Courtesy of Lawrence Jaquith
Sun, mud and close battles were featured at the Midland-Wachusett League Championship Meet as 24 schools in four divisions competed for top individual and team honors. A large crowd enjoyed the sun and the spectator-friendly 5K Ghiloni Park, Marlboro course, but several days of rain slowed times and produced its share of fallen runners.
BOYS
DIVISION A
In a 3-way battle, Jackson Southard of Shrewsbury pulled ahead in the last few hundred meters to take top honors in 16:43, six seconds in front of Grant Hauver of Wachusett and ten seconds ahead of Shepherd Hill’s Cody Kingman. Shrewsbury than took the next five places to win the team title handily, 23 to 52 over 2nd place Wachusett, and defend their 2013 crown. Algonquin and Shepherd Hill followed with 85 points each; Algonquin getting the edge with their 6th man tiebreaker in 26th place to 29th for Shepherd Hill. Leominster and Fitchburg also managed to tie at 154 with Leominster getting the tiebreaker 37th to 41st.
DIVISION B
Adam Heislein, Nashoba (16:41); Andrew Doherty-Munroe, Hudson (16:48); Chris Skelly ,North Middlesex (16:55); and Kyle Cloutier, Nashoba (16:56) led a field of 49 runners from a competitive group of seven teams. Nashoba (1-4-8-9-13) repeated their 2013 victory and won the team title with 35 points over 2nd place Westborough ((61). North Middlesex (88); Hudson (119); Marlborough (126); Quabbin (136); and Groton-Dunstable (138) followed.
DIVISION C
Bromfield, Tyngsborough, Oakmont, and Lunenburg: four teams that battled all year in dual meets made it close again today with Bromfield going 1-2 to capture the title with 58 points, edging out Tyngsborough at 62; Oakmont at 66 and Lunenburg at 74. Littleton (98) and Gardner (122) followed. In a reverse of the 2013 outcome, Nick Steele led the way to win handily in 16:47 and teammate Price Day followed in 17:44. Nathan Johnson of Littleton was 3rd in 17:50 . Aaron Thompson, Tyngsborough (4th in 18:21) edged Oakmonts’ Derek Burrows, (5th in 18:22) and twin Deven Burrows (7th in 18:34). And, Freshman Corey O’Neill of Tyngsborough placed 6th in 18:31.
DIVISION D
In a repeat of his 2013 victory, Jordan Manuel of Murdock won going away in 16:52, well up on ‘Gansett brothers Joe Capps (2nd in 17:44); and Michael Capps, (3rd in 17:56). Three Freshman followed: Ethan Matthews (Ayer-Shirley) in 18:08; Dylan Chartier (Narragansett) in 18:29; and Steve Ingman (Murdock) in 19:00. Narragansett took the team title with 42 points to squeak by Ayer-Shirley with 44. Murdock followed with 55 and Tahanto had 84.
GIRLS
DIVISION A
Wachusett’s depth proved too much for the 1-2 finish of Shepherd Hill’s Juleanna Schultz (19:41) and Julia Carrier (20:01) as they captured five of the next nine places to take the team title with 29 points. Shepherd Hill, which joined the Mid-Wach League this year was 2nd with 58. They were followed by Algonquin (79); Shrewsbury (82); Fitchburg (110); and Leominster (131). Wachusett finished 3-4-6-7-9, with Jamie Falla; Kate Gobi; Brianna Steele; Nora Hennessy; and Brittany Charlonne doing the scoring. Megan Walsh of Algonquin was 5th. As a measure of Wachusett’s depth, led by Allie Falla, they took the top eight places in a field of over 150 runners in the A/B JV race.
DIVISION B
Freshman Emily Wilson of Groton-Dunstable won the B race in 19:55 but Quabbin (2-7-8-10-18) captured the team title with 45 points. Groton-Dunstable followed with 54; Nashoba (66); Marlborough (85); Westborough (87) and Hudson (175) were next. Top Quabbin scorers were Steffany Halfrey, (2nd in 20:19); Miriam Wood (7th in 21:34); Kayla Whitcomb (8th in 21:35); and Chantelle Kresch (10th in 22:01). Other top placers included Jillian Caiazzi, Marlborough (3rd in 20:40); Emily Desmond, Westborough (4th in 21:02); Emily McAuliffe, Groton-Dunstable (5th in 21:06); and Isabelle Susi, Nashoba (6th in 21:19).
DIVISION C
In the reverse of their 2013 finish Jayla Fraser-Mines (20:09) and Kerri Keohane (20:14) of Tyngsborough ( ranked 3rd in D2 in the MSTCA coaches poll) led their team to a repeat championship with a low score of 23 as all seven runners placed in the top 12. Liitleton (52); Lunenburg (73); and Bromfield (82) followed. Felicia Banda, Gardner (3rd in 20:30); Sylvia Jackson, Littleton (4th in 21:11; and Sophia Campbell, Tyngsborough (5th in 21:34) rounded out the top five.
DIVISION D
Ryleigh Levensailor won her 3rd consecutive division championship in 20:31’ well ahead of the field to lead Ayer-Shirley (1-4-5-7-8-) to a team victory, edging 2nd place Tahanto (2-3-6-9-10) 25 to 30. Emily St. Denis (2nd in 22:04) and Sophia Nosek (3rd in 22:07 led the Tahanto effort.