Auburn, ME – The CMCC Men's and Women's Cross Country teams got their seasons underway Sunday with some preseason action at the 14th annual Lake Auburn Half Marathon and 5K hosted at Lost Valley Ski Resort. Despite steady rain and tough conditions, the Mustangs showed grit and determination in their first outing of the year.
In the half marathon, sophomore Owen Heseltine led the way for CMCC, placing 11th overall out of 125 runners with a time of 1:30:50. Teammate Fatuma Awil completed the challenging 13.1-mile course in 2:27, finishing 117th overall.
The 5K event saw strong performances from the Mustangs. Freshman Eva Fleurant impressed with a 23:19 finish, placing 5th overall in a field of 129 competitors. Robert Spears followed with a solid 24:16, earning 12th place. Carlos Fra-Nero, competing in his first-ever race, crossed the line in 31:05 for 46th place, just ahead of Henry Avery who ran 31:18 to take 48th. Rounding out the Mustang contingent, Brandon Powell finished 68th in 33:16, and Hailey Bowley claimed 77th with a time of 34:34.
Collectively, the Mustangs finished 2nd overall in the team category, coming just behind the Moving ME Forward Running Club, a program that has been a cornerstone of the Maine running community for more than 25 years. Notably, Coach Kevin Mitchell is a longtime member of Moving ME Forward, making the strong team finish especially meaningful for him and the Mustangs.
The Mustangs were also joined by several CMCC alumni, who turned in strong performances of their own. In the 5K, Kimberly Costales placed 32nd with a time of 27:58. In the half marathon, Brosnan Comeau finished 14th overall in 1:33, while Levi Buck placed 56th in 1:55 and Mark Schepici came in 108th with a time of 2:21.
"Our runners showed a lot of strength battling through the rain and challenging conditions, especially with limited training so far," said head coach Kevin Mitchell, praising his runners' resilience. "To come so close to such an experienced program says a lot about the potential of this team. I'm proud of how they represented CMCC, and grateful to all of our Mustangs teams who came out to cheer and volunteer. It really made for a positive race atmosphere."
The Mustangs now turn their attention to the Maine State Meet at Bowdoin College on Saturday, September 20th, where they will line up for their first official collegiate race of the season.
Overall Results / Times:
5 Kilometer Race (3.1 miles) – 129 competitors
5th – Eva Fleurent – 23:19 (7:31 mile pace)
12th – Robert Spears – 24:16 (7:49 mile pace)
46th – Carlos Fra-Nero – 31:05 (10:00 mile pace)
48th – Henry Avery – 31:18 (10:05 mile pace)
68th – Brandon Powell – 33:16 (10:43 mile pace)
77th – Hailey Bowley – 34:42 (11:11 mile pace)
CMCC Cross Country 2nd place overall for team results
Half Marathon 13.1 miles – 125 competitors
11th – Owen Heseltine – 1:30:50 (6:56 mile pace)
117th – Fatuma Awil – 2:27:24 (11:15 mile)
5K Alumni results
32nd – Kimberly Costales – 27:58
Half Marathon (13.1 miles) Alumni results
14th – Brosnan Comeau – 1:33:25
56th – Levi Buck – 1:55:37
108th – Mark Schepici – 2:21:04
