Carter Mcphedran of Maranacook tucks as he enters the stadium during the Class B Nordic State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington on Monday. Mcphedran won the race and is the Class B state classical champion. (Sun Journal photo by Daryn Slover)
FARMINGTON — The Maranacook boys came out with a bang Monday on the first day of the Class B Noridic skiing state meet.
Carter McPhedran, Gabe Fein and Luke Bartol finished one-two-three in the classical race at Titcomb Mountain on Monday, while the Black Bears had five finishers in the top 12.
McPhedran’s 16:39 time, which was 18 seconds faster than Fein in second place, is a strong start as the pursuit race gets underway Tuesday. Bartol raced to a 17:06 finish, nine seconds behind Fien.
Maranacook coach Steve DeAngelis said the results are a product of the team training together all season.
“They tried really hard and work together really well,” DeAngelis said. “They always finish in a different order, so you can never tell who is going to finish first, second or third. It’s an individual sport when you’re in race, but when you’re training it’s not. They’re three of the best skiers in the state and they get to ski together every day, and when you train with the best in the state it makes you really good.”
Freeport was also strong as Martin Horne (17:38) and John Giddens (17:58) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Five Freeport skiers finished within the top 15.
With Freeport and Maranacook appearing to be the two favorites to come out as the boys’ team winners, places 9-12 could be crucial Tuesday. Those racers are separated by a total of 14 seconds and include two skiers each from Maranacook and Freeport — Thomas Robinson and Elias Dorsey of Freeport are sandwiched between Maranacook’s Bryce Trefethen and Tate Mendall.
“Bryce finished ninth and was just 10 seconds away from sixth,” DeAngelis said. “He’s close for the pursuit race. We had a great day.”
Mt. Abram is a team to watch as well, with Brandon Hemingway in sixth place along with four teammates filling up places 16-19.
In Class C, Miquel Sanclemente of Fort Kent finished in first to take the classical title in a time of 18:34.
Close behind was freshman Harrison Walters of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, who finished just five seconds behind. In third was Madawaska’s Justin Pelletier with a time of 18:56.
Pelletier led a strong Madawaska showing that featured five skiers in the top 10.
Dirigo has five skiers in the top 26 spots, while Fort Kent has five in the top 25. Both teams have outside shots at the team title, depending on the freestyle results Tuesday.
On the girls’ side, Freeport took the top two places in the Class B classic race, Lily Horne winning in a time of 19:54 followed by Allison Greuel in 20:33.
Eliza Skillings of Maine Coast Waldorf finished third in 20:40, followed by Freeport’s Jane Dawson in 21:01.
Maine Coast Waldorf had four finishers in the top 20, including sisters Emma (15th) and Wilson (18th) Haimes.
“They’re a very young girls team and we lost a lot of our skiers from last year,” Maine Coast Waldorf coach John Tarling said. “They’re not contending, there are other better schools, but they’re young and for a young group they did really well.
“I wasn’t expecting them to do too much. I was pleasantly surprised with how well they did. It was a good day. The new snow added a new dimension to the waxing. It’s a little tricky on the high school level and it’s a little challenging to get the right combo.”
While Freeport had three of the top four finishers, Yarmouth earned five of the next six finishers and eight of the top 16, led by Isabel Brennan’s 21:12 in fifth place.
Maranacook’s Maura Taylor finished in ninth with a time of 21:39. Maranacook earned three of the top 12 finishers.
In Class C, Isabell Jandreau of Madawaska took first with a time of 19:53. Dolcie Tanguay of MSSM finished second (20:47), followed by Ashland’s Kassandra Nelson in third (21:54).
In the team competition, Ashland has four of the top 14 finishers, while Fort Kent has four between places 10 and 17.
Sam Allen, right, of Winthrop High School gives her teammate, Alexis Emery, a hug following their finish in the Class C State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal) Sun Journal photo by Daryn Slover
Former Yarmouth Nordic ski coach Bob Morse congratulates Isabel Brennan of Yarmouth High School on her fifth place finish during the Class B State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. Yarmouth girl’s finished fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth to take the team lead going into the second day of competition on Tuesday. (Sun Journal photo by Daryn Slov
Gabe Fein (49) of Maranacook High School skis through traffic on his way to a second place finish during the Class B State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Maranacook High School parent helper John Mcphedran rallies the team as he gives Bryce Trefethen a hug prior to the start of the Class B State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. Mcphedran’s son, Carter, won the boy’s Class B race. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Miquel Sanclemente (6) of Fort Kent High School lines up prior to the start of the Class C State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. Sanclemente won the race and is the Class C boy’s classical state champion. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Lily Horne of Freeport High School runs with her ski poles to warm up prior to the start of the Class B State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. Horne won the race and is the Class B girl’s classical state champion. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Madeline Marston, left, of Yarmouth High School, Maura Taylor of Maranacook and Madelaine Jackson of Presque Isle clean snow from the kick zone of their skis while waiting to start Monday’s Class B and C State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farminton. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Yarmouth High School wax technician Paul Pietropaoli works on getting skis ready for the Class B Nordic State Ski Championship classical race at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington on Monday. (Sun Journal photo by Daryn Slover)
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