Cross country runners gear up for season
By Jon Gulliver
Special to the Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE — With two meets under their belts the Presque Isle Wildcat boys cross country team is looking for some improvement, but one runner, senior Matt Eager, doesn’t have much room to grow. Eager finished second in a multi-team meet in Bar Harbor and second this past weekend at the Ellsworth Invitational.
First-year coach Marie Beckum says Eager put in the miles this summer and is looking to come out on top of the County and place well at the State Championship. Eager is also the sole captain of the squad. Beckum says he is a big help to the other runners.
“I use him a lot,” said Beckum. “Peer mentorship, I think, is sometimes more powerful than a coach telling you to do something.”
Junior Jonathan Rochester is also off to a good start this year and Beckum says sophomore Trevor Levesque is also looking strong.
“Levesque is also one that has put time in this summer and has bumped up from seventh-runner to third-runner this year,” said the coach.
Also on the full roster this year are: seniors Mitchell Bennett, Lucas Cyr, Jesse Rochester and Jacob Towle; junior Joel Shay; sophomores Michael Donovan, Josh Jones, Dustin Drabek, Frank and Saul Nunez, Matt Tilley and Damien Tully and freshmen Matt Burtt, James Churchill, Brandon Mancos and Noah Rossignol. The manager is Cycle McCleary.
It’s a rebuilding year for the PIHS girls cross country team according to coach Lori Googins. The Lady Wildcats only have eight runners on the roster and not a single senior.
“We lost our top three runners from last year,” said Googins. “It will take a bit to rebuild and reestablish.”
Early in this season cardiovascular work has dominated practice.
The juniors should lead the team but the coach says the younger runners will improve.
“I have strong kids coming in who need to understand and finally realize that I can run fast,” said Googins.
Running for Presque Isle this fall are: juniors Amanda Bennett and Samantha Simonds; sophomores Shelby Condon, Bonnie Corey, Lauren Schiff and Shannon Sweeney and freshmen Amanada Palmer and Lydia Short.
The first home meet for the Wildcats is the Presque Isle Invitational on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.
