The Maine indoor track season is set to begin this week, with a big meet being held at the University of Maine in Orono on Saturday featuring Brunswick, Mt. Ararat and Morse squads.
Freeport, which will be led by two new coaches, begins once the calendar turns to 2020 with meets at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.
Here is a look at the squads:
Brunswick/Morse
The Brunswick boys had a stellar 2018/19 campaign, winning the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference title and finishing fourth in the always competitive State Class A Championship.
Will Shaughenssy, coming off a superb cross country season, leads the Dragons one year removed from winning the 800-meter, 1-mile and 2-mile KVAC titles at Bowdoin College before capturing the state championship in the 2-mile run at USM.
Also back are KVAC champions Samuel Cenescar (high jump/long jump) and Mitch Lienert (55/200/400),
along with Wes Coffin, Tyler Patterson, Joey Valliere, Jack Harvey, Andrew Chingos, Aiden Simmons, Matty LaForge, Max Borjarski, Chappy Hall, Josh Musica, Tyler Trebilcock, Matthew Poulton, Ben Israel, Coenradt Taylor, Connor Ney, Jack Lowell, Connor Ashby and Nathan Kallin.
Head coach Dan Dearing also has a handful of newcomers that will look to contribute, including Kyle LaDuke, Ty Borjarski, Nico Borjarski, Eli Palmer, Spencer Stadnicki, Thomas McCormack, Jack Culbertson, Jack Banks, James Kowsky, Jonathan Phanzu, Nipitphon Tunkarak, Kurt Trapp, Cody Gaunt, Ben Guidon, William Haas, Brandon Ellis and Diego Matwa.
“The keys to this year’s success will be focused on qualifying as many boys as possible for the KVAC Championship and the State Meet,” said Dearing. “Every point is valuable and every team will be working hard for the team titles. We will also need to establish a strong training base before competing at a high level, to help prevent injuries throughout the season.
“We are bringing back a strong group of upperclassmen who will be joined with a dynamic and large group of freshmen. Our expectations will be to try to make an impact in every event at the championship meets.”
The Brunswick girls finished fourth in KVAC meet last year, led by a win by pole vaulter Tea Kepler. Head coach Heather Hosington feels her Dragons are “fired up” as the season begins.
“We have doubled in size,” Hoisington said. “They have returned the majority of their athletes including their top scorer from last year Kaeden Green. Kaeden will be a sophomore this year and looking forward to reaching her goals in the triple jump, long jump, 200 and 400. She may also throw in an 800. Other top returners include Ophelia Ladner in the hurdles, Micaela Turgeon in the pole vault and Maddie Wayne in the 800 and 1 mile. The Dragons are also excited to welcome back Micaela Ashby from injury. Micaela had a very successful cross country season this fall, placing in the top 30 in the state.”
Hoisington welcomes several newcomers to the fold, including Margaret Chingos (high jump, 800), Laura Butterfield (long jump, sprints), Abby Valliere (800, mile) and Grace Costello (mile, two mile).
“The team’s key to success this season will be to try to fill each event,” said Hoisington. “Because the team was so small last year we could not fill the events. This year we hope to have multiple scoring athletes in each event. To achieve this the girls will work with their coaching staff to set team goals and individual goals.”
Morse works and competes alongside Brunswick. Last year, the Shipbuilders picked up a win in the boys 4 x 800 relay in the KVAC Class B Championship, leading to a sixth-place showing.
“We have a small team, but we have the potential to do well in many areas,” Dearing said. “The distance runners will be very strong for Class B and will score well in their races and 4 x 800 relay. The team will have sprinters and jumpers this year to compliment an outstanding shot put squad.”
Returning for Morse are William Carrolton, Connor Freeman, Jacob Mowry, Aidan Pryor, Liam Scanlon and Finn Thelen, with newcomers Noah Doughty, Isaak Fleming, Grayson Fuller, Oscar Hennin, Samuel Kirkpatrick, Alex Maccio, Jonah Smith, Ryley Dunn and Ryley Harper giving the Shipbuilders more athletes.
“As a team, we are looking to improve on the teams sixth place KVAC position from last year. It will take a great effort by everyone to develop throughout the season and qualify a large group for the KVAC and state championships,” Dearing added.
For the Morse girls, look for Lorelei Pryor (middle, distance), Savannah McKenny (sprints) and Samantha Ramsey (jumps, returning from injury), along with newcomers Audrey Crews (pole vault), Lia Emerson and Iris Hennin (distance).
Mt. Ararat
Longtime Eagles coach Diane Fournier leads her squad into action after a solid 2018/19 season.
The Mt. Ararat boys and girls were third in the KVAC Championships, while boys finished 12th in the State Class A meets.
Fournier feels her team’s success will lie in how well the young squad members embrace the challenges of indoor track throughout the tough Maine winter.
“Youth of the team as well as the many seniors who are great examples and leaders, along with the willingness of athletes willing to try new events to cover all the events, is key for us,” said Fournier. “The team, even with just five days of being together, work really well together and with the intensity required to do well as a team.”
“There is a lot of great energy and enthusiasm from the team, and we are looking to further cultivate that and help the team grow their passion for track and field,” said Lyons. “We feel the athletes dedication to both their team and growing as athletes is a big player in their individual and group success.”
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