And with 26 Shires participating, along with five athletes from Greater Houlton Christian Academy and one from East Grand joining in as independents, student interest in the club sport appears to be higher than ever.
The 2016 season looks bright for the Houlton Shiretowners now in their third year of competition, according to coach Rines. Two seasons ago, there were just two students participating in track and field and every year since the numbers have grown. There are 12 returning athletes joined by 20 newcomers this season between the three schools.
“The student athletes have enjoyed quite a bit of success individually during the infancy of our program, but we haven’t really been able to quite keep up with some of the more established programs around the county and rest of the state,” Rines said. “That is because in track and field several events are contested and depending on how each school’s students place in those events will determine the amount of points they earn for each school.”
Rines explained that the Houlton squad, last year, would consistently place individuals in the top three places, but did not have multiple entrants in each event like most of the larger schools.
“Worse was when there would be events that we would not have any athletes entered in at all,” he said. “There are 20 events for boys and girls in each meet. My hopes for this season is that we will still have athletes place well, but also to have some of those extra conciliation points come our way, as well as trying to have at least one athlete in every event. By doing this we can gain some ground on those other programs who have been around longer with upwards of 40-50 kids on their teams.”
Members of the Houlton girls squad include seniors Lexi Bartlett (throwing events), and Mariah O’Neal and Olivia Winslow (both distance running); juniors Chloe Davis (sprinting), Kate Newman and Rylee Warman (both distance) and Hannah Foley and Olivia White (both throwing); sophomores Amelia Hanning and Alexis Miller (both sprinting); and freshmen, Sarah Glatter (throwing), and Breanna Croxen, Gabriella Guiod and Rothery Sullivan (all sprinting).
Members of the Houlton boys team includes seniors Nathan Bouchard and Adam Casillas (both distance) and Ethan Fletcher (sprinting); juniors, Austin Brown (sprinting), Isaiah Brown (distance), and Timothy Glatter and Josiah Sherwood (both throwing); sophomores Jeremy Cook (distance), and Jacob Forest, Damon Reynolds and Dylan Swimm (all throwing); and freshman Benjamin Grant (sprinting).
Representing Greater Houlton Christian Academy are sophomore Wesley Ganglfinger and freshman Cole Winslow (both distance) for the boys; and sophomores Bridget Hill and Jillian Ross (both sprinting); and freshman Raveena Angotti (throwing) for the girls.
The lone member from East Grand School is senior Trevor Fronczak (sprinting).
Rines said in the group of throwers, some of the athletes poised for breakout seasons include Tim Glatter (javelin), Reynolds (shot put) and Foley (shot put).
“Our throwing core has seen a great increase in manpower this season with the addition of first-time throwers Lexi Bartlett and Sarah Glatter joining returning athletes Hannah Foley and Olivia White,” he said. “Our veteran boys Timothy Glatter and last year’s lone freshman Damon Reynolds gain Jacob Forest, Josiah Sherwood and Dylan Swimm. Our veterans seemed to have picked up right where they left off a season ago. Hannah and Tim are both throwing the javelin very well in these opening days of the season. Damon’s shot put form has improved tenfold and together this group of veterans have taken the new kids right in.”
Sprinters he expects big things from include Austin Brown (100 meters, 200 meters) and Hanning (100).
“I’m really looking forward to see how our sprinters develop over the season,” Rines said. “We have a lot of great athletes who have come out to sprint this season and I can’t wait to see how their hard work is going to pay off in meets, but especially with our relay teams which was an area where we didn’t always field a relay last season.”
In the distance events, Isaiah Brown (800/1600) and Warman (800) are looking to continue their impressive efforts of a year ago.
“A good portion of experience on our team comes from our distance runners,” Rines said. “A majority of these kids have running experience from the fall cross country season and last year’s track season.”
Overall, Rines said the outlook in each discipline looks good.
“I believe we will be able to improve upon the points we can generate from each to hopefully put up some good team scores,” he said. “Although most of these kids have indicated to me they intend to specialize in these disciplines listed, that does not mean they must always stay in that one realm. Athletes are allowed to do up to four events in any meet, and several of our kids will be swapping events from meet to meet.”
The one area that the Shires are lacking in is jumpers to participate in the long, triple and high jumps and pole vault.
“We do lack in jumping and I think that is just the nature of not having an adequate facility to practice it,” he said. “The jumps are very technical, the two horizontals (long and triple) require a sand pit, while the two verticals (pole vault and high jump) require very expensive and cumbersome equipment. To practice the jumps outside or in the gym wouldn’t be very wise as we wouldn’t be able to replicate meet-like conditions and the chance of injury is too great to risk.”
Rines also has high expectations for the GHCA athletes, despite the fact that only one (Ganglefinger) is returning from a year ago.
“Wesley is coming off a great cross country season and looks to continue his running progression again into the track season,” Rines said. “He is joined by freshman XC standout Cole Winslow to represent distance and hurdling events.”
GHCA will also have three girls represent the Eagles with Bridgett Hill and Jillian Ross for sprinting and Raveena Angotti throwing. “The three girls have worked well right into our system and have shown signs of improvement every day,” Rines said.
“The lone East Grand student, Trevor Fronczak, is definitely an athlete you’ll want to keep your eye on,” the coach said. “Although he is primarily working with our sprinting unit, he has shown interest in the javelin and is really taking off with it. It has been quite sometime since East Grand had any representation in the world of track and field and I know Trevor will be bringing them back and making some noise.”
Assisting Rines with coaching are Heidi Warman and Francis Frederick. The managers are Taylor Reed and Hannah Foley.
The track and field season begins Thursday, April 21, at noon when Houlton travels to Brewer for a multi-squad meet during school vacation week.
