A veteran Wiscasset Middle High School track and field team with 10 returning upperclassmen including a state champion hopes to contend for the Mountain Valley Conference championship.

“They’re working hard to get ready,” said Coach Josiah Winchenbach standing alongside the track watching his charges run through a series of exercises at their first practice.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun this year,” he added, smiling.

Winchenbach knows this group well. He’s back for his fourth season heading the program. He coached many of these same student athletes in junior high school and in Wiscasset’s summer track program.

On the first day of practice, he had 17 boys and five girls on his roster. “That’s encouraging, although I wish I could get more girls participating. We’ll see, maybe more will come out after it warms up a bit.”

The seniors on the boys' roster include Matt Chapman, the team captain who’s returning to defend his state title in the 110-meter hurdles.

“He’s currently ranked first in Class C in both the 110 and the 300-meter hurdles. I know he’s very motivated,” continued Winchenbach. “Matt will very likely also be part of our four-by-100 and maybe the four-by-400 too.”  

Other seniors include brothers Caleb and Josh Gabriele. “They’re great leaders. This season they’re actually switching events. Josh wants to run the middle-distance races, the 400 and 800, and Caleb is taking on the sprints, the 100 and 200,” Winchenbach said. "Josh will be high jumping and triple jumping as well. One or both might take part in the relay races.”

Wichenbach said Chris Loyola is returning to run the 100 and 200 and will also figure in the relay races. “He’ll be back long jumping and triple jumping as well.”

Senior Haiden Dunning has signed on. He’ll be dividing his time between throwing the shotput and javelin, and pitching for the Wolverine baseball team. Dunning, like Chapman, Loyola and the Gabriels, were all starters on the Wolverine basketball team.

Junior Cedrick Loyola, Chris’ brother, will be back high jumping, long jumping and triple jumping. In February, Loyola took a break from the Wolverine cheering squad to participate in the USATF indoor track and field meet in Orono. “Cedrick had a super day. He won both the triple jump and long jump and placed second in the high jump,” said Winchenbach, who accompanied Loyola to the competition.

Other returning juniors are sprinter Josh Jones, who will run the 100, 200 and 400; and Nate Gilliam, back to lead the team’s distance runners competing in the two-mile and maybe the 800.

Rounding out the boys’ team are Aiden Foley, Jacob Burt, Tristan Pepe, Andrew Roberts, Xavier Poissonnier, Adam Giles, Mason Davenport, Chance Blagdon, Ibi and foreign exchange students Fitir Aelang and Muhammad Khalique. The Hodson brothers, James and Hodson, both home-school students, have signed up, too.

The girls’ track team has no seniors. The two veterans are junior Lily Souza who returns for another season of throwing the shotput and javelin; and sophomore Gwen Webber.

“They’re both good leaders with great work ethics,” said Winchenbach.

“Gwen cleared four feet, 10 inches at last year’s state meet. She’ll be working to improve that. She’ll also be running the 100.”

Junior Cara Viele is returning to track. Viele high jumped and long jumped when she was in junior high, said Winchenbach.

Three freshman round out the roster: Jasmine Rego, Paige Davenport and Jose Harrington. Harrington is from Chop Point School in Woolwich.

Winchenbach said there’s been some serious discussion about combining the WMHS and Boothbay Region girls’ track programs this season. The two rival high schools are planning several joint practices but no decision has been made yet on consolidating the programs.

Team members will be at the combined Boothbay/Wiscasset Alumni Meet set for 4 p.m. Friday, April 12 at WMHS. The first MVC meet will be the Maranacook Black Bear Invitational on April 18 in Readfield.