Runners blast off from the start of the 110-meter dash at the MVC championships last season in Lisbon. From left are Mountain Valley’s Robert Leveille, Ryan Ahearn of Hall-Dale, Lisbon’s Emmett Mooney and Boothbay/Wiscasset’s Austin Trask. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

BRUNSWICK — The high school track and field season is underway, and several Midcoast teams and individuals are poised to contend for conference and state crowns.

Here’s a look at some of the boys teams on the Midcoast:

Brunswick

The Dragons have 43 athletes this season, inlcuding a number of top returning scorers.

Brunswick returns the following key seniors: Gavin Barbour (throwing), Miles Logan (distance and relays), Thomas McCormack (pole vault, jumps and hurdles), Brady McQuaid (throws), Eli Palmer (distance and relays), Luke Patterson (triple jump, hurdles, sprints and middle distance), Spencer Stadnicki (sprints and relays) and Ethan Whitlock (throws).

The top returning juniors include Ben Klingle (distance and relays), Nate Wayne (distance and relays) and Zach Cory (race walk). Sophomores Trevor Campbell (hurdles, distance and relays), Sam Cashman (distance and relays), Gabe Eaton (distance and relays), Jonathan Koehler (distance and relays), Max Stadnicki (sprints, jumps and relays), Marshall Wall (distance and relays) and Chris Watkinson (pole vault, sprints and relays) should also make an impact.

“We should know much more about our team by our third meet,” longtime coach Dan Deering said. “We have so many newcomers and we want to give them all the opportunity to learn the techniques of each event and to round into condition without rushing and causing injuries. We hope to have a team which competes well at our league championship and makes an impact at the state meet.”

Freeport

With numbers continuing to grow, the Falcon boys are poised for another strong season.

Returning seniors include Henry Horne (1,600-meters, 800 and high jump), Finn Furtney (800), Ben Grimm (800), Avery Baker-Schlendering (high jump) and Ian Moore (800). Juniors include Reece Perry (pole vault), Enoch Boudreau (pole vault) and Will Spaulding (3,200).

Horne returns as the Class B state champion in both the 1,600 and high jump. The 4×800-meter relay team of Horne, Furtney, Grimm and Moore also returns looking to defend its title.

“The (Western Maine Conference) is an incredibly tough conference for Class B in boys and girls track and field. This will allow us to have great competition all season long,” said longtime coach Mathew Greear, who also coaches the girls squad.

“As a team, we will be looking to have our highest point total at states since I took the program over. Both teams have a lot of talent and with hard work and good health, I believe we can score well at states. With what is turning out to be our largest team ever, and largest freshman class ever, we are looking to prepare that group for the future as well.”

Lisbon

Although the Greyhounds lost a number of top scorers to graduation, the boys team has plenty of depth returning that should again make it a top contender in the tough Mountain Valley Conference. Lisbon is the defending MVC champ.

Mountain Valley’s Andrew Crews, right clears a hurdle during the 110-meter hurdle race at the Mountain Valley Conference championships last season at Lisbon High School. Lisbon’s Adam Hayes, far left, finished sixth. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

“We look to be competitive at the conference and state level again this year despite our key losses,” said second-year coach Nicole Sautter, who is assisted by Hank Fuller, Doug Sautter and Bree Merrill. “We have a large freshmen class joining the program along with a core group of sophomores.”

The Greyhounds will be led by senior Chase Mailhot, along with junior Owen Booker, who finished second in javelin, fifth in triple jump, and sixth in pole vault at last season’s Class C meet. Emmett Mooney, who placed in both the 100 and 200 sprints at the state meet, also returns.

Also returning to the team that placed third overall in the states are junior Adam Hayes, sophomores Spencer Baldwin, Demetrius Clark and Caleb Hayes.

Sautter said he also expects good things from newcomers Landon Booker, Lucas Fail, Malachi Ganaong, Kaden James, Liam Kuhl, Hunter Ladd, Ethan Lemont, Samuel Liudvinaitis, Isaac Scribellito and Layne Williams.

 

Mt. Ararat

With 45 athletes turning out this spring, the Eagles will have one of their largest teams in recent history. 

“There is a good mix of veterans and new athletes and the work ethic has been great to start the season,” third-year coach Justin Laverriere said.

The Eagles won the Kennebec. Valley Athletic Conference Large School championship in 2022 and have plenty of talent to compete again.

“The coaching staff believes we can be a contender in the KVAC conference, but there are some great teams in our conference, so it should lead to some great competition for our athletes,” Laverriere said.

Portland’s Nathan Blades passes Mt. Ararat’s Parker Libby, right, during the Class A track and field championships at USM in Gorham. Noble’s Maddox Jordan, who won the race, is close behind at left. Carl D. Walsh/Portland Press Herald

Returning seniors to the squad include Parker Libby (distance), Elliot Timblin (jumps and hurdles), Tyler Berry (jumps) and Sheldon Wilson (throws). Juniors include Aidan Greenleaf (middle distance) and Auric Kulas (throws), while sophomores Theo Forcier (jumps and hurdles) and Lucas Pinkham (throwing) also return. 

Senior Mario Perez-Redondo (jumps) and juniors Ethan Palmer (jumps and hurdles), Ben Therriault (jumps and throws), Benjamin Chonko (pole vault), Nicholas Chonko (distance) and Dominic Carmella (throws) are new to the team.  Freshmen Bryce Holden (jumps, hurdles and pole vault) and Ashby Hayward (pole vault) also figure to add depth and points for Mt. Ararat.

“The key to our season will be whether the new athletes can progress at the speed that’s needed, with outdoor track being such a short season,” Laverriere said. “Expectations are that we compete well throughout the season and qualify as many athletes as we can for the KVAC and state championships.”

Morse