Girls Individual Rankings

#1: Ruth White – Orono (Grade 12)

Class C #1

Class C North #1

OVC #1

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 1st place

Class C North Regional: 1st place

Class C State Championships: 1st place

New England Championships: 1st place

Personal Bests:

1600m: 4:58

3200m: 10:30

5K: 17:27

2023 Outlook:

Ruth White has never lost a cross country race in Maine. The analysis is a simple as that.  Ruth has been dominant at a level that is almost unprecedented: the closest that a Maine athlete came to her last year was 52 seconds.  She won the New England Championship by 42 seconds.  The only question for Ruth White is how well she can do at the National level meets.  Last year, she was 17th at the Champs National CC Championships. 

#2: Cary Drake – York (Grade 12)

Class B #1

Class B South #1

WMC #1

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 3rd place

Class B South Regional: 1st place

Class B State Championships: 1st place

Personal Bests:

1600m: 4:55

3200m: 11:12

5K: 18:27

2023 Outlook:

Cary Drake is a truly great runner.  In fact, she ran 30 races during her junior year within the state of Maine, and she won 28 of them.  The only two she lost were at the Festival of Champions, and the 1600m at the New England Championships for outdoor track, in which she ran the fastest time the state has seen in that event since 2012.  All that being said, she has to be the favorite to win the individual title in a Class B.  Drake will have to work for it though, as we see Class B as the most competitive division on the girls side, with 6 of the top 13 individuals in the state.

Quote from her coach:

Drake won the individual Class B title as a sophomore and junior. She also won outdoor titles in the 800, 1600, and 3200. Last spring she placed second at the New England championships in the 1600 (4:55).

#3: Addy Thibodeau – Bonny Eagle (Grade 12)

Class A #1

Class A South #1

SMAA #1

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 5th place

Class A South Regional: 1st place

Class A State Championships: 1st place

New England Championships: 10th place

Personal Bests:

One Mile: 5:18

3200m: 11:15

5K: 17:55

2023 Outlook:

Addy Thibodeau entered her junior year with zero individual state titles to her name.  She enters her senior year with three, having won the Class A titles in cross country, the two mile indoors, and the 3200m outdoors.  She showed mastery of challenging courses, running just over 19 minutes at Twin Brooks in back to back weeks and also having a great finish at the New England Championships. Thibodeau is clearly the favorite to repeat in Class A this year, so her goals will probably be to improve on her finishes at the Festival of Champions and New Englands. 

Quote from her coach: 

Addy Thibodeau had a stellar junior year winning the state title in XC a year ago and also captured the indoor and outdoor state 2 mile titles. She looks to lead a strong group of girls for the Scots this season 

#4: Amelia Van Dongen – Mt. Desert Island (Grade 11)

Class B #2

Class B North #1

PVC #2

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 4th place

Class B North Regional: 1st place

Class B State Championships: 2nd place

New England Championships: 6th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:18

5K: 18:28

2023 Outlook:

Amelia Van Dongen is clearly one of the most versatile athletes in Maine.  She had a great sophomore season, with a top 5 finish at FOC and a regional championship, but she topped all of that with an incredible 6th place run at New England’s.  During track season, she decided to focus on running hurdles and a few different field events, and it paid off, as she won the state championship in the 300m hurdle and placed 2nd in the triple jump.  It won’t be easy to transition back to the 5K, but she is already heading that way after competing in some 800m races this summer, running a stellar time of 2:18.

#5: Hadley Mahoney – Cape Elizabeth (Grade 12)

Class B #3

Class B South #2

WMC #2

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 7th place

Class B South Regional: 2nd place

Class B State Championships: Did Not Run

Personal Bests:

1600m: 5:03

3200m: 11:35

5K: 17:55

2023 Outlook:

The 2021 Class B Champ is hoping to grab another title during her senior year.  Hadley Mahoney was having a great season, but illness hit as the postseason began, ending her season.  She hasn’t raced since then, but rumors are that she is healthy and should be good to go.  If so, the rest of the state should be worried.  She was 4th in all of New England two years ago and is one of only 3 athletes in Maine to have broken the 18 minute barrier.

