BREWER – Jamerson Crowley peered around Dave Jeffrey’s Brewer High School classroom Wednesday afternoon, looking at a plethora of prizes that will be raffled off at Sunday’s 26th annual Turkey Trot 5K road race.

He then acknowledged the hard work done by Brewer’s sophomore class in preparation for the 1 p.m. race, which will also include a 12:30 p.m. mile run for kids.

“We’ve gotten the job done. As you can see around the room we’ve got a lot of great prizes,” said the Brewer track and field coach who took over Jeffrey’s race directing and sophomore class advising duties at the beginning of this school year.

Crowley did assist Jeffrey with last year’s event, and that’s when the longtime Brewer track coach (1979-2003) and current track official decided to hand the reigns over to his former athlete.

“Dave’s done it for a long time and he’s done such a great job,” Crowley said. “[Last year] he mentioned it was something he didn’t want to continue to do, so I took over and that’s how it worked.”

Jeffrey, who teaches math at the high school, is still helping out with the race.

The traditional final race in the Sub 5 track club’s race series will feature a new course this year, which will go out and back on Dirigo Drive.

As for where the start and finish lines will be located, Crowley said those bugs have yet to be worked out.

“We’re still working out the details of that, but it’s all going to be on Dirigo Drive,” he explained.

To the naked eye, it appears to be a faster course than the Parkway South route, which featured an uphill which ruined many runner’s races and was used for 25 years.

Not so fast, Crowley says. While the first and last miles will be fairly flat, the lone hill will be around the turnaround point near the Cianchette Building, which could play a huge factor in race strategies.

“Before, people could run real fast the first two miles then could tough out that last one,” Crowley said. “You’re not going to see anybody run 14 [minutes] 58 [seconds] that was run last year on this [new] course. I think its too tough.”

While there are many differences between the new courses, one thing will remain the same.

“It’s going to be a turn-and-burn 5K, that won’t change,” said Crowley.

Neither Jeff Caron, who ran that blazing 14:58 last year and will forever hold the old course record, or 2006 women’s champion Annie Howley have signed up.

The women’s field will be loaded with area high school running standouts, led by All-New England standout Hilary Maxim of Old Town and John Bapst of Bangor runner Kim Spencer.

Former Sumner of East Sullivan running standout Elizabeth Brunton is registered, and could be a factor as well.

But as any race director will tell you, it’s never a given who will show up and register at the last minute.

“I think its possible,” Crowley said, referring to the fact that runners such as Maxim and Spencer will certainly be legitimate contenders, while adding “some good runner from the University [of Maine] could come down.”

Notable runners on the men’s side include Erik McCarthy of Orono and Andy Goupee of Ellsworth.

As for the aforementioned prizes, over 100 will be raffled off, including some comfortable computer desk chairs and a combination VCR/DVD player, along with traditional gift certificates to area businesses and restaurants.

The granddaddy of them all, however, is a turkey stuffed full of cash which participants put into a box ($1.00 apiece). Last year’s grand prize was over $600.

If you haven’t registered, you can do so starting at 11 a.m. at the BHS cafeteria. Fees are $12 for the 5K and $6 for the kids mile.

Traditional 5-miler made up

The Portland Boys and Girls Club 5-miler, which didn’t take place on the traditional Patriots Day due to an early-spring snowstorm, was made up on Veteran’s Day on a different course.

Ethan Hemphill of Freeport continued his dominance in this event, cruising to his sixth straight victory in 24:45 over a course which started on the Eastern Prom Trail near East Beach in Portland and finished on the Back Cove Path.

Dayton’s Christine Reaser, timed in 29:33, was the women’s winner.

Ryan McLaughlin can be reached at 1-800-310-8600 or bdnsports@bangordailynews.net