runners in the top 10 to claim the crown for Classes A and B.

Caribou’s winning margin was three points, 37-40 over the Eagles. Brewer finished third in the nine-team field with 123 points. Meet host John Bapst finished fourth with 136, and Hampden Academy rounded out the top five with 145.

The Class C boys title went to Orono, 38-81 over Lee Academy.

In the girls A-B race, heavy favorite Mount Desert Island, which has been ranked atop the state girls poll the past few weeks, overcame a strong effort from a tough Old Town team, which placed three in the top 10, to win 62-74. Hampden finished third with 87, with John Bapst (96) and Caribou (110) rounding out the top five.

Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln edged Lee Academy 35-38 to win the Class C girls title.

In the boys A-B meet, Corey DeWitt of Ellsworth and Sam Sheehan of Caribou had yet another 3.1-mile battle, and even though it was DeWitt who completed the windy, rainy, mucky loop before Sheehan, the Vikes had the better pack time. Caribou’s pack time – the distance between the first and fifth runner (five runners complete a team’s score) – was an astounding 1 minute, 13 seconds.

“We talked about trying to get six guys ahead of their [Ellsworth’s] fifth,” Caribou coach Roy Alden said. “It’ll be back and forth again next week [in the Eastern Maine regional].”

DeWitt finished in 16 minutes, 57.1 seconds and Sheehan clocked a 17:18.4.

Teammates joining Sheehan in the top 10 were Spencer McElwain in fifth (17:48) and Stefan Ciszewski in seventh (17:56).

“Spencer is starting to come on and Stefan worked his heart out today,” Alden said. “Hopefully Spence and Stef can step it up one more notch.”

Alden noted that the brutal weather conditions didn’t bother the Vikes one bit, as Caribou sometimes practices in the harsh October weather of Aroostook County.

“We practice in all sorts of conditions, we’re used to the cold,” he said.

And the job isn’t done yet for Caribou.

“That’s right. This group of kids wants to do well,” Alden said. “We’re gonna push next week and hopefully run well again.”

Also earning top-five individual finishes were John Bapst’s Ryan Lena (17:31.6) in third and Brewer’s Brendan Carr (17:42.5) in fourth.

In Class C, the Orono Red Riots put all five of their scorers in the top 12 positions, making a statement that they could be the team to beat in next week’s regional championship. Leading the way for Orono was freshman Brandon Paul, who finished third in 18:28.

The way the meet is scored, the Class A and B teams are scored separately than those schools in Class C. Therefore, Orono’s Paul was third among Class C competitors.

Lee Academy’s Drew Pickering won the race in 18:19.7, followed by George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill’s Addison Pellerano (18:26.1), Paul, Foxcroft’s Graham Pearsall (18:37.5) and Orono’s Jay Lewey (18:51.6).

In the girls meet, the Trojans showed why they have been ranked near the top of the polls all season. Senior Emily Farley led the way, running to a strong fifth-place time of 20:25. Some cross country fans aren’t aware that cross country is indeed a team sport – something the Trojans preach.

“It really is all about team,” MDI coach Bruce Merrill said.

Merrill said he was pleased to win the PVC title, but his team is looking forward to another big meet.

“We’re looking to October 29th [the state championship meet],” he said. “We’re thrilled to win PVCs, it’s a big thing for us, but our eyes are planted on the future.”

Like Caribou in the boys meet, MDI’s pack time was dominant. The difference between Farley and 18th-place runner was Liela Banks, who finished in 22:20, was 1:55.

“We work hard together,” Merrill said. “The pack waits for nobody.”

Merrill also praised his senior leader and top runner – Farley.

“Em just plugs right along, she’s been with me since I started four years ago,” he said. “She’s an incredible leader, she’s like another coach out on the course.”

MDI’s other scorers were Heather Spurling in eighth (20:59), Susan Falt in 14th (21:50), Taylor Kelly in 17th (22:08) and Banks. Rounding out the Trojans’ top seven were Amanda Ohmeis (19th, 22:26) and Christy Spurling (25th, 22:41).

John Bapst senior Madeline Glover used the home-course advantage to win the overall title, touring the 5K loop in 19:33, 25 seconds in front of Hampden Academy’s Molly Peverada (19:58). Old Town’s Hilary Maxim was third (20:05) and Shauna Lynch of Ellsworth fourth (20:18).

In the Class C race, Renee LaFlamme and Casey McCloskey finished first and second with times of 20:43 and 21:55 to lead the Lynx to the title. Lee’s Brooke Harris (22:13.5) and Amanda Gifford (22:25) and MA’s Jana Larlee (22:30.3) also earned top-five finishes.