BRUNSWICK

This upcoming weekend is huge for Maine cross country runners as conference championships will fill the air with excitement and anticipation.

Mt. Ararat, Morse and Brunswick will be in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference meet Saturday (11 a.m.) at Cony High School, while Lisbon and Wiscasset will be in the Mountain Valley Conference event Saturday (10 a.m.) at UMaine-Augusta.

Freeport runs Friday in the Western Maine Conference Championships at St. Joseph’s College (3 p.m.).

In the KVACs The A’s and B’s run together, but is scored as an A and B separate meet.

Mt. Ararat coach Diane Fournier sees the Bangor and Brunswick girls as challengers for the “A” title.

“Not really for us … not unless Brunswick and Bangor fall apart between now and Saturday,” said Fournier.

As for the Eagle boys challenging, Fournier replied, “I would have said yes until this past week, one concussion, one case of mono and a dislocated shoulder sort of has come to hamper us.

“Some of those individuals who have been doing well all season, will do well with the competition there will be at this meet … they are ready. Some of the lesser known will do well, my freshman boys will be tough in the jayvee race.”

Top Mt. Ararat boys will be Sam Wood, Nathan MacKenzie, Matt Gott and Jake Demosthenes, while for the Eagle girls look for Kelly Lynch, Emmie Cox, Alicia Caterina and Emma Etnier.

“It will be hard to determine who will come in after the four, that is where the injuries and illness have hit us,” said Fournier. “Shea Nelson would have been a big help for the boys (mono) and freshman Egan Eldridge (concussion) would have been a plus … wait and see.”

“For the girls I think it will come down to us, Hampden and Lewiston,” said Brunswick coach Dave DeLois. “For the boys, Lewiston should win easily. I think Ararat will be right there if they get their boys back and Bangor can be there, also.

“I like the course … it’s challenging and hilly. They’re talking about some rain, so it could be a muddy day.”

Brunswick girls include Tessa Cassidy, Brooke Escoe, Laurel Margerum, Teresa Murphy, Tiffany Tanner, Anna Turner and Ruth Van Kampen, while the boys are Walter Martin, Zach Miller, Donovan Shea, Jason Higginbotham, Jack Murphy, Chris Tanner and McKinley Stinson.

Morse in Class B

“The top B girls teams should be Camden and Maranacook, which may be a toss-up. Our girls should be in the top-five,” said Morse coach Dane Dwyer, “The top B boys team should be Maranacook, with Morse, Camden and Lincoln Academy also in the top-five.

“We could have two girls in the top B finishers: Amy Franklin and Kelsea Albertson. Christopher Walfield should finish in the top-10 overall B finishers, with our two-through-five, Noah Lapointe, Otto Werweiss, Balt von Huene and Aidan McGowen, all having the potential to finish in the top- 20.”

For the boys look for, Walfield, Lapointe, Werweiss, von Huene, McGowan, Aaron Ouellette and Nathaniel Rines, while Morse girls expected to compete include Franklin, Albertson, Maris Adler, Amelia Franklin, Rachel Detwiler, Samantha Brown and Emily Belanger.

Freeport in WMCs

Like the KVACs, the Western Maine Conference is also comprised of two divisions.

“I think we are in Division One,” said Freeport coach Brian Berkemeyer. “They all run together and then the scoring gets done after.

“The girls will be challenged by Yarmouth, Cape, and Falmouth. I should have a good top pack with Sydney Ambrose, Elly Bengtsson, Chloe Hight and Bethanie Knighton.

“My next three should be Nina Davenport, Emily Jennings and Hayley Steckler. We have a shot at winning the meet, but Falmouth will be the ones to beat.

“On the boys side it looks a bit different,” added Berkemeyer. “Chandler Vincent has really stepped up his game and is a legitimate front runner. Tyler Frey, Eric Brobst, Mark Donahue, and Austin Williams round out my top-five, while Matt Francis and Henry Jaques round out the team.

“My boys will find it difficult with Cape and Falmouth running well. We are looking forward to Regionals and hopefully bringing both teams back to the state meet.”

Lisbon in MVCs

The MVCs are set for Saturday at UMaine-Augusta (girls at 10 a.m., boys at 10:45), with Lisbon and Wiscasset among the schools competing.

On the Lisbon boys roster will be Nick Harriman, Jeff Willey, Jordan Cole, Mike Schlotterbeck, Brett Carter and Silas Crosby, while for the girls look for Bree Sautter, Kaylin Le, Caitlyn Bundy, Adrianna White, Bailey Eveson and Ally Lycette.

“For the boys I think Boothbay Harbor is clearly the best team in the conference,” said Lisbon coach Hank Fuller. “I think Lisbon could finish as high as third, but Boothbay, Monmouth and Winthrop should be right up there.”

And the girls? “It’s going to be Boothbay, Lisbon and Monmouth,” added Fuller. “There’s only been one, two points that have separated us all season. And there’s an outside chance for St. Dom’s and Dirigo.”

On the Wiscasset roster look for Amanda Marcus, Kennedy Orr and Gabrielle Ericson-Wenners for the girls.

Wolverine boys include Andrew Walton, Ridge Barnes, David Pearson, Sam Storer, Chris Perkins, Bryan Dunning and Noah Jones.