Despite a discouraging struggle at the state championship meet, the Seahawks cross-country team has reason to be proud following a season of perseverance.

Over the course of this season, Boothbay Region High School witnessed a first-ever individual regional title won, two runner-up Mountain Valley Conference team finishes, a girls squad who built up a notable reputation, and two tremendous post-season performances from senior Alex Owen and junior Sophia Thayer.   

At the state meet October 27, the boys took a sixth place finish. Alex Owen, who maintained poise as he navigated through the quick Belfast course, led the Seahawks. Owen (17:56), who ended his high school cross-country career off with a bang, broke the 18-minute barrier, set a new lifetime personal record and placed thirteenth overall.

Benn Scully (18:34), and Robert Campbell (18:37) followed, earning 28th and 32nd place respectively. Matt Burnham (18:55), Jack Hasch (19:23), Sam Schwehm (19:42) and Kade Smith (19:55) who made up the rest of the varsity squad, all broke the 20-minute time frame, a respectable feat for a team.

Of the seven competitors, Owen, Schwehm and Smith are seniors. Burnham, who struggled late in the season with a foot injury, displayed a keen potential early this year, and will likely provide a solid backbone alongside Scully and Campbell for next year’s squad.

Out of the 86 qualifying boys cross-country teams across all class divisions, Boothbay ranked 34th in the state this year, averaging a race time of 18:30, an honorable achievement.

The girls team finished in seventh place at the state meet. Although the top three runners delivered a strong performance on the same course only a month earlier, the Lady Seahawks couldn’t muster the top-notch performance that they were used to running throughout the season.

Sophia Thayer (21:09), who was slated for a top three finish, struggled to find her pace and crossed the finish line over a minute slower than her Festival of Champions time. Thayer placed seventh overall, four ranks behind second runner-up Hannah Austin of North Yarmouth Academy, a runner Thayer demolished a week earlier at the regional meet.

Freshman Hannah Morley (22:00), and sophomore Morgan Crocker (22:41), who finished 17th and 29th place respectively, also fell short of their usual pace, due to what some speculated were course conditions that yielded softer, slower terrain and hotter temperatures that typically have adverse effects on runners.

Maya Schwehm (25:16), Genevieve Taylor (26:43) and Allison Crocker, (26:53) rounded off the rest of the team who completed a season that saw a lot of positive progression.

Even though it just wasn’t the right time for victory, the Lady Seahawks will surely return next year as an older and more experienced squad, who will undoubtedly become very familiar with the winner’s circle.

The Seahawks will officially wrap up the season at the fall sports banquet at BRHS November 1 at 5 p.m.