Quote from her coach:

Hadley has been one of the top distance runners in the state since her freshman year.  She is naturally talented, but also driven to be the best athlete she can be.  I have been extremely impressed with her grit and determination, even through injury.  She has worked hard on her strength and mechanics.  She has been a leader to the other girls on the team.  I am so excited to see what her senior year brings!

#6: Teanne Ewings – Houlton/GHCA (Grade 11)

Class C #2

Class C North #2

PVC #3

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 9th place

Class C North Regional: 2nd place

Class C State Championships: 2nd place

New England Championships: 19th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:22

1600m: 4:56

3200m: 11:12

5K: 18:53

2023 Outlook:

This past school year, Teanne Ewings won a total of 21 different races in track and cross country. There is one race that has eluded her thus far, the Class C cross country title.  Each of the last two years, her team can finished 2nd and last year she was 2nd individually as well.  With a historically great runner ahead of her, it will be hard for Ewings to break through, but she also has a lot going for her.  In June, she broke the 5:00 barrier for 1600m and took 3rd at the New England Championships.  It appears that her training hasn’t slowed down since then, as she has posted a couple of impressive road race results as well.  Expect her to make the Class C individual race a little more interesting this year.

#7: Samantha Moore – Portland (Grade 11)

Class A #2

Class A South #2

SMAA #2

2022 Results:

Class A South Regional: 2nd place

Class A State Championships: 2nd place

New England Championships: 20th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:21

1600m: 5:06

3200m: 11:22

5K: 18:59

2023 Outlook:

Samantha Moore has already achieved many things during her young career.  This past year, she won 4 individual state titles, winning the 800m indoors and out as well as the 1600m/mile. She was also part of a 4x800m relay indoors that won a title and she took 3rd in the 3200m outdoors.  It seems a little crazy to rank her this low, but there is just such great talent ahead of her.  Nevertheless, she has a shot at the Class A individual title this year.

Quote from her coach: 

Samantha is a fierce competitor who has a great balance of strength and speed. She showed great improvement over the past three seasons, and I'm excited to see what she can accomplish this year. Having a reliable low stick every week gives the team confidence.

#8: Emma Young – Cape Elizabeth (Grade 12)

Class B #4

Class B South #3

WMC #3

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 11th place

Class B South Regional: 3rd place

Class B State Championships: 7th place

New England Championships: 42nd place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:21

1600m: 5:20

5K: 19:33

2023 Outlook:

Emma Young is never afraid to run fast or run with anybody.  She runs hard from the front, as can be shown by some of her races on the track, when she gets out hard and tries to hold on.    That will be great for her this year as she should be right in the mix with a stacked field in Class B. Emma is also a student of the sport, having incorporated running research into some of her school projects.  It is no surprise she has been so successful so far, and she is projected to be one of the top runners in the state this year. 

Quote from her coach:

Emma has continued to grow over her time in high school.  She came to us as a novice runner, but has learned so much about the sport.  She has worked hard to improve her strength and mechanics.  She is gifted with great speed and incredible toughness.  I am excited to see her continue to grow as a runner and a leader this fall.  

#9: Molly Kenealy – York (Grade 12)

Class B #5

Class B South #4

WMC #4

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 17th place

Class B South Regional: 5th place

Class B State Championships: 4th place

New England Championships: 68th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:19

1600m: 5:25

3200m: 12:20

5K: 19:31

2023 Outlook:

Molly Kenealy will do anything for her team, as can be demonstrated by her 1600-800-3200 triple at this spring’s Class B State track meet.  Her ability can be demonstrated by her top 4 placement in all 3 of those events.  Don’t get caught next to Molly at the end of a race, she will outkick you!  Her 1:03 PB for 400m is something most cross country runners only dream of.  If Molly can finish top 5 again, York will have a great chance at repeating as Class B champs.

