WASHBURN, Maine — The success enjoyed by Washburn District High School in cross country has been a direct result of the athleticism of the individuals who have opted to participate.
Despite being one of the smaller schools in their class, they were able to pull off most impressive Eastern Maine and state runners-up titles for the 2013 season on the girls’ side. The biggest challenge for this year’s Beaver teams has come due to graduation. One of Maine’s most prolific athletes, Carsyn Koch, has gone on to participate in the college ranks at Cedarville University in Ohio. With four consecutive individual state championships, Koch certainly will be missed.
Also gone is top-five state finisher Carmen Bragg to graduation, as well as sophomore transfer Tori Koch, who is now attending Presque Isle High School. The good news for the Beavers is that they return a solid core of runners with some very strong senior leadership.
On the girls’ side, leading the way will be senior Mackenzie Worcester. In addition to being one of the highest scoring soccer players in school history, Worcerster was able to pull off a top-20 finish at the States a year ago. She is expected to fill the one or two position. Junior Emmy Churchill, also a top-20 finisher last year, will be in the one or two position as well.
Returning senior Marianne Helton, a scoring runner on the 2012 championship team, is expected to step up and provide leadership to the squad. Hannah Heald is another senior and team veteran, and is expected to be a consistent top-five scoring runner. She battled injuries last year, but looks to be healthy this year and should have a good year. Senior Joan Overman is another with injury issues since her freshman year. She has excelled at track, however, and should be able to translate that into cross country success if she can remain healthy.
Other runners with the potential to have breakout seasons include sophomore Kristen Sarmiento, senior Mikayla Churchill and juniors Jessica Aube and Mariah Campbell. Freshmen Alyssa Dennett, Katie Easler, and Macey Barker are newcomers who are looking to make an impact on the team. With their good numbers, the Beaver runners will battle to get into the scoring all season, and that competition will push them and make them better.
On the boys’ side, junior Derek Baker returns. He has consistently been a front-of-the-pack runner in Class C. He has the potential to challenge all of the County runners, regardless of class. Senior Michael Ericson will be in the two or three spot, and could have a breakout year. He should be able to set personal bests this year all season.
Senior Cameron Preston has struggled with injuries in the past, but if he stays injury free, he has the physical tools to propel him to a very good year. Freshmen Devon Maynard, Ethan Butler and Keith McGraw will battle all season to be in the scoring lineup and should give the squad a huge lift. Maynard looks to be the number three runner in the early going.
First-year coach Andy Churchill has the good fortune on inheriting a solid program with some veteran runners, and he has high expectations for his teams.
“Although sometimes it is a challenge to balance dual sport athletes (eight of the girls and one of the boys also play soccer), we have found that if we can strike that delicate balance, that conditioning is enhanced for those athletes,” he said. “All fall coaches in the Washburn system have realized this benefit and cooperate well together in coordinating training and practices.
“I expect that our veteran runners will make great strides this year, filling out our top five, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of the veterans break out by mid-season, establishing personal records and boosting the caliber of the top-five scoring runners. Locally we look forward to gauging ourselves against some very solid Presque Isle and Caribou runners during some mid-season meets. If injuries don’t become a factor, I look for great success and a rewarding season,” Churchill added.
