XC Countdown 2024: #3 Hampden Academy Girls

2024 Maine XC Preview
Derek Veilleux

#3 Hampden Academy Girls


2023 Team Results

  • Class A State meet 4th place (Results)
  • Class A Northern Regional Runner-up (Results)
  • KVAC Championship Runner-up (Results)
  • Festival of Champions 14th place (Results)
  • New England Championship 25th place (Results)

Top Returning Runners: (Based on 2023 Personal Bests)

NameGradeTime
Addison Elliott1019:31.08
Gretchen Plant1119:43.15
Anleigh Stevens1221:09.01
Natalia Charles1221:43.38
Emily Kneser1222:23.86
Aubrey Shaw1022:47.61
Breah Curtis1023:18.80



2024 Outlook

Hampden Academy returns five of the top seven runners from a team that was fourth at the Class A state meet a year ago. Gretchen Plant and Addison Elliot both ran under 20 minutes for 5k last fall and are primed to be a dynamic duo. They opened up with a strong performance finishing just four points back of second-ranked Camden Hills. The Broncos expect to be one of the top teams in the state this fall and will contend for the Northern Regional title, and Class A state title.

Coach Danielle Johnson Comments:

 The girls are razor-focused this year with their summer miles.  They met up 3-4 times a week to get some good base mileage in order to be well-prepared for the season. The team is filled with more upperclassmen, but Gretchen Plant and Addison Elliot are ready to be more solid front runners and not sit back in the race pack. The HA girls would like to be in the top 10% at FOC, and in contention to place high at Northern Maine A Regionals and states.   Coming off of qualifying as a team for New England's last fall was a huge boost and incentivizer for the girls' team.