Nelson wins second straight Pony Pride 5K during Foxcroft Academy Alumni Weekend

DOVER-FOXCROFT — For the last 21 years Foxcroft Academy graduates, community members, and visitors to the region have been able to kick off the Saturday of Foxcroft Academy Alumni Weekend/Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming by running in the Pony Pride 5K. For the second year in a row on Aug. 5 the course started in front of the main school building, traveled across several streets in town as well as a trail before concluding with over a half a lap on the track to end at the finish line.

2016 Foxcroft Academy graduate Cooper Nelson, a rising sophomore on the University of Maine cross country and track teams, repeated as the Pony Pride winner. Nelson bested a field of over 50 runners in a time of 18 minutes, 22. 2 seconds, crossing the finish line over four and a half minutes ahead of second place. As the only first-place finisher for the on-campus course, Nelson became the fourth runner to win consecutive Pony Pride races and he moves into a three-way tie for second place in the all-time wins list.

Sixteen-year-old Angelina Teachout, who traveled to Dover-Foxcroft from Japan, came in second to be the 2017 women’s Pony Pride winner. Teachout had a time of 23 minutes, 1 second.

Joining Nelson as the top Foxcroft Academy alumni runners was fellow 2016 graduate Jenny Clawson. Clawson, who plans to run at Division III Ithaca College in New York state this year, was fifth overall. Her time of 23:58.5 enabled her to earn top female Pony graduate honors.

The full 2017 Pony Pride results are as follows: 1. Cooper Nelson, age 19, 18:22.2; 2. Angelina Teachout, 16, 23:01; 3. Paul Coffin, 47, 23:05; 4. William Forbes, 14, 23:25.8; 5. Jenny Clawson, 19, 23:58.5; 6. Stephanie Hasenfus, 26, 24:23; 7. John Lemieux, 72, 24:25.7; 8. Kaitlin Zeek, 28, 24:36.6; 9. Gary Larson, 72, 24:41.8.; 10. Jenna Clukey, 17, 24:48.9;

11. Tinia Graham, 40, 25:02.6; 12. Richard Carleton, 60, 25:05.7; 13. Sean Leland, 14, 25:19.5; 14. Jon Shorey, 43, 25:19.9; 15. Robert Clark, 66, 25:37.9; 16. Korbin Cleary, 11, 25:56.1; 17. Matt Raynes, 49, 25:58.4; 18. Peter Devine, 68, 25:59.7; 19. Shawn Grass, 31, 26:09.7; 20. Annie Raynes, 12, 26:19.5;

21. Tom Campbell, 39, 26:28.1; 22. Shawn Keenan, 39, 26:28.2; 23. Angus Mailhot, 7, 26:56; 24. Brian Mailhot, 41, 26:56.2; 25. Andrew Pomeroy, 31, 26:57.2; 26. Meghan Palter, 38, 26:58; 27. Diane Keenan, 36, 26:59.8; 28. Lincoln Robinson, 31, 27:04.1; 29. Elyse Pomeroy, 34, 27:11.1; 30. Morgan Kimball, 29, 27:53.2;

31. Brock Albee, 19, 28:10; 32. Alexis Cook, 16, 28:12.5; 33. Katherine Youngblood, 48, 28:45.8; 34. Owen Stewart, 10, 28:58.7; 35. Jack Fowler, 10, 29:55.1; 36. Laura Dellaire, 41, 30:01.5; 37. Freeman Doore, 68, 31:56.9; 38. Molly Rogers, 33, 32:35.2; 39. Judy Folsom, 52, 32:51.2; 40. Judy Snow, 62, 33:11.7;

41. Dana Bisbee, 32, 33:15.8; 42. Kieran Beckham, 8, 34:17.7; 43. Aiden Beckham, 8, 34:18.3; 44. Harita Reddy, 30, 34:18.5; 45. Maddie Fowler, 12, 35:29.1; 46. Evelyn Stewart, 7, 35:29.9; 47. Hope Mielwocki, 9, 35:44.7; 48. Jennifer Stewart, 45, 36:56.1; 49. Olivia Stewart, 12, 36:56.2; 50. Rhiya Beckham, 6, 38:46.3;

51. Gerry Beckham, 40, 38:46.8; 52. Lars Mailhot, 5, 41:09.7; 53. Heather Mailhot, 43, 41:19.1; 54. Andrew Swantz, 11, 43:35.2; and 55. James Swantz, 48, 43:35.9.

