BELFAST, Maine — It was an historic day for the Houlton Middle-High School girls cross country team Saturday as the Shires finished runners-up in the Class C Northern Maine Regional Championships.
Held at Troy Howard Middle School, the Shire girls pulled off a remarkable finish, placing second in the Class C standings. It marks the first time in coach Chris Rines tenure with the club that a squad has finished as regional runners-up and quite possibly the first time in decades.
In so doing, the girls team qualified for this weekend’s state championship meet, slated for Saturday at 2:45 p.m. on the same Belfast course.
“The Northern Maine Regional Championships on Saturday was a bittersweet success story for our young cross country program,” Rines said. “All our athletes rose to the occasion and poured in their best performances of the year for the chance to make it to the state meet. I’m happy to report that while not everyone made it in, the majority of our group did qualify for states next weekend and we will be bringing the largest group of kids to a cross country state meet that I ever have.”
Orono was the top girls team with 23 points, followed by Houlton, 85; MSSM, 88; Fort Fairfield, 92; Washburn, 115; Fort Kent, 118; and Machias, 169.
Greater Houlton Christian Academy did not have enough girls to score as a team, but junior Teagan Ewings placed fourth in the race, completing the course in 21 minutes, 36.40 seconds.
Results for the Houlton girls were: 9, Emmalyne Drake, 22:15.40; 20, Ellie Grant, 23:09.10; 23, Makenna Cooley, 23:16.80; 31, Jeannelle Ross, 24:45.30; 56, Lauren Swimm, 29:22.10; 57, Elisabeth Donahue, 29:31.80; and 71, Jayden Swimm, 36:23.70.
“This group of girls is quite incredible,” Rines said. “Through all the virtual meet predictions we have sat pretty solid in fourth place through most of the season. I don’t think anyone would have thought at the end of the day Houlton would be walking home with a runners up plaque, ourselves included.”
Drake has been the Shires’ front-runner for two seasons now and has led the team in scoring. The freshman tandem of Grant and Cooley soon followed. “These two have been going back and forth all year and they have really pushed each other to the benefit of the team,” the coach said.
For the boys, GHCA placed fifth with 153 points, earning a spot in the state meet. Results for GHCA were: 16, Jeremy Stone, 19:02.90; 19, Cole Winslow, 19:12.00; 47, Joel Carmichael, 20:47.20; 51, Isaac Potter, 20:52.40; 57, Silas Graham, 21:13.20; 96, Austin Winslow, 25:59.60.
Houlton placed ninth (208 points) and did not qualify for states.
“Despite their best efforts, all having hit career best times, the boys fell two team places outside of qualifying for the state championships,” the coach said. “At the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have even thought we were in the mix. I’m really happy for the boys and what they accomplished this year. They should not hang their heads at all.”
Houlton’s results were: 23, Daniel Ross, 19:26.90 (state qualifier); 37, Brandon Roshto, 20:19.50; 48, Donald Ouellette, 20:48.00; 64, Ean Bolstridge, 21:53.20; and 81, Nolan Jacobs, 22:59.80.
“Every boy hit career bests multiple times this postseason, culminating with all five doing it at the regional,” Rines said.
