CASTINE, Maine – Maine-Presque Isle placed the top two runners, but it was Thomas College that captured the 2011 Mariner Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.

The Terriers scoring five all finished in the top ten of the 14-runner field. Sarah Estes (Brewer, Maine) was the Terriers top dog, crossing third overall in 24:30. Teammates Chelsie Morris (Livermore Falls, Maine) and Jericca Stackpole (Biddeford, Maine) were the next two runners to cross with respective times of 25:36 and 26:03. Amadna Dion (Foxboro, Mass.) finished eighth overall in 28:40, while Samantha Felbaum (Saco, Maine) placed tenth in 30:01 to wrap up the team title.

UMPI lacked enough runners to secure a team score, but the runners that did compete fared well. First-year, Emily Wright (Mapleton, Maine) completed the five-kilometer course in 22:47 for the individual championship. Precisely one minute later, Carly Langley (Truro, N.S.) crossed the line to take second. Sarah Taylor (Industry, Maine) placed sixth in 26:51.

Samantha DePlanche (Dover, N.H.) paced the Mariners second-place finish. The team captain clocked a 27:04 for seventh place, while Bridget Duffy (Hallowell, Maine) posted a 29:07 for ninth place. Ashley Burnett (Danville, N.H.), Blaire Fontaine (Cheshire, Conn.) and Erica Taylor (Mesquite, Texas) rounded out the Mariners competitors. Burnett clocked 33:25 for 12^th place, while Fontaine posted a 35:35 for 13^th.

The Mariner Invitational featured its unique traditions of starting with a musket shot and ending with the victorious team cutting cake for the participants and fans on hand. In starting a new tradition, this year's top three finishers were awarded sledgehammers for putting the hammer down on the course.

Maine Maritime returns to action on the 30^th at the North Atlantic Conference Championships.

                  2011 Mariner Cross Country Invitational
                  Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, Maine
                      October 22, 2011       11:00 AM
                          WOMENS RESULTS ***** 5K
 
Place TmPl No.  Name                           Yr  School                 Time  Pace  
===== ==== ==== ============================== === ====================== ===== ===== 
    1       144 Emily Wright                   FR  UMaine Presque Isle    22:47  9:10 
    2       145 Carly Langley                  SO  UMaine Presque Isle    23:47  9:35 
    3    1  185 Sarah Estes                    SR  Thomas                 24:30  9:52 
    4    2  187 Chelsie Morris                 JR  Thomas                 25:36 10:18 
    5    3  189 Jericca Stackpole              FR  Thomas                 26:03 10:29 
    6       140 Sarah Taylot                   FR  UMaine Presque Isle    26:51 10:49 
    7    4  153 Samantha DePlanche             JR  Maine Maritime         27:04 10:54 
    8    5  184 Amanda Dion                    FR  Thomas                 28:40 11:33 
    9    6  148 Bridget Duffy                  FR  Maine Maritime         29:07 11:43 
   10    7  186 Samantha Felbaum               FR  Thomas                 30:01 12:05 
   11    8  188 Rachel Reed                    JR  Thomas                 33:24 13:27 
   12    9  147 Ashley Burnett                 SO  Maine Maritime         33:25 13:27 
   13   10  152 Blair Fontaine                 SR  Maine Maritime         35:35 14:19 
   14   11  150 Erica Taylor                   SO  Maine Maritime         52:57 21:19 


                     *********** TEAM SCORE **********

  1. Thomas                
            1    2    3    5    7   (8)      =    18
         Sarah Estes, Chelsie Morris, Jericca Stackpole, Amanda Dion, Samantha
         Felbaum, Rachel Reed
  2. Maine Maritime        
            4    6    9   10   11            =    40
         Samantha DePlanche, Bridget Duffy, Ashley Burnett, Blair Fontaine,
         Erica Taylor