Throughout its more two-decade history, Rhode Island squads have made their way up the east coast for the annual Maine Festival of Champions.
During that time, the state has produced several team champions and two individual winners for the girls. But in its 23 years prior to this weekend’s competition, none of the talented harriers on the boys’ side have ever earned the coveted title at Maine’s most popular fall competition.
Sean Gray took care of that drought on Saturday with a race for the ages.
The Portsmouth junior was not only the fastest of the nearly 900 finishers on the five-kilometer trails of the Troy Howard X-Country Course, he was the FASTEST all-time! Gray blazed to a record-breaking and eye-popping 14 minutes, 55.56 seconds to finish more than 200 meters ahead of his closest rival. His astonishing effort smashed the meet and course record of 15:06.92, set in 2013 by Josef Holt-Andrews of Telstar (ME).
Gray, who is unbeaten this season, had a plan right from the start to break the 15-minute barrier.
“The course was in great condition and I just thought I might as well go for it. The way I have been running recently, really gave me confidence,” said the Portsmouth runner, who last week captured the Wickham Park Invitational. “I have been running most of my races not 100 percent.”
The first mile of the race is mostly flat with only a slight uphill climb. Gray was leading a small pack of runners through that split, which he passed in 4:42. He was able to build a gap on the competition by the second mile, one that includes a series of short inclines and downhills.
Gray didn’t need to put in any kind of surge to break from his competitors. It just happened.
“I just kept with my pace,” he said. “There are a lot of hills in the second mile. That’s usually where it spreads out.”
Gray finished a comfortable 44 seconds ahead of runner-up Sam Laverdiere of Lake Region (ME), who was timed in 15:39.11.
As a team, Portsmouth, which a few days earlier finished off the school’s first-ever unbeaten dual meet season, placed third overall with 179 points. The host state’s Portland (first, 98 points) and Scarborough (second, 110 points) were the only teams ahead of Portsmouth among the 74 that competed on Saturday. In the combined team rankings (seeded, unseeded and freshmen races), the Patriots’ remaining scoring runners and their placements and times were sophomore Patrick Orbon (25th, 16:42.31), senior Jack Marston (17:10.50), senior Calden McHale (52nd, 17:13.75) and senior Chris Vachon (56th, 17:17.16). Burrillville junior Arthur Ferris was tenth overall with a time of 16:15.18.
“We are looking really strong right now,” said Gray, about his teammates. “We are looking really string to make a breakout (at the State Meet) and go for (a spot) at the New England’s.”
For the girls, Portsmouth had the top finisher there, too. Senior Allie Kaull was 11th among 642 with an 18:53.09 clocking, her second sub-19 of the season. Burrillville junior Abigail Bassett (45th, 20:22.30) and Wheeler School sophomore Ashton Carson (47th, 20:24.90) cracked the top 50.