#10: Allie Hesler – Bonny Eagle (Grade 12)

Class A #3

Class A South #3

SMAA #3

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 18th place

Class A South Regional: 3rd place

Class A State Championships: 3rd place

New England Championships: 55th place

Personal Bests:

One Mile: 5:31

3200m: 12:11

5K: 19:27

2023 Outlook:

Allie Hesler had a heck of a postseason in 2022.  She knocked off some great runners en route to her 3rd place finishes, and she is poised to do so yet again.  Hesler is a consistent runner finishing in the top 5 in every meet she ran in other than the Festival of Champions and the New England Championships.  The top couple of individuals in Class A will be tough to beat, but Hesler should be right in the mix yet again this year.

Quote from her coach:

Allie Hesler had a breakthrough season a year ago as a junior and will be looking to be a low stick in the championship meets.

#11: Audrey Hufnagel – Lincoln Academy (Grade 12)

Class B #5

Class B South #5

KVAC #1

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 13th place

Class B South Regional: 4th place

Class B State Championships: 8th place

New England Championships: 116th place

Personal Bests:

1600m: 5:36

3200m: 12:05

5K: 19:26

2023 Outlook:

Audrey Hufnagel had an incredible run at the Festival of Champions last year, clocking 19:26, which was over 2 minutes fastest than her time the year before.  That put her on the map as one of the top runners in the state, and since she has followed that up with an 8th place finish in Class B in cross country, a 5th place finish in the mile indoors, and a 3rd place finish in the 2 mile indoors.  She is now the favorite for the KVAC title after finishing 2nd last year.

#12: Marina Violette – Bonny Eagle (Grade 10)

Class A #4

Class A South #4

SMAA #4

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 24th place

Class A South Regional: 5th place

Class A State Championships: 9th place

New England Championships: 60th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:22

1600m: 5:27

5K: 19:51

2023 Outlook:

Marina Violette had a spectacular freshman campaign and looks poised for a very impactful sophomore season for the Scots.  She won the freshman/sophomore race at the Southern Maine Classic and took 2nd in the freshman race at the Festival of Champions.  She continued that success through the winter and the spring, culminating with a 5th place finish in class A in the 800m. Violette seemingly got better throughout the year, so don’t be surprised if she make another leap forward next fall.   

Quote from her coach:

Marina Violette turned in a number of impressive performances in cross country and track as a freshman and will be another athlete who will be mixing it up with the top athletes in the state this fall.

#14: Kallie Warner – Bonny Eagle (Grade 12)

Class A #5

Class A South #5

SMAA #5

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 15th place

Class A South Regional: 4th place

Class A State Championships: 6th place

New England Championships: 82nd place

Personal Bests:

Mile: 5:37

Two Miles: 12:19

5K: 19:28

2023 Outlook:

Kallie Warner had a breakout junior year and is poised to repeat that success as a senior.  She was an integral part of Bonny Eagle’s state championship winning team, finishing anywhere from the team’s 2nd to 5th runner, depending on the meet. Warner was an incredibly consistent performer, running well at all of the big meets.  The thing that holds her back from a higher ranking is the lack of a standout track season, but she has always found more success on the grass than on the track, so expect big things from her again this year.

Quote from her coach:

Kallie Warner turned in big performances at the championship meets last fall and will be a key for us all season.

#15: Sarah McClellan – Marshwood (Grade 12)

Class A #6

Class A South #6

SMAA #6

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 26th place

Class A South Regional: 10th place

Class A State Championships: 5th place

New England Championships: 134th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:25

1600m: 5:34

5K: 19:12

2023 Outlook:

Sarah McClellan had an up and down season in 2022.  After a sophomore campaign that saw her take 3rd in Class A, she was just 10th at the regional last year.  McClellan then had the best race of her season, finishing 5th at the Class A State Championship, helping Marshwood to their runner up finish as a team.  She will hope to recapture some of that magic in 2023.

