TOPSHAM

The indoor track season is upon us, with longtime coach Diane Fournier of Mt. Ararat looking for a solid season from her Eagles.

At Brunswick, Dave DeLois once again coaches two teams, while Brian Berkemeyer leads Freeport into action.

Mt. Ararat

The Eagle girls had a solid showing at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Championship last year, placing second. They finished eighth in the State Class A meet.

On the boys side, Mt. Ararat was sixth at in the KVAC and 14th in Class A.

“I feel that we will be stronger this coming season in the sprint events, which I believe helps in the jumps, both genders,” said Fournier.

Mt. Ararat suffered a few key losses, especially the long distance events. However, there is a strong core returning.

On the girls side, Wyley Fitzpatrick (sophomore, 400, long jump, triple jump, relays), Rebecca French (senior, distance, relays), Heather Gallant (sophomore, 55, long jump, 200, relays), Abby Kons (senior, shot put), Hope Langworthy (senior, pole vault, relays), Katherine Leckbee (senior, one and two mile, 800, relays), Katie Lynch (sophomore, hurdles, 400, relays), Emily Smith (junior, pole vault, 800, relays), Brennan Thiboutot (sophomore, high jump, shot put, relays) and Sara York (junior, high jump, 200/400, relays) return.

Newcomers include Gabbie Head (sophomore, shot put).

The Eagle boys are deep, with returnees Tyler Bernier (junior, 400, long jump, 800, relays), Codie Fee (senior, sprints, relays), Jax Hollenbach (junior, sprints, hurdles, long jump, relays), Tommy Leslie (senior, 200/400, relays), Caden Pond (senior, shot put), Ethan Rac (junior, 200/400, long jump, relays) and Maximo Varela (junior, long jump, 55/200, relays) looking for big things.

Fournier has a solid group of newcomers, including cross country state champion Lisandro Berry-Gaviria (sophomore, mile/two mile, 800, relays). Also coming out for indoor track are Eagles Nate Cohen (freshman, 800, one/two mile, relays), Jason Halliday (senior, sprints, relays), Josh Huntsman (freshman, sprints, long jump, triple jump, relays), Josiah Langworthy (sophomore, distance, relays), Dalton Streeter (seniors, long/triple jumps, pole vault) and Owen Yasbaris (freshman, hurdles, sprints, high jump, relays).

Mt. Ararat opens its season Friday at Bowdoin College.

Freeport

The challenge for Berkemeyer’s Falcons has been drawing in the athletes. However, his smallish teams always seem to compete well, and this year appears to be no different.

“We are a young team, but I think I will have a few standouts,” said Berkemeyer, whose Falcons open the season Friday at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. “We hope to return several individuals to states and should have a couple go to New England’s. We have a small team, with 53 athletes.”

Freeport will have to fill the spots of a few key runners that graduated, including long-distance specialist Henry Jaques, along with Mikaela Fleenor and Emily Latulippe.

Stepping in on the boys side are seniors Tom Doyle (mile), Jacob Tomm (200, long jump, shot put) and Joe Ashby (400, 800, mile), along with junior Nick Mitch (200, 400) and sophomore Will Winter (55, 200).

On the girls side, seniors Maya Bradbury (800, mile) and Patricia Dupere (55, 200), junior Katie Morrissey (55, 200) and sophomore Tara Migliaccio (55, 200, 400) return.

“We have an exchange student (Yannik Metzler) and nine freshmen,” said Berkemeyer. “I think that Ashby, Tomm and Mitch for the boys, and Bradbury and Migliaccio have a great chance to return to states and make it to New England’s.

Brunswick

Last season was solid for the Dragons on the track, with the boys taking second at the KVAC meet and sixth at state’s. The girls finished fifth at KVAC’s.

This year, head coach Dave DeLois has several holes to fill due to graduation losses.

“A small team, but barring injury should be competitive in the KVAC with a few qualifying for the state meet,” said the coach.

On the girls side, seniors Haile Cummings (sprints), Kirah Despres-Bowman (middle distances), Kathleen Koval (distance) and Isabella Pols (distance) return, along with juniors Tea Kepler (pole vault, jumps) and Desiree Tanner (sprints). Sophomore returnees are Micaela Ashby (distances), Grace Casey (sprints, jumps), Libby Felkay (shot put), Caitlin Kelly (distances) and Maddie Wayne (pole vault, jumps, sprints).

Newcomers for Brunswick include sophomore Greta Anesko (middle distances), and freshmen Carley Bunge (sprints), Lauren Holmes (sprints), Maggie Johnson (distances), Rayna Schinhofen (sprints and Emma Lind (sprints).

The Brunswick boys look to be deep, with several returnees according to DeLois.

Dragon seniors are Ryan Olson (pole vault, high jump, middle distances), Caleb Rand (pole vault), Mike McCrum (pole vault), Dalton Dickey (jumps) and Bailey Jones (pole vault). Juniors Hunter Parker (sprints, jumps), Daniel Lyons (distances), Donald Bromiley (sprints, jumps) and Parker Eckert (shot put, sprints) each return, along with a deep sophomore contingent of Jack Harvey (sprints), Will Shaughnessy (distances), Andrew Chingos (middle distances), Sam Cenescar (high jumps, sprints), Chappy Hall (sprints, jumps), Ryan Guptil (sprints, jumps), Eli Carney (sprints), Matty LaForge (sprints) and Josh Musica (sprints).

“Sam Cenescar is the defending state champion in the high jump, and he was the only Maine boy to make the opening height at New England’s,” said DeLois. “We will also look for leadership from returning state meet competitors — Jack Harvey, Andrew Chingos, Will Shaughnessy, Ryan Olson, Caleb Rand, Hunter Parker, Donald Bromiley and Daniel Lyons.

Newcomers for the Dragons are Mitchell Leinart, Zach Boyle, Lane Foushee, Tyler Patterson, Aiden Simmons, Tyler Trebilcock, Noah Greene, Kian Murray, Trevon Mckenzie, Owen Richardson, Henry Doherty, Sam Dorval and Seamus Flanagan.

Morse

DeLois also coaches the Shipbuilders.

“We have 18 Morse athletes that compete and practice with us,” said DeLois.

Key returnees are seniors Brady Leavitt (distances) and Abby Minott (sprints, jumps), junior Sydney McCarren (middle distances), and sophomores William Carrolton (sprints, shot put) and Samantha Ramsey (sprints, jumps).

Newcomers are seniors Whitney Durgin, Jensin Fish, Emma Gould, Jordan Leuteman and Katy Whitman, juniors Jacob Brochu and Mae Winglass, sophomore Emily Martin, and freshman Connor Freeman.

Brunswick and Morse hosts a KVAC meet on Saturday at Bowdoin College, with the start scheduled for 9 a.m.