Top local runners and teams opened the postseason at the Western Maine Conference cross country meet at St. Joseph’s College Friday.

Freeport was the overall boys’ champion. Greely placed third, Falmouth fourth, Yarmouth fifth and Maine Coast Waldorf 10th. North Yarmouth Academy didn’t score as a team. 

In the girls’ competition, Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth went 1-2-3 in the overall standings. Freeport was seventh, MCW 10th and NYA 14th. 

The standings were further broken down into Division I (larger schools) and II (smaller).

In the Division I boys’ competition, Freeport was first, Greely third and Falmouth fourth.

The top individual was the Rangers’ Ryan Morrison, who completed the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes, 49 seconds. Greely also got points from Kyle Hansen (fifth, 17:07), Max Stickney (seventh, 17:35) and Matthew Todd (22nd, 18:35). The Falcons were paced by Chandler Vincent (16:55) and Henry Jaques (17:00), who were second and third, respectively. Erik Brobst (10th, 17:42) and Alex Les (16th, 18:02) also scored. The Yachtsmen’s top runner was Sean Soucy, who placed fourth in 17:05. Falmouth also got points from Conner Piers (12th, 17:54), John Auer (15th, 18:01) and Ben Wyman (17th, 18:26).

In Division I girls, Falmouth came in first, Greely was second and Freeport placed fifth.

The Yachtsmen had the fifth (Mira Wyman, 20:56) and sixth (Hannah Berzinis, 21:02) fastest runners and also got points from Gina Pardi (11th, 21:28) and Kaileigh Wimert (12th, 21:30). The Rangers were led by 1-2 finishers Katherine Leggat-Barr (19:19) and Carolyn Todd (19:44). Also scoring were Sophia Stickney (15th, 21:43) and Faith Price (17th, 21:45). The Falcons were paced by Hannah Schnyder (10th, 21:27), Lily Johnston (13th, 21:35), Laura Pierce (25th, 22:10) and Kayla Belanger (32nd, 22:30).

In Division II, Yarmouth’s girls were first, while MCW came in fourth and NYA was sixth.

The Clippers had the top two finishers in Abigail Hamilton (19:50) and Anneka Murrin (20:07). Grace Cowles (fifth, 20:53) and Georgia Giese (seventh, 21:25) also scored. MCW’s scorers included Fiona Ahearne (sixth, 21:11), Louise Ahearne (13th, 22:44), Olivia Skillings (14th, 22:44) and Sophia Skinner (24th. 24:06). The Panthers’ points came from Megan Alberding (16th, 22:48), Sarah Austin (22nd, 23:32), Kate Hilscher (27th, 24:19) and Claire Maurer (34th, 25:46). 

In the boys’ race, Yarmouth was second to Wells, while MCW came in fifth and NYA didn’t score. 

The Clippers had the overall boys’ winner in Luke Laverdiere, who, despite losing his shoe, lapped the field in 16:35. Also scoring were Sammy Potter (fifth, 17:57), Ben Cox-Faxon (12th, 18:53) and Devin Shields-Auble (17th, 19:22). MCW’s points came from Tucker Pierce (third, 17:27), Calvin Soule (23rd, 20:33), Thomas Kolle (24th, 20:33) and Eli Gundersen (26th, 20:43). NYA’s Jack Kostelnik had the 27th-best time (20:44). 

The regional championships will be held Saturday at Twin Brook in Cumberland. Class A girls run first, at 10 a.m. Class A boys start at 10:35. Class B girls start at 12:30 p.m., with Class B boys running at 1:05. Class C girls run at 2:30 p.m. The boys start at 3:05 p.m.

The state championships are back at Twin Brook on Saturday, Oct. 31.

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

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Yarmouth’s Luke Laverdiere, despite losing his shoe, races to victory at Friday’s Western Maine Conference boys’ cross country meet.

Greely’s Katherine Leggat-Barr (front) and Carolyn Todd head toward a 1-2 finish in the girls’ race at the Western Maine Conference championship meet last weekend. The Rangers were second behind Falmouth as a team.