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By GARY HAWKINS Staff Writer 10/12/2007

Staff Writer

The Winthrop boys cross country team hasn't won a Mountain Valley Conference championship since 1983, but the Ramblers have a good shot Saturday. First, though, they need to get past four-time defending champion Lisbon.

The boys and girls MVC championships will be decided at the University of Maine at Augusta, beginning with the boys race at 11 a.m. It figures to be a two-team race. Winthrop topped Lisbon at the Festival of Champions two weeks ago but lost to the Greyhounds by five points last week.

"(We) certainly have the ability," Winthrop coach Jay Lindsay said. "We're going to have to run seven deep. If one or two kids don't have a good race, we're beatable."

The Ramblers have the two of the top runners in the race in senior Danny Soltan and Tor O'Brien, but the outcome could come down to how well Alex Cottrell, Pat Romar and Tom Conley shore up the team's pack time.

"We just need to break up their pack," Lindsey said.

Lisbon's Aaron Cloutier and Hall-Dale's Wade Davis could also challenge for one of the top spots. Davis leads a resurgent Bulldogs team that has come on strong in the second half of the season.

"He was 10th at the Festival of Champions and the first junior in the Mt. Blue Relays," Hall-Dale coach Brad Brown said of Davis. "He just hasn't been widely recognized yet."

Sophomore Ryan Leach is the team's No. 2 runner while Keith McGillivary, Alex Colon, Kyle Blanchette, Ben Garant and Dylan Sirois are all closely bunched.

The Monmouth Academy girls have won five straight MVC titles but will be challenged by Lisbon with Hall-Dale and Madison also contending.

Hall-Dale senior Magen Ellis is the individual favorite while Telstar's Bri Bailey, Lisbon's Kelly Bourgoin and Monmouth's Kerstin Grenier should be among the top five.

"Nobody's really challenged her in the MVC," Brown said of Ellis. "She'll have a challenge at the regional and state meet."

The course at UMA no longer hosts the state championship meets but remains one of the most challenging in the state.

"It's one of the true cross country courses around," Lindsay said.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

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