Henry Horne leads a pack of Freeport runners during an Aug. 30 practice in Freeport. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald
BRUNSWICK – The high school boys cross country season is under way, and several Midcoast teams will look to build on successful 2021 campaigns.
Freeport will look to defend its Class B title while Brunswick aims to improve on its third-place finish in Class A from a year ago. Mt. Ararat, Lisbon and Morse also will field strong teams this year.
Here’s a look at the Midcoast teams this fall:
Freeport
The Falcons return quite a bit of depth and will be one of the top Class B teams this fall.
Matthew Greear takes over for Brian Berkemeyer after assisting the longtime educator/coach the last eight seasons.
“I am looking forward to my first season as head coach after eight seasons as an assistant at Freeport High School,” said Greear, who also teaches health and physical eduication. “Coach Berkemeyer has and continues to be a great friend and mentor. John Rogers has come aboard as an assistant coach this year and we are ready to get to work.”
Senior Henry Horne will be in contention for an individual title after placing eighth as a junior in 2021. The Falcons will also be led by seniors Al Dawson, Jack DiRusso and Ian Moore. Juniors Will Spaulding and Ian Smith also return.
Freeport junior Will Spaulding runs during an Aug. 30 cross country practice in Freeport. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald
Newcomers to the team include junior Teo Steverlnyck-Horne, sophomore Conner Smith and freshman Alex Gilbert.
The Falcons competed in a four-team Western Maine Conference meet on Sept. 1 in Yarmouth and placed four in the top six. Horne and Spaulding took the top two spots while Steverlnyck-Horne and Conner Smith finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Brunswick
The Dragons are the defending Class A Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Class A North regional champions, and they are well-positioned to defend those crowns.
Longtime educator and fourth-year coach Dan Dearing will look to his top returning runners this fall.
“We will need to stay healthy throughout the season and build momentum as a team from one meet to the next,” he said.
Top returnees for Brunswick include: seniors Eli Palmer and Miles Logan; junior Ben Klingle; and sophomores Jonathan Koehler, Sam Cashman and Gabe Eaton.
Brunswick’s Eli Palmer races in KVAC cross country championship last season in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
The team also will feature several newcomers, including junior Nate Wayne, sophomore Marshall Wall, and freshmen Ryan McPherson and Jansen Weaver.
At the Medomak Valley Panther Invitational — a preseason race — Palmer won the seniors division. He was 11th at the state championship last season as well.
Logan placed third in the seniors while Klingle won the the junior division race. Furthermore, Koehler and Eaton placed first and third, respectively, in the sophomore division.
Palmer won a five-team meet on Sept. 2, while Logan and Klingle placed second and third, respectively.
Lisbon
Lisbon may have had some key losses to graduation, but it looks to compete this season.
Hunter Burkhardt, Darien Davis and Wyatt Perron, who finished in the top 25 at the Class C meet last fall, all graduated. Still, the Greyhounds do return some strong runners.
Senior captain Chase Mailhot will lead the team while sophomore Layne Williams also returns.
The team will have some depth, which should help stay competitive.
Sophomores Devin Kolarik, Ryan Hanlon and Michael Ridley should contribute, while the team will look to several freshmen newcomers to fill out the squad. Isaac Scribellito, Malachi Ganong, Isaiah McDonough, Sam Liudvinaltis, Kylan Dugal, Liam Kuhl and Cassius Reuben highlight the newcomers.
“Were a young group, but should be competitive,” said head coach Jeremy Williams. “These boys have been running together for a number of years and look ready to compete at this level and look to surprise some conference opponents along the way.”
Morse
The Shipbuilders enjoyed success last year, placing third at the KVAC B meet.
“There are a lot of new faces on the team this year,” said fourth-year coach Brent Luchies.
Mt. Ararat’s Parker Libby runs in the Laliberte Invitational cross country meet last month in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
Varsity runners returning include seniors Riley Dunn and Rylie Harper; junior Liam Drewniak; and sophomores Gaffney McDonough and Michael Ryan.
Morse competed at the annual Laliberte Invitational at Cony on Aug. 26, a preseason race that unofficially kicks off the new season. Dunn finished 11th while McDonough was 14th.
“Overall, it looks like we have some solid depth,” said Luchies. “Having some depth beyond the top two or three runners means that they will all be pushing each other in workouts and races.”
Mt. Ararat
The Eagles will once again be competitive in the KVAC under longtime coach Diane Fournier.
Parker Libby returns as one of the team’s top runners. The senior won the Laliberte Invitational last month. He also led the team to a victory at a Sept. 2 KVAC meet at Edward Little.
Also competing for the Eagles this year are Ian Britt, Reid Matson, Jack Young and Emmett Baiero.
The team will next compete at the Quabacook Relays at Morse on Sept. 10.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
