Benn Scully might seem just like a typical top 10 senior at Boothbay Region High School.

He’s a talented three-sport athlete, a whiz with the math books, and an aspiring civil engineer. But beneath the laid back demeanor, is a modest, hard working person.

What many people might not know about Scully is that he’s been farming oysters for most his life. 

The discipline and responsibilities that come with harvesting Glidden Point Oysters, Scully’s family’s business on the Damariscotta River, has perhaps what helped him succeed in the classroom and on the track. 

“Working with my mom since I was pretty young helped me work hard,” Scully said. “It’s heavy lifting, it’s hard on your back, and sometimes it’s just tedious, but it’s fun,” Scully said. 

Scully said oyster farming can be a risky business. He said the rise in sea temperatures are thought to have spread more diseases amongst the increasingly susceptible oyster population. During one season, Scully said a disease called MSX wiped out 90 percent of his family’s stock. Despite the setback, the Scullys’ stayed the course, and invested in disease-resistant oyster seeds. 

When Scully started his freshmen year at BRHS, he played football but quickly became bored with it, so he joined his friend Robert Campbell on the cross country team. Scully wasn’t particularly a fast runner, but he said he found inspiration from his coach and mentor, Nick Scott. 

“The first year I beat Robert twice I think,” Scully said. “This last year, he didn’t beat me. It’s been a friendly competition.”

The pinnacle of Scully’s sports career at BRHS was not just winning the cross country state championships last fall, but also winning the Mountain Valley Conference and the regional meets, a rare feat known as “the triple crown.” Scully, who is also a triple sports athlete has become a leader amongst his team mates.

Scully admits that like most seniors at this time, he’s had a bad case of senioritis, but he said he looks forward to the academic challenges that await him at the University of Maine in Orono next fall.

“I’m excited for college, I think it will be fun,” Scully said. “Since I will be paying for it, I think I will be more than likely get the most out of it.”