Braintree High School students and faculty are mourning the death of Kyle Piazza, a math teacher and varsity track coach who died this weekend from