Championship times

Friday at UMA

Start times

Boys- 3 p.m

Girls- 3:45 p.m.

Saturday at UMA

Start times

Boys- 2:45 p.m.

Girls- 3:30 p.m.

Saturday at Falmouth Community Park

Start times

Boys- 3:30 p.m.

Girls- 4 p.m.

Pair looks to keep streak
Monmouth girls, Mt. Blue boys look to add to 4 in a row

There will be a pair of four-year winning streaks on the line this weekend at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Mountain Valley Conference cross country championships in Augusta.

The Monmouth girls have captured four MVC crowns in as many years and are expected to have no problem in capturing a fifth.

The Mt. Blue boys have won the last four KVAC Class A titles, but won’t be the favorite this time around. This weekend, that tag belongs to Lewiston. The Blue Devils are the reigning Eastern Maine champions and have been the top team all fall in the KVAC.

With sophomores Matt Driscoll and Robbie Leeman leading the way, Lewiston is currently rated as the No. 3 team in the state, according to the latest coaches’ poll. One of Lewiston’s top five would have to falter or a monumental effort turned in by Edward Little, Brunswick or Mt. Blue would have to occur for Lewiston not to be standing at the top of the podium Friday afternoon.

Mt. Blue is paced by Eric Marceau, who may be the individual favorite. Other top runners are EL’s Tom Esponnette, Brunswick’s Jake Verhey and Cony freshman Luke Fontaine.

A wild card in the race may be two-time regional champion Nick Kazar, who has not matched those times this fall, but is coming off perhaps his best race of the season last weekend.

“There are a lot of strong teams,” says Lewiston coach Ray Putnam. “If we slip at all, (one of them) can beat us. If Kazar runs the way he’s capable of, EL could be a real factor.”

On the girls’ side, Brunswick’s top threat should come from Mt. Ararat. The Dragons’ Emma Linhard will be tough to beat.

For the KVAC Class B titles, the Waterville girls and Maranacook boys enter the weekend as overwhelming favorites. The Purple Panthers could very well pack five girls in the top 10.

Leavitt took home the boys’ title last year, but head into this weekend a little banged up.

“You go into these races thinking you’re going to win,” says Leavitt coach Tina Meserve. “We want to be competitive and be in the top three.”

Leavitt junior Justin Fereshetian has come on strong as of late, beating Driscoll, Leeman and Winthrop’s Danny Soltan in recent races.

“He’s feeling confident,” says Meserve. “He’s taken it to a higher level this year.”

Those that pose as threats to Fereshetian include Belfast’s Luke Miller, Lincoln’s Mike Howland and Maranacook’s Nick Huntington.

For the girls, Waterville’s Cynthia Hunter and Maranacook’s Jen Monsulick are the top runners.

The Monmouth girls have continued their conference dominance this fall. They received depth from former soccer player Sam Fairchild and a host of freshmen, but Kerstin Grenier and Stephany Perkins are their top runners.

Some recent injuries will test that depth.

“I’m paranoid right now,” says Monmouth coach Rick Amero. “We had the most depth we’ve ever had and were clicking on all cylinders. We’re going to look for our freshmen to step it up this weekend.”

Hall-Dale and Lisbon could spoil the Monmouth victory party.

While the team depth is down in the MVC, the individual championship is wide open between Madison’s Danielle Hebert, Hall-Dale’s Megan Ellis and the Telstar tandem of Brianne Bailey and Jen DeNormandie.

In pursuit of their fourth consecutive state title are the Lisbon boys. Paced by state champion Tyler Clark and Aaron Cloutier, the Greyhounds have held off the Winthrop Ramblers for the conference crown the last few years. This weekend it’ll be those two squads again battling for the top spot. Soltan is also Clark’s top competitor for the individual title.

“Everyone knows what the first two runners (for Lisbon and Winthrop) can do,” says Winthrop coach Jay Lindsey. “It’ll be what the other three kids can do. If everyone’s healthy, it’ll come to the last kid. It’s that close.”

The Western Maine Conference championships should be a crowning of Cape Elizabeth for both boys and girls, although the York girls could surprise. Poland’s Nick Williams, Falmouth’s Ethan Shaw, Fryeburg’s Tim Even will battle Cape’s Graham Egan and Stanis Moody-Roberts for individual honors.

For the girls, Cape freshman phenom Emily Attwood is the huge favorite.