Falmouth’s Connor Piers and John Auer run together during Saturday’s Class A South regional cross country meet. Piers placed fourth and Auer was fifth as the Yachtsmen won the team title.

John Jensenius photos.

More photos below.

Saturday’s regional cross country meet at Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland was a non-stop show of dominance from Forecaster Country teams and individuals.

Falmouth swept the Class A titles, Greely did the same in Class B, Maine Coast Waldorf School took the Class C boys’ crown and out of 12 local teams that took part, 11 punched tickets to the state meet this coming Saturday.

Alone at the top

Falmouth’s boys and girls produced the top individual in Class A and went on to the team title as well.

The boys tallied 56 points (Deering was runner-up with 89) and were paced by Jeremiah Sands, who completed the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 39.41 seconds. Conner Piers (fourth, 17:08.11) and John Auer (fifth, 17:09.66) also placed in the top 10. Also scoring for the Yachtsmen were Ben Wyman (18th, 17:49.44) and Alex Kinley (28th, 18:06.77).

Falmouth will run at the state meet for the 19th straight season and hopes to move up a spot from last year’s runner-up finish.

The Yachtsmen girls had 75 points, 11 better than second place Bonny Eagle. Malaika Pasch was first individually in 19:18.13. She was supported by a solid pack which included Hannah Berzinis (16th, 21:28.23), Mira Wyman (17th, 21:28.24), Ally Schimelman (19th, 21:35.47) and Antoinette Lambert (22nd, 21:50.18).

Falmouth qualified for the state meet for the 13th year in a row and looks to move up from last year’s fourth place finish.

Greely greatness

Greely’s boys had three of the top nine finishers and placed all five scorers in the top 14 to win the Class B South crown with 47 points. Freeport (86) was second and Yarmouth (117) placed fifth.

The Rangers were led by Luke Marsanskis (fifth, 17:28.01) and Max Stickney (sixth, 17:39.74). Also scoring were Matthew Todd (ninth, 17:42.62), Ben Wilson (13th, 17:55.45) and Caleb Thurston (14th, 17:55.51).

Greely will make its third straight appearance at states and hopes to move up from last year’s third place showing.

The Falcons were paced Saturday by Henry Jaques, who was the Class B South individual runner-up in 16:35.47. Also scoring for Freeport were Yacob Olins (seventh, 17:40.06), Alex Les (11th, 17:49.98), Tom Doyle (24th, 18:15.90) and Heath Cockburn (42nd, 18:54.24).

Freeport, which won the past two Class B titles, will compete at the state meet for the eighth year in a row and could be in line for another high finish.

Yarmouth produced the individual champion, Luke Laverdiere, who had a time of 16:13.34. The Clippers also got points from Sammy Potter (23rd, 18:07.70), Ben Cox-Faxon (26th, 18:19.39), Lazare Merchi-Rossini (30th, 18:32.61) and John Decker (37th, 18:45.90).

Yarmouth is going to states for the second year in a row and will make a run at another top five finish.

In the Class B South girls’ meet, Greely was first with 41 points, Yarmouth (64) placed second and Freeport (238) earned the eighth and final spot from the region.

The Rangers were led by Carolyn Todd (second, 19:16.44) and Katherine Leggat-Barr (third, 19:20.13). Also scoring were Kate Curran (ninth, 20:26.32), Chloe Smith (13th, 20:56.61) and Chloe Waldrep (14th, 21:00.22).

Greely won the 2014 Class B title and was runner-up a year ago. The Rangers will seek their 13th state crown Saturday.

Defending state champion Yarmouth produced the top individual Saturday, Abigail Hamilton, who had a time of 18:53.44. The Clippers also got points from Anneka Murrin (fourth, 19:34.55), Grace Cowles (10th, 20:29.80), Georgia Giese (22nd, 21:19.74) and Greta Elder (27th, 21:28.64).

Yarmouth is making its seventh consecutive trip to states and looks to repeat for the first time.

Freeport was led by Lilly Horne, who came in fifth (20:06.50). Also scoring were Laura Pierce (47th, 23:01.60), Olivia Botting (59th, 23:33.22), Caroline Stairs (63rd, 23:46.75) and Emily Sclar (64th, 23:47.21).

The Falcons made it to states for the second year in a row and will look for another top six finish.

Class C

Maine Coast Waldorf and North Yarmouth Academy both did well in Class C.

In the boys’ meet, MCW had 70 points to edge Waynflete by two. The Panthers (138) came in fourth.

MCW was led by Tucker Pierce, who had the second-best time (17:22.76), fourth-place finisher Nick Neveu (17:29.94), and Dylan Wu, who was fifth (17:39.63). Also scoring were Calvin Soule (28th, 19:53.75) and Davis Ritger (31st, 20:06.90).

NYA, which missed the state meet in 2015, qualified this time. The Panthers were paced by Brennan Flatt (11th, 18:53.72) and Rick Hilscher (13th, 18:56.65). Also scoring were Kieran Rowe (33rd, 20:17.49), Jack Kostelnik (35th, 20:22.50) and Jack Sillin (46th, 21:31.02).

The Class C South girls’ meet was won by St. Dom’s with 31 points. MCW (73) came in third and NYA (129) finished sixth, but only five teams qualified.

MCW featured the individual runner-up in Olivia Skillings (21:14.42). Also scoring were Ava Teegarden (12th, 22:41.00), Louise Ahearne (17th, 23:16.51), Wilson Haims (18th, 23:21.01) and Caitlin Keliher (24th, 23:47.80).

The Panthers were led by Megan Alberding, who was 11th in 22:28.82, and Sarah Austin (14th, 22:58.56), who qualified for states as individuals. Also scoring were Helen Hamblett (21st, 23:34.98), Charlotte Collins (34th, 24:51.55) and Kara Jensen (49th, 27:48.18).

State info

The state meet at Belfast Saturday will begin with the Class B boys’ race, featuring Freeport, Greely and Yarmouth at 1 p.m. The Class B girls start at 1:35 p.m.. The MCW and NYA boys run at 2:10 p.m. in the Class C meet. The Class C girls start at 2:45 p.m. Falmouth’s boys run at 3:20 p.m. in the Class A meet and the Falmouth girls start at 3:55 p.m.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

Falmouth’s Jeremiah Sands was the top finisher in the Class A South boys’ race.

Falmouth’s Malaika Pasch had no peer in the Class A South girls’ meet.

Yarmouth’s Luke Laverdiere was the top male finisher in Class B South.

Freeport’s Henry Jaques finished second in the Class B South boys’ race.

Yarmouth’s Abigail Hamilton was the top female finisher in Class B South.

Greely’s Katherine Leggat-Barr heads toward a third-place finish in the Class B South girls’ race, helping the Rangers take the team title.

Maine Coast Waldorf’s Tucker Pierce was the individual runner-up in Class C South.

North Yarmouth Academy’s Brennan Flatt and Rick Hilscher run in the Class C South boys’ race. Flatt was 11th and Hilscher 13th.

Maine Coast Waldorf’s Olivia Skillings was third in the Class C South girls’ race.

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