By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

Three more graduates of Edward Little High School’s esteemed cross country program celebrated recent success on trails throughout the country.

Sam Fletcher is off to a strong start in his second season of NCAA Division I competition at the University of Virginia.

Following in the footsteps of his brother, Ben, who ran at the University of Oregon and the University of Maine at Farmington, and his late sister, Emily, Sam was among the Cavaliers’ top 10 men’s runners as Virginia finished first and second in its opening two events of the season.

Fletcher was UVA’s eighth-place finisher in the Lou Onesty Invitational, with the Cavs coming out on top in a nine-team meet. He was the ninth Cavalier under the wire in the Great American Cross Country Invitational, in which Virginia trailed only nationally ranked in-state rival William & Mary.

It also has been a productive autumn at Tufts University for two of Fletcher’s former teammates.

Junior Sarah Crispin has scored points in each of the Jumbos’ first three meets. The Tufts ladies are ranked No. 11 in the nation in Division III and fifth in New England.

On the men’s side, junior Nate Cleveland shares the spotlight on a Tufts team that has placed in the top six of every meet so far this fall. And in another local twist, Cleveland’s assistant coach is former Dirigo High School great Rod Hemingway.

Hemingway placed sixth in the Division III nationals as a Tufts senior back in 1997.

Also, let’s not forget a rated runner from the other side of the bridge. Joe Fitzsimmons of Lewiston fought through a sore throat and a muddy course to lead UMF at the James Early Invitational in Westfield, Mass., last weekend.

Fitzsimmons finished 22nd overall with one of the fastest times of his career, 28:15 for the 5-kilometer distance. That was good for North Atlantic Conference Runner of the Week honors.

Fame not fleeting

Six of the University of Maine’s all-time greats, including women’s basketball star Jamie Cassidy, will be inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame to cap Homecoming weekend on Sunday, Oct. 23.

Joining Cassidy are fellow basketball standout Dean Smith, hockey goalie Scott King, baseball slugger Dan Kane, 1930s track and field captain Freeman Webb and late football, baseball and basketball coach William Kenyon.

Tickets to the ceremony are $30 and must be reserved by Oct. 21 through the university box office at 581-BEAR.

Farmington’s Four

UMF is making a run at its fourth consecutive North Atlantic Conference field hockey championship with a quartet of area performers leading the way.

Senior midfielder Kristen Allen of Mexico (Mountain Valley) notched her fourth goal and fifth assist of the season in Wednesday’s victory over the University of New England. The Beavers moved to 9-3 overall and a sturdy 7-0 atop the NAC.

Allen is the Beavers’ third-leading scorer.

Freshman Elyse Cole of Winthrop has chalked up two goals in her inaugural college campaign, while senior midfielder Lauren Stevens of Temple (Mt. Blue) also has rattled the cage.

One of three players sharing the duty defending the UMF goal is sophomore Rachel Sheloske, a product of Poland Regional High School. Sheloske enjoys a team-leading goals against average of 0.34 and one shutout, allowing only one goal in 208 minutes of play.

Leopard on the spot

Lewiston’s Beth Melanson has played a pivotal role in the longest winning streak in the history of the Wentworth Institute of Technology women’s soccer program.

Wentworth extended its unbeaten run to eight games with a 3-0 victory Saturday over Curry. Melanson, a sophomore goalkeeper, made seven of her 10 saves in the second half to protect the shutout.

The Leopards improved to 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Finest in their field

Two Fryeburg Academy graduates have excelled in the collegiate field hockey ranks this fall.

Senior midfielder Morgan Butters of Stow is a captain for Plymouth State, while sophomore forward Ileana Casellas-Katz of Denmark has scored five goals and three assists to lead Tufts to a 5-4 mark, 3-2 in NESCAC play.