BELFAST, Maine — As the top individual runners in the Eastern Maine Class B cross country race crossed the finish line Saturday, Roy Alden waited patiently.
More than a minute after Chris Cote of Waterville posted his winning time of 17:12.94 for the 3.1-mile course at the Troy Howard Middle School, along came Alden’s Caribou High School runners.
And from the time Elijah Verhoff finished 10th overall, just 25.44 seconds elapsed until the seventh and final Viking, Mitchell St. Peter, concluded his run in 19th place — a team approach that couldn’t be beat as Caribou edged Mount Desert Island by three points to win the regional title.
“This is a special group of kids,” said Alden, the Vikings’ longtime head coach. “None of them are unbelievably naturally talented distance runners but they’re unbelievably hard workers. They’ve blended together and feed off each other, they’ve got each other’s back all the time and dig really deep to give everything they have in each race.”
Between Verhoff and St. Peter, Caribou got tight-knit finishes from Chathu Karunasiri (12th), Caleb Hunter (14th), Jake Boudreau (16th), Lukas Lagasse (17th) and Daniel Randolph (18th) to create just enough distance over an MDI squad paced by the 6-7 placings of Ralph Magnani and Jordan Harris.
“We do a lot of stuff in practice where we run together in small packs and get used to running at the same pace, and they take turns leading,” said Alden. “These particular kids have the mentality that no one’s more important than anyone else, nobody’s a superstar, so it’s much easier with a group like this.”
Camden Hills of Rockport, led by Caleb Love-Webb’s second-place run, finished third with 103 points, while Belfast (120), Erskine Academy of South China (158), Old Town (204), Presque Isle (222) and Winslow (228) also qualified for next Saturday’s state meet.
Joining Caribou as an Eastern B champion were the three-time defending state champion MDI girls, while Orono swept the Class C girls and boys team titles amid somewhat sloppy footing caused by several days of rain.
Class B girls: MDI went out quickly and fought off a late challenge by Caribou to retain its hold on the regional championship.
Senior Caroline Driscoll finished second overall, the first of four Trojans among the top 11 along with Lydia Dacorte (fifth), Waylon Henggeler (sixth) and India Janes (11th). Sakura Sunagawa placed 33rd to complete the scoring as MDI totaled 57 points, 10 ahead of the Vikings.
“They did a great job,” said MDI coach Desiree Sirois. “I think they have been really focused and hard working, they show up and they don’t complain and do what’s expected of them and so all I really have to say to them is go have fun, make it something you’re proud of and do the best you can do for yourself and your team.”
Caribou was led by seventh-place Robyn Larrabee, who was backed by a four-person pack of Adessa Judd (13th), Lauren Chapman (14th), Chelsea Haney (16th) and Nerissa Larrabee that finished within 19.50 seconds of each other.
Also qualifying for states were John Bapst of Bangor (109), Camden Hills (133), Waterville (155), Ellsworth (168), Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield (197) and Presque Isle (208).
Ellsworth senior Haley Lawrence was the individual champion, pulling away over the final half-mile to win in 19:51.28.
“I definitely wanted to stay right on (Driscoll),” said Lawrence, “and then when I pushed it on the hill I didn’t want to look back because I knew she’d be right there.”
Class C girls: Sophomore Hannah Steelman took top individual honors in 19:23.20 — the fastest girls’ time of the day — while leading a dominant Orono team performance.
The Red Riots totaled 21 points in besting runner-up George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill (51), while Washburn (97) and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (106) also advanced to the state meet.
Steelman, who took control from runner-up Tia Tardy of Mattanawcook midway through the race, was one of five Orono runners among the top eight finishers as Kassidy Dill was third followed by Olivia Fandel (fifth), Liza Gallandt (sixth) and Lily Koffman (eighth).
“Our goal was just to run our own race,” said Steelman. “We wanted to improve ourselves, but we were also running for the team win. It was pretty hard race and the mud made it even harder.”
Class C boys: Tristan Butterfield shook off tendinitis in his left knee to lead Orono to a 35-48 victory over George Stevens.
The junior — and only returning runner from last year’s Eastern C title team — finished third as five Red Riots placed among the top 15.
Orono’s Matt Keresey was fifth, followed by Lowell Ruck (10th), Jonathan Spencer (11th) and William O’Neil (15th).
“I really didn’t think it would be possible to do this this year, but we’ve really grown as a team and gotten a lot stronger,” said Butterfield. “I’m a believer now.”
Fort Kent senior Matt Toussaint held off GSA sophomore John Hassett to win his second straight individual championship in 16:50.92.
“Right from the start we were pretty neck and neck and for sure I wanted to stay with him,” said Toussaint. “What really did it was the finish, you just give it your all.”
Fort Kent (73) and Central of Corinth (115) also qualified for states.
