The last two years the Scarborough girls cross country team has finished second to Brunswick in the Class A state championships.

This year, the Red Storm will have to clear another orange-and-black hurdle to claim the program’s first Class A state title, as East regional champion Brewer, along with Western Maine “A” runner-up Massabesic of Waterboro will give the Storm a challenge.

Scarborough last won a state championship in 1999, when coach Ron Kelly’s club competed in Class B.

The state championship meet is set Saturday at Belfast’s Troy Howard Middle School at 11 a.m.

The Storm have had a great season to date, and ran away with the WM “A” crown, defeating Massabesic by 32 points despite having only one runner, senior Whitney Chamberlain, crack the top 10.

Like East winner Brewer, the Storm have a formidable pack, led by Chamberlain, junior Melissa Dellatorre and sophomores Abby Chick and Sarah Dugas.

Meghan Summerson, Libby Davis and Erin McElwain round out the lineup for the Storm, who won the Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions earlier this month.

Massabesic is powered up front by junior Hannah Pierce, who finished sixth in the regional championships.

Bonny Eagle of Buxton, which finished fourth, boasts one of the toughest 1-2 punches in the state in Emily Durgin and Lauren Dudley.

Durgin was second in the regional meet to Kennebunk freshman Abbey Leonardi, who clocked a speedy 18 minute, 18-second time on a tough Twin Brook Recreational Area course.

Class B: Cape Elizabeth has been ranked unanimously atop the Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches Association poll all season, and the Capers have shown why and then some in the postseason.

Coach Mary Ann Doss’ club ran away from the competition in the regional championships, besting runner-up Greely of Cumberland Center by an astounding 78 points.

In fact, when all three classes were scored together from the three regional meets, the Capers’ team score was nearly double that of Scarborough’s, which had the next-lowest score.

Cape’s lead runner is junior Emily Atwood, who finished second at the regional meet, while sophomore Kelsey Barton, freshman Catherine Tierney, sophomore Rachel Nichols and senior Marita Stressenger comprise the rest of Cape’s top five, with sophomores Monique Boutin and Paige Kozlowski rounding out the lineup.

Many of the state’s coaches believe that the Capers are one of, if not the best girls team in Maine’s illustrious cross country history.

Maranacook of Readfield’s Abby Mace ran to the top individual slot last week, clocking an 18:53 and will almost certainly post a faster time on a flatter Belfast course.

Greely, Freeport, Falmouth and York, along with Eastern Maine powers Mount Desert Island and John Bapst of Bangor, should have a great battle for places two through five.

Class C: Defending state champion Waynflete of Portland obliterated the rest of the field at regionals, and if the Flyers do that well again, they will be tough to beat this weekend.

They boast arguably the best runner statewide in Class C in Adele Espy, who bested her nearest competitor by 1:20 last week in posting a 19:09.

Zoe Sobel and Emily Trafton both earned top-10 finishes for Waynflete last week while Adrienne Pizzo and Grace High flourished in the fourth and fifth slots.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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