2016 Big Wave Invitational Results
Photos Courtesy of Coach Jim Hoar
Training through races in September is nothing new for Bishop Feehan's Abigail Long, who plans to do her best running in the championship events come November.
Long was the class of the field Saturday and was never challenged in the Junior/Senior race at the Big Wave Cross Country Invitational at Apponequet. Long assumed the lead at the gun and won by more than 30 seconds in 15 minutes, 36.85 seconds. Taunton's Amanda Baptiste clinched second in 16:12.44 and Long's teammate Abigail McCarthy was third in 16:33.39. The Shamrocks placed six harriers in the top 10 for an easy team win with an impressive 18 points. Barnstable won the tie breaker for second with Parker as both teams finished with 89 points.
Long is looking long range after placing sixth in the Div. 1 All-State race last year. "I really want to improve on my finish at the state meet," she said. "It was a good way to start the season. We did a long run yesterday so my legs were a little tired, but we're getting the feel of running with tired legs. It's good because we weren't focused on this meet. We're focused on November.
"It was a flat course and I had a substancial lead after the first lap. When I ran by my coach he said to run tall and run strong. It felt good."
Hopedale's Brandon Hall turned the Junior/Senior race into a burner as he bolted into the lead and pushed through 2 miles in 10:16. The junior never slowed as he surged across the finish line in a quick 12:50.17. Marshfield put five runners in the next six positions to claim the team title with 22 points. Derek Holmes was second overall for the Rams in 12:57.94 and Andrew Lamb was third in 13:08.25. Joe Joyce was fourth overall in 13:17.82.
Hall had no intention of letting anyone else set the tone for the race. "We came in not knowing who we were going against," he said. "I took it out and went as hard as I could. This is my first all-out race this season. I stayed composed and didn't get ahead of myself."
Hopedale and Marshfield dominated the top 10 as Hopedale's David Wollensack finished fifth in 13:23.33 and the Rams' duo of Joey Donovan and Chris Bunker placed sixth and seventh in 13:26.01 and 13:28.56, respectively. Hopedale's Andrew Doran took eighth with a 13:30.21 and Milford's Jack Kalil finished ninth with a 13:33.36. Plymouth South's Drew Mahoney earned a medal with his 10th place, 13:35.02 showing.
Marshfield freshman Nick Valianti held off the pack to capture the Freshman/Sophomore boys' race in 13:58.66 as the Rams' dominated the field with 61 points. Barnstable was second at 107 and St. John's of Shrewsbury took third with 113.
Hanover's Nick Courtney was just over six seconds behind Valianti in 14:05.36 and Marshfield's Liam Hipwell checked in at third with a 14:09.86.
Plymouth South sophomore Jillian Callahan was an easy winner in the girls' event with her 15:49.41 finish. That put her comfortably ahead of Sandwich's Hannah Hovda, who finished second in15:59. The freshman-heavy Sandwich squad edged Bishop Feehan by three points to capture the team title with 44 points. The Shamrocks were second with 47 and Barnstable put up 86 for third.