AUGUSTA — Nora Schmidt has been impressing Maine cross country observers all season, and she didn’t disappoint Saturday in her first state championship meet.

The freshman from Portland High School cruised to the Class A individual title at Cony High while also leading the Bulldogs to their first team championship. Schmidt finished the 5-kilometer course with a time of 18 minutes, 50.60 seconds, nearly 23 seconds faster than runner-up Georgia Moon of Falmouth (19:13.77). Allie Schmitt of Cheverus (19:26.59) was third.

“It feels amazing, I’m so happy,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt, who won the girls race at the Festival of Champions in Belfast with a time of 17:47.78 on Oct. 4, entered the Class A meet as the favorite. She won the Class A South title last Saturday in Cumberland, completing the course in 18:28.64.

“My strategy was basically running the same way I did at regionals, because we did really well at regionals,” Schmidt said. “I was really just trying to copy that … I was sprinting hard the whole time, because a lot of these girls are really fast and they can all kick really hard.”

Portland won the Class A team title with 77 points. The Bulldogs prevailed in a title battle with Falmouth (81), last year’s champion, and Hampden Academy (86).

“We were talking all week about how being relaxed wins,” said Portland coach Frank Myatt. “I was talking to my upperclassmen and said, ‘You guys looked more relaxed last week at regionals than I had ever seen in my life.’ They said, ‘Coach, it’s Nora.’ They look over at Nora and she’s dead calm, and it helps us bring the nerves down. It’s incredible for a freshman to have that composure.”

Kate Morrison (20:49.13) finished 12th for the Bulldogs, followed by Lucy Harkness (21st) and Sylvie Holmes (24th).

“If you look down at our (No.) three, four, five (runners), Kate Morrison, Lucy Harkness, Sylvie Holmes, Alice Anderson, that was the group that was really kind of the unsung heroes,” Myatt said. “That’s why you win a team title. The gazelles up front are fun to watch, but it’s the girls who work their tails off, finish in the middle of that pack. To see them come through within a few seconds of each other, that’s a really good sight for us.”

After a fourth-place finish at states last year, Greely’s Rowan Barry won the Class B race with a time of 19:10.90. Karen Higgins (19:29.96) of Lincoln Academy was the runner-up and Lucy Huggett (19:38.06) of Freeport placed third.

“It feels great, I’ve been thinking about (winning states) since I was a freshman,” said Barry, a senior. “But it’s been on the top of my mind since last cross country season. Everything in my mind was coming to this. I was feeling good. I was feeling pretty confident in my strategy.”

Freeport (60 points) captured the Class B team title, topping last year’s champion, Mt. Desert Island (67). Aside from Huggett, the Falcons also had strong showings from Ella Oshetski (eighth, 20:33.44) and Lilah Hall (13th, 20:54.66). MDI was led by Kulani Granholm (fourth, 20:05.76) and Rebecca Rand (sixth, 20:06.32).

York (89 points) finished third, paced by fifth-place finisher Madelyn Hutchins (20:06.11).

In Class C, Madison’s Bryanna Hagopian held off Orono’s Clara White to win the individual crown. Hagopian’s finishing kick in the final 100 yards was enough to secure the victory with a time of 19:36.05.

“If feels so good, so rewarding after such a long season,” Hagopian said. “Any time Clara got close to me, I just pushed. I just hoped that she wouldn’t get me again. I kept going and kept pushing, trying to stay strong. … When I crossed the finish line, it was such an amazing feeling.”

White, the sister of former Orono High and current University of New Hampshire standout Ruth White, had a time of 19:42.70. Grace Alexander of Waynflete (20:41.95) was third.

Orono (52 points) walked away with the team title, its 10th since 2013. Ellie Arsenault (21:48.34) finished seventh for Orono, while Ruby Beane (22:37.17) placed 12th.

Waynflete, last year’s Class C champion, was the runner-up with 61 points. Emma Vickery (22:16.60) placed 10th for the Flyers, one position ahead of teammate Amelia Dedekian (22.28.02).

North Yarmouth Academy (107 points) finished third.

Runners enjoyed racing on a challenging Cony High trail, which leads from an open field through the woods and back. Conditions were excellent, with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 50s. A strong wind did nothing to diminish the enjoyment of the day for the competitors.

“(The course) was really hilly, I don’t think I was prepared for it,” Schmidt said. “It was really hard.”