Experience is essential to success in cross country – or any sport for that matter.

That’s one of many elements the Brewer girls will have on their side when they take to the trails this fall in their quest for glory in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, Eastern Maine Class A and perhaps on a statewide level in Class A.

The Witches bring back plenty of firepower from a team that earned runner-up honors in conference and regional competition in 2007 to three-time defending state champion Brunswick.

Brewer finished just nine points behind the Dragons in last year’s state meet, coming in third.

“There’s no doubt we’ve got a bunch of seniors that’ll be the heart of our program, they all came in in great shape so I’m really pleased with how they’re looking right now,” said Witches coach Glendon Rand, whose club opened preseason practices Monday.

Brewer has a strong crew of veterans returning to the lineup in Katie Snow, Kaitlin Noyes, Caitlyn Wilson, Ashley Geiser and Brooke Madden to complement sophomore frontrunner Michelle Haluska, junior Bekah Clark and incoming freshmen Sara Chavarie and Mikaela King, who both built up solid reputations in middle-school meets.

“I would say Brewer by far is the team to beat,” said Hampden Academy coach Dick Balentine.

Haluska improved vastly throughout the indoor and outdoor track seasons and gives the Witches a solid force up front.

“She learned a lot last year, had quite a bit of success in track and that’s motivated her to come into cross country more prepared,” said Rand.

However, in cross country, if you’ve got no pack you end up in the back, and Rand’s teams have been known for excellent pack times.

“We’ll work on that,” he said. “In each of our early meets we’ll work on something different, pack running, negative splitting.”

The pack time is the time difference between a team’s first and fifth runner.

Brewer’s expectations are high with a deep returning squad, but teams such as Brunswick and Mt. Blue can’t be counted out.

“We’ll be better [but] the other teams will be better, too,” Rand said. “You just worry about yourself, train smart, and race smart.”

Of course, it helps to have a group of athletes passionate about their sport.

“They’re just super kids, it’s a joy to coach them,” Rand said. “It’s fun coming to practice every day, they’re very coachable, they understand distance running.”

Bangor qualified for the state meet last fall with a young roster, and could be in the mix for a top-5 spot in regionals.

Rachel Huber, a junior, leads the Rams’ pack. She finished 15th among Eastern Maine runners a year ago.

Brunswick will have to replace the services of two of its top runners, Caroline Webster and Clare Franco, who graduated.

The Dragons still field one of the state’s top runners in sophomore Meghan McDonough, who along with Mt. Blue of Farmington junior Melody Lam and Haluska should vie for top honors in the conference and region.

Brewer’s Snow, Clark and Noyes also could be in the mix for top 10 positions as well.

The Cougars should have a strong team as well, with six returning runners, including Lam.

The Lewiston and Brunswick boys appear to be the early-season favorites in the boys’ ranks.

The defending state champion Blue Devils lost their top two runners to graduation as well as Sadam Abdi, who moved to Minnesota – but coach Ray Putnam will have a formidable bunch returning.

Among Putnam’s top guns will be senior Robbie Leeman and sophomore Matt Driscoll, whose gutsy effort in the state meet last fall was a key factor in the Blue Devils winning the championship.

Driscoll lost his shoe early in the race but continued.

Brewer and Hampden Academy both have formidable squads returning and should contend for top-5 spots in regional competition.

The Witches return a solid junior class in Evan Taylor, Kyle Holyoke, Andrew Cote and Steven Rice, which will probably comprise Brewer’s top four.

“Right now we’re looking for a 5, 6, 7 runner,” Rand said. “They did a good job with summer training, they’re motivated kids.”

Like the Witches, the Broncos are expected to field a solid squad, led by sophomore Evan Piccirillo.

“Our goal is to keep him healthy, keep him getting better each year [and] gradually improving,” Balentine said.

Mt. Blue will be in the mix too, and Cony of Augusta has one of the state’s top runners in Luke Fontaine.

“Class A East is a very competitive region, both boys and girls,” said Rand.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193