Beaver track team has great athletes
WASHBURN, Maine — The Beavers’ varsity track and field team is ready to continue their push towards the state meet this season, and first-year coach Kolbie Churchill is confident that the team has the talent and experience necessary to make a solid run in the championship meet.
The girls’ team features junior Emmy Churchill and seniors Joan Overman, Mikayla Churchill, Tyra Shaw, Marianne Helton, Brittany Hernandez and manager Jessica Aube. The Churchills make up part of the 4×100 relay team, while Mikayla Churchill and Hernandez have also stepped up with solid performances in the javelin throw. Overman and Shaw round out the short relay team and “[provide] the foundation for another solid run in the event,” with Overman also a top County contender in the 100 and the long jump. The coach added that Helton also brings experience to some of the longer distance events.
The boys’ team sees sophomore Bryce Roix as the only returning athlete, meaning seniors Ruben Roman, Jacob Sperrey, Kenzy Ronco and Michael Ericson; junior Derek Baker; and freshmen Devon Maynard, Ethan Butler and Konner Jordan will face high expectations. However, these new faces have shown promise so far this season.
The coach said track events will be led by senior Kenzy Ronco, who has turned in some outstanding 100 meter times, as well as running the anchor leg in the 4×100 meter relay. He also is an excellent pole vaulter and high jumper, said Churchill.
Sperrey is the Beavers’ top contender in the shot put, finishing at least third in the first three regular season meets, while Roman is the top discus thrower and excels in short sprint track events. Baker and Maynard bring their cross country experience to some endurance events, while their speed benefits them in relay races. Ericson, an outstanding all-around athlete, has turned in the Beavers’ best long jump results this season.
The combination of fresh faces and high expectations is an interesting one, especially with an upperclassmen-heavy roster, but the Beavers hope to continue to push and make it work.
