October 2, 2021
After a 2020 meet with reduced fields, the 2021 Maine XC Festival of Champions is once again the meet that many cross country runners and fans look forward to for fast times, great competition, and a celebration of the sport that they love. The 20th FOC will feature 73 Maine schools and 4 out-of-state schools (3 from Rhode Island and 1 from Vermont) and 1400 runners spread across 6 races (boys and girls unseeded, freshmen, and seeded) on the course at the Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. Meet organizers have put together a safety plan that includes closing indoor facilities (gym, locker rooms, bathrooms), distancing out team areas, spreading out spectators over the 25 acre site, and on outdoor awards ceremony. Through an ongoing sponsorship with McKee Law of Augusta, athletes will again experience the unique experience of “Festival” – personalized competition bibs, stickers, posters, precision timing, and awards for every race.
Girls Race
Intrigue for the girls race is high. On the team side, you don’t need to look any further than the results of the 2019 meet where Harwood Union HS of Vermont squeaked by Bonny Eagle of Standish, ME by two points – 151 to 153. Bonny Eagle is currently the #1 ranked team in Maine while Harwood is #2 in Vermont. Both squads return then sophomore #1 runners from the 2019 meet – Ava Thurston of Harwood (3rd in 2019) and Delaney Hesler of Bonny Eagle (8th). As seniors, Hesler and Thurston will most certainly be in the hunt for the individual title. Also factoring into the excitement around the girls race is sophomore Ruth White of Orono who comes into her first Festival undefeated on the season. Other runners who should factor into a potential top-5 finish are Hadley Mahoney of Cape Elizabeth, Megan Randall of Bangor, Sarah McClellan of Marshwood, and Annabelle Brooks of Cheverus.
Boys Race
The boys team race should feature KVAC rivals Brunswick and Bangor. The Brunswick boys were a runaway team winner in 2019 by 87 points while Bangor easily outdistanced the pack in 2020. Bangor is led by senior Daniel McCarthy – the only Maine boy to run a 5K in under 15:30 this year. Brunswick is led by the duo of senior Joey Valliere and junior Eli Palmer. The Hampden boys look to figure into the low sticks with the talented duo of defending FOC champion Abbott Valentine and Charlie Collins. Other top teams include Cape Elizabeth, Portland, and South Portland. Individual boys to watch out for include Connor Daigle of Medomak Valley, Zachary Barry of Scarborough, Calvin Cummings of Gorham, Logan Ross of Falmouth, and Chris Walton of Biddeford.
Meet Website:
Meet Director: Glendon Rand, runsub5@roadrunner.com, (207) 852-8891