Age group winners (women’s and men’s when applicable): 10 and under: Evelyn Stewart and Angus Mailhot.

11-19: Angelina Teachout and Cooper Nelson.

20-29: Stephanie Hasenfus.

30-39: Meghan Palter and Shawn Grass.

40-49: Tinia Graham and Paul Coffin.

50-59: Judy Folsom.

60-69: Judy Snow and Richard Carleton.

70-plus: John Lemieux.

All-time Pony Pride winners (year, men’s winner and time, women’s winner and time): 1997 Tim Wakeland 16:20 Jana Crocker 21:26; 1998 John Chase 17:05 Sunshine Weinrich 20:30; 1999 Justin Bates 17:06 Amanda Thompson 22:14; 2000 Wakeland 17:00 Dana Frasz 20:39; 2001 Dave Nelson 16:16 Frasz 20:31; 2002 Mike Chilly 17:21 Katherine Carroll 21:35; 2003 Bates 16:24 Cassie Hintz 18:40; 2004 Wakeland 16:24 Hintz 17:15; 2005 Eric Rudolph 17:02 Hintz 17:13; 2006 Greg Hammett 16:50 Hintz 18:07 (due to bridge construction on Essex Street course was 3.19 miles); 2007 Hammett 16:16 Elizabeth Brunton 19:11; 2008 Rudolph 16:17 Brunton 19:36; 2009; 2009 Rudolph 16:25 Katie Herbine 19:37; 2010 Shawn Keenan 17:20 Brunton 18:24; 2011 Jerod Hayes 16:55 Hintz 19:22; 2012 Graham Pearsall 16:42 Meghan Keane 21:53; 2013 Pearsall 17:11 Diane Keenan 20:13; 2014 Pearsall 16:47 Heather Mailhot 24:31; 2015 Pearsall 16:41 Jenny Clawson 23:41; 2016 Cooper Nelson 17:20 Keenan 20:21 (new course); and 2017 Nelson 18:22 Angelina Teachout 23:01.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AND THEY’RE OFF TO GALLOP THROUGH DOVER-FOXCROFT — Fifty five runners participated in the 21st annual Pony Pride 5K on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 5 during Foxcroft Academy Alumni Weekend. The race starts in front of the main school building and concludes on the track. Cooper Nelson, a 2016 graduate, won the race for the second year in a row with a time of 18 minutes, 22 seconds.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TOP RUNNER AND ALUMNUS — 2016 Foxcroft Academy graduate Cooper Nelson, a rising sophomore on the University of Maine cross country team, repeated as the Pony Pride 5K winner on Saturday. Nelson’s time of 18:22 was more than four and a half minutes faster than second place.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
RACE TO THE FINISH LINE — Angelina Teachout and Paul Coffin are less than 100 meters away from the end point of the Pony Pride 5K on Aug. 5 in Dover-Foxcroft. Teachout’s time of 23:01 was good for second place overall and gave her the top women’s finish, while Coffin came in third at 23:05.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FOURTH PLACE — William Forbes, 14, placed fourth on Saturday morning at 23:25.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FASTEST WOMEN’S FA GRAD — Jenny Clawson, who received her diploma in 2016, earned the top Foxcroft Academy female graduate honors in the 2017 Pony Pride 5K. Clawson finished fifth overall at 23:58.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TOPS IN THEIR AGE GROUPS — Stephanie Hasenfus, a 2009 graduate of Foxcroft Academy, and Sangerville resident John Lemieux placed sixth and seventh with respective times of 24:23 and 24:25. Hasenfus was the women’s 20-29 age group winner and Lemieux had the top time among those 70-plus.