Some runners smeared mud on their faces like war paint, others waded in lake-size puddles for a celebratory dip after their run in the EMass Cross-Country Championships yesterday.

Ryan Kelley was covered in mud, but for the Pembroke junior, it wasn’t intentional.

“I got a little nervous when Kelley went down on the bottom of the hill,’’ said Titans coach Greg Zopatti. “He went headfirst into a puddle.’’

But neither the fall nor the rain would keep him from finishing. Kelley placed fourth in 16 minutes 53 seconds, and was one of four Pembroke runners to finish in the top 10. Senior Paul Cina (16:40) was the top scorer for the Titans.

“We knew Paul was going to really go for the win,’’ Zopatti said. “But the fact that [Kelley] recovered that much to finish fourth is pretty amazing.”

Pembroke won the Division 3 title, finishing with 34 points. Bishop Feehan (85) and Marblehead (158) placed second and third.

The first-place finish is encouraging for the Titans, who bumped up a division this season.

“Our guys are really mentally tough, and they’ve been preparing for this from July 1 until now,’’ Zopatti said. “So it could’ve been a hail storm, it wasn’t going to get in their way.”

Dennis-Yarmouth senior Max Darrah (16:27) took the Division 3 individual EMass title. Darrah placed first in the district meet last year - but in Division 2.

“Right on Bear Cage Hill I really pushed it, because we’ve been working on hills lately,’’ Darrah said. “So I figured I’d open it up there, and then coming down I felt real strong.’’

Darrah qualified for the Division 2 All-State race, despite the Dolphins being bumped down a division within his district this year. He expects the All-States to be harder with Seekonk’s Johnny Gregorek as competition.

Gregorek, who took second at the All-State meet last year, claimed the Division 4 title yesterday with a 16:47 finish. The Warriors senior edged Dana Dourdeville from Old Rochester in the last 200 meters to win by 4 seconds.

“I was slipping and sliding a lot. I’m more of a track person than cross-country,’’ Gregorek acknowledged. “I just said since I’m not good with this mud and everything, since I’m big and lanky, I’ll just sit behind [Dourdeville] until a little bit to go and then just kick as hard as I [can] and that was my plan.’’

Seekonk claimed the Division 4 team title with a score of 51. The Warriors placed three runners in the top 10. Newburyport came in second with 101 points and Hamilton-Wenham third with 127.

In Division 1, John Bleday of Xaverian won the individual title in 16:28, beating out Jared Reddy of Methuen (16:33).

But Lowell’s depth helped the Red Raiders win the team title with 67 points. Junior Michael Giardina was Lowell’s top finisher, coming in fifth in 17:00.

Methuen (107) and St. John’s Prep (128) took second and third.

Patrick McGowan (16:02) took the individual Division 2 title for Mansfield, and his team earned first-place with 58 points.

Concord-Carlisle (115) and Oliver Ames (134) rounded out the top 3.