#16: Jenna Van Ryn – Camden Hills (Grade 12)

Class A #7

Class A North #1

KVAC #2

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 20th place

Class A North Regional: 2nd place

Class A State Championships: 11th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:25

1600m: 5:17

3200m: 12:01

5K: 19:28

2023 Outlook:

Jenna Van Ryn enters her senior season looking to capture her first individual regional title.  She fell just 2 seconds short of the title last year, but champion Payton Bell graduated, and Van Ryn was 20 seconds clear of the rest of the field in 2022.  Her personal bests are very strong, with her 800m and 1600m both in the top 10 of returning runners.  She will be hoping for a top 5 finish in class A.  Her finish of 6th overall during her sophomore season suggests this could be possible.

#17: Haley Williams – Winthrop (Grade 12)

Class C #3

Class C South #1

MVC #1

2022 Results:

Class C South Regional: 2nd place

Class C State Championships: 4th place

New England Championships: 70th place

Personal Bests:

1600m: 6:03

5K: 20:08

2023 Outlook:

Haley Williams will be to add a Class C South individual title after finishing runner up each of the past 2 years.  She already has one MVC title to her name as well, so Williams has shown an ability to run well when it matters most.  Last year, she ran her best time of the season at the New England Championships, beating many athletes that are yet to appear on this countdown.  Of note: Haley did run one track race this spring, a first for her.

#18: Maeve Woodruff – Brunswick (Grade 12)

Class A #8

Class A North #2

KVAC #3

2022 Results:

No Results from Major Meets

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:20

1600m: 5:22

5K: 19:38

2023 Outlook:

After transferring from Maine Coast Waldorf, it took a little time for Maeve Woodruff to find her stride at Brunswick.  She did run a few meets during 2022, including a solid 20:00 effort at a KVAC meet. Injury seems to have held her out of the big meets and the postseason, as her last race of her cross country season was in September.  Once outdoor track began, however, Woodruff got things figured out, running big personal bests on her way to a New England appearance in the 800m after taking 2nd in class A.  Maeve has the potential to finish even higher than this, but the lack of results from last fall keep her at #18 for now.

#19: Ava Chadbourne – Portland (Grade 11)

Class A #9

Class A South #7

SMAA #7

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 36th place

Class A South Regional: 8th place

Class A State Championships: 10th place

Personal Bests:

1600m: 5:29

3200m: 11:33

5K: 20:24

2023 Outlook:

As I sat down to write this season preview for Ava Chadbourne, I felt like she might be ranked too low at #19. Ava had a spectacular sophomore year, going from an average runner as a freshman to one of the state's best by the end of the year.  She followed that up with an even better track season, placing both indoors and outdoors in the 2 mile/3200m.  Based on her times in the 1600m, she probably would have been able to score in that event, too, had she decided to focus on it.  Top 5 in Class A isn't out of the question if all goes right for her this season.

Quote from her coach: 

Ava is a completely different runner than she was going into last season. In one year she has developed from a key 5th runner to a top-10 finisher in cross country and state meet scorer in track. Her toughness is second to none, and that drive carries over to the whole team.

#20: Kyleigh Record – Scarborough (Grade 12)

Class A #10

Class A South #8

SMAA #8

2022 Results:

Festival of Champions: 58th place

Class A South Regional: 29th place

Class A State Championships: 19th place

Personal Bests:

800m: 2:20

1600m: 5:22

5K: 20:41

2023 Outlook:

Kyleigh Record was not originally part of our preseason countdown, but a stellar spring catapulted her up our lists.  Her junior year ended on a hot streak, with 3rd place finishes in both the 800m and 1600m at the Class A State Championships just two weeks ago.  She then went on to finish 14th at the New England Championships over 800m in a big personal best.  Time will tell if that success will convert back over to the grass.  Record has already shown an ability to show up big when it matters, improving 10 places from the regional round to the state meet last fall. 

Head to the discussion boards for a hint on which athlete will be featured next!