Local college athletes shine at the next level

It was a fall to be remembered by many ex-Raider and ex-Eagle varsity athletes who moved on to participate and often excel in their chosen sports during autumn of 2018. Aside from 19 athletes highlighted in prior Sun features, a final three athletes competed at the varsity collegiate level: First-year cross-country runner Kim Bowles, KHS '18, earned three "Rookie of the Week" awards in the Little East Conference (LEC) for her cross-country running exploits at Plymouth State University, ex-Raider Irina Norkin was the No. 2 runner for the University of Maine at Presque Isle cross-country, and Noah Hart of Fryeburg earned a roster spot on the State University of New York at Purchase varsity soccer team.

Bowles, of Wonalancet, was hardly phased by the jump to collegiate competition, as she was the Panthers first finisher in all but one race in the entire season. In her first collegiate meet, Bowles won the Charger Classic race when Panthers swept the podium at Colby-Sawyer on September 10. Bowles time of 20:43 held off a teammate, senior Haley Dennis, by three seconds, as the Panthers cruised to victory in the three-team meet.