Allen Campbell decided to take up cross country in the fall because he wanted to get into shape for the winter basketball season. Nathan Lizotte was looking to gear up for wrestling. Justin Morin wanted to be ready for basketball; G.H. Bragdon runs to prepare for skiing.

For the past two years, the members of the Madawaska boys cross country team have had even bigger incentives. This year, it’s the opportunity to win a third straight Eastern Maine title and an opportunity to improve upon a runner-up finish at states last year.

Madawaska and the rest of Class D will compete as Class C teams this year because the Maine Principals Association voted last spring to eliminate Class D in cross country.

Maurice Lizotte, who is in his fourth year as the boys and girls coach, feels he’s got the runners for a three-peat even with the change in class.

“If we were to have been in C last year, we would have won regionals and been runner-up in states,” he said. “We’ve only lost one runner and we picked up a good fifth runner as far as I can see. So I think we have a good chance.”

The Owls had a strong start with a team win in their season opener at Limestone Tuesday. Bragdon led Madawaska with a second-place individual finish.

Madawaska graduated only one runner, Kevin Daigle, from last year’s team. He was fourth in regionals and sixth at states. But the rest of the team returns, including Eastern Maine Class D overall winner Justin Morin, who was fourth at states.

The close finish at states last year – Elan of Poland won the state title by five points even though the Owls had a faster average finishing time – and a two-point victory over Lee at regionals are among the team’s driving forces this season.

Senior captains Campbell, who was third at Limestone, and Nathan Lizotte, Maurice Lizotte’s son, will also be among the Owls’ top five runners. Campbell was fifth in the regional competition and 10th at states, while Lizotte was ninth and 22nd, respectively.

Juniors Bragdon and Marc Cyr will also figure in for the Owls this year. Cyr has never run cross country before but was the fourth-place finisher for Madawaska Tuesday. It was a key spot because Morin didn’t feel well during the race.

Bragdon also competes on the Maine Winter Sports Center’s cross country ski team.

“We all want to run with G.H.,” Campbell said. “He makes us run faster. He’s always cracking jokes, and you want to stay right with him to hear what he’s going to say.”

Morin, Campbell, and Bragdon were named All-Aroostook in cross country last year, as was Daigle.

Among the Owls’ meets this fall will be a night competition at Caribou High Sept. 14. The teams run at 7 p.m. on the lighted trails near the high school that are used for cross country skiing during the winter.

“The kids love that,” Maurice Lizotte said. “It’s cooler at night and it’s a different feeling to run at night under the lights.”

Campbell and Nathan Lizotte said the team is eager for the meets in which the Owls compete against Class B schools Presque Isle and Caribou, especially now that Madawaska had to move up a class.

And although sports like cross country are sometimes overshadowed by soccer, basketball, and skiing, the runners don’t feel like they get brushed aside.

“If you go in our gym, we have banners that say regional championships. Two years in a row; you don’t see that too often,” Campbell said. “You can just walk into the gym and be proud of that.”