BANGOR, Maine — The Greater Houlton cross country team ran in a highly competitive cross-conference meet on Saturday, September 21, co-hosted by John Bapst and Brewer High Schools at Saxl Park in Bangor. This event marked a new concept for both leagues, bringing together top talent from the Penobscot Valley Conference and the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.
Tried and true Saxl Park in downtown Bangor, known for hosting races from middle school all the way up to the collegiate level, provided the perfect backdrop for the meet. The Greater Houlton girls team achieved their best finish of the season, placing second overall in the event.
“We have seen steady improvement, and today was a great indication of where we are at, with still plenty of room to grow before we hit our ceiling,” said assistant coach Ellen Dyer.
On the girls’ side, the dynamic duo of Teanne Ewings and Natalie Johnson dominated the competition, finishing 1st and 2nd overall with times of 18:30 and 19:14, respectively. Their outstanding performances were complemented by a strong team effort, with key contributions from Katie McQuarrie (16th), Dalayna Mincey (22nd), and Andrea Ross (29th). Kylah Tuttle and Dalylah Mincey finished 35th and 51st, helping secure the team’s impressive 2nd place finish.
The boys team also showed impressive strength, securing a top-half finish with an overall 4th place. James Brady led the charge for the Shires, finishing 4th overall in a highly competitive field. He was followed closely by teammates Malachi Witmer (8th) and Brayden Drake (10th), who also placed in the top 10. Rounding out the boys’ scoring were Nathan Brady (20th) and Neal McQuarrie (87th), while Jackson Adam put in a hard-fought effort to place 90th.
Class A Hampden Academy from the KVAC took home the top team honors for both boys and girls. The Caribou Vikings claimed runner-up in the boys race.
The Greater Houlton middle school program is next in action this Wednesday, September 25 up in Woodland and the high school squad is on the road to Old Town for the Sectional Invitational, one of Maine’s oldest continuous high school events.
Full results can be found at https://me.milesplit.com/meets/634164-pvckvac-crossover-meet-2024/results.
