The Seahawks flew out of the gates at their first cross-country meet of the season Sept. 6 in Brunswick. Sophomore Karen Higgins won the girls race, and the Boothbay Region High School girls team took second. Overall, 70 boys and 50 girls from six Class A and B schools competed.  

Nipping at the winners’ heels, the Seahawk girls took second place with 51 points and a 22:27-minute average. Morse High School won with 45 points and a 22:23-minute average. The Boothbay boys team placed fourth overall with 105 points and a 20:06-minute average. Brunswick won the boys race with 29 points and a 17:26-minute average.  

Setting a new school record, Higgins placed first in 18:53.00 minutes. The previous 5k record was held by Faith Blethen who had a 19:39 time in 2015, according to coach Nick Scott. Higgins also set a two-mile record Aug. 31 at a preseason meet in Waldoboro. In an email, Scott said her performance is “an indication that she is ready to run with the best runners in Maine.” 

Other girls results were Laura Chapman, third, 21:10.30; Maddie Orchard, 10th, 23:05.60; Olivia Rittall, 18th, 24:12.60; Maddie Andreasen, 22nd, 24:54.20; Sophia Mansfield, 31st, 26:27.80; Bella Orr, 40th, 31:05.90; and Hannah Kreft, 47th, 33:47.40.  

AJ Crocker led the boys with a 12th place finish in 18:22.60 minutes. Other results were Cleyton Splaine: 20th, 19:46.30; Ethan Clark, 21st, 19:53.30; Lysander Lefevre, 25th, 20:42.80; Alex Ross, 39th, 21:45.00; Ross Gaffney, 42nd, 22:08.80; Thomas Hennessy, 43rd, 22:23.90; Jackson Zehm, 47th, 22:48.60; Chase Mansfield, 58th, 24:47.00; Neal Baldwin, 69th, 31:38.70; and Nathan Percival, 70th, 34:54.30.  

Scott added that seven Seahawks broke personal records during the race and seven others did exceptionally well in their first ever 5k. “Part of what made this past race so successful for us as a team was both the improvement from returning runners and the strength of our newcomers.” 

The team’s next race, the Southern Maine Classic, is scheduled for Sept. 14 in Gorham.