Sports
Up and Running, York XC hits the road
By Kevin Higgins
YORK - If you see a large group of people running down the road waving at you, do not be alarmed; it is simply cross county season again.York once again boasts one of the largest teams in the state, 38 runners strong.
Last year, the Wildcats finished the season with nine wins and a mere two losses. The team took third at the league, regional and state meets. Their finish at states enabled the varsity squad to compete as a team at the New England Championship for the first time in York history.
Head Coach Ted Hutch returns for his 17th season here in York. Assistant Coach Al Taplin, here since before any current runner can remember and an alumni himself, is back as well.
Matt Weber also returns; ready to take any top runner for a 10- or 12-mile run.
Sadly, only one runner returns from the top seven of last years talented team, one of this year's two captains, Nick McMahon. McMahon hopes to have an even stronger season this year.
His fellow captain, Kevin Higgins, missed much of last season due to a knee injury, but looks forward to being back in the top pack.
Tom Ciampa, Nate Hirst, Matt Wagner and Andrew Potter complete the senior complement. All have been training hard, and their efforts have paid off with major improvements since their freshman year.
The team has a large freshman class this year with 16 runners. As a whole they show tremendous potential, which the team needs after having lost so many top runners last year.
York travels north to Ellsworth for the first meet of the season, this Saturday, Sept. 2. The invitational meet attracts many teams from all size schools across the state, pitting York against runners not normally competed against.
In both the varsity and junior varsity races the team boasts an impressive record, finishing in the top three in each race for several years running. The Wildcats hope to return this year with an equally fast race.
This season features one home meet on Friday, Sept. 8, at York High School, so mark your calendars. York aims to show the competition that despite losing multiple top runners, this is not a rebuilding year and that the Wildcats will remain a force to be reckoned with.
