HOULTON, Maine — A small, but talented group of runners from Greater Houlton Christian Academy is poised to make some noise on the cross country trails of Aroostook County this fall.
Taylor Jo Quint returns for her second season coaching the Eagles. “I am very excited about how the team came into the season and the work they have been putting in during this preseason,” she said.
The Eagles lost one runner to graduation on the girls team, Rachel Potter, which leaves sophomore Grace Graham as the only runner for the girls.
On the boys team, the Eagles will have a full complement of five runners this fall, meaning the squad will be able to accumulate team points. Sophomores Wesley Ganglfinger and Alex Walker are returning runners hoping to improve on last year’s efforts. They are joined by freshmen Isaac Potter and Cole Winslow. The Eagles also have a German exchange student who will be their fifth runner.
“Both Wesley and Alex came back this year stronger and more confident after a year of varsity,” coach Quint said. “They have done a great job of leading by example and setting the intensity for training runs. The team will count on their experience and leadership as we move forward into the season. Wes had a strong finish to his freshman year by qualifying for and running in the state championships and hasn’t let that leave his mind during the offseason. He entered this season on a completely different level and we are excited to see how it transitions into his racing. Alex was a first time runner last season and enters this year with a good foundation and a great work ethic.
Potter and Winslow are coming off successful middle school careers. “Isaac brings a lot of passion, fun, and competitiveness to the team and has put in a lot of base mileage to build on in the season,” the coach said. “Cole is a strong runner that has been working hard to transition to 5k and I look to see him battle at the top as the season progresses.”
On the girls squad, Graham enters her first season running on the team. “Grace is a hardworking and extremely coachable athlete that is relentless in her training,” Quint said. “I am really excited to see what she can do this season and expect to see her emerge as one of the top female runners.”
Although the squad is small, Quint said she was eagerly awaiting the start of the new season.
“We consider ourselves extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to train and compete to represent Christ and the Greater Houlton Christian Academy,” coach Quint said. “We want to run in such a way that we bring glory to God first and foremost and hold each other accountable as teammates. We are going to run with the confidence of His word telling us to not grow weary and not lose heart. That is how I can best describe this team … They run with heart.”
The Eagles’ race strategy is something Quint hopes will improve upon as the season progresses. “I am hoping we learn racing tendencies and the fields,” she said. “Fort Kent consistently puts out strong teams along with Washburn who is in our Aroostook League. We will also face strong teams such as Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton within the county and of course the Festival of Champions has the strongest field as teams from all classes and all over the state and surrounding states compete. That is always a favourite race of the runners and is a good feeler for Eastern Maine and states.”
GHCA begins its season Wednesday, Aug. 26 at Fort Kent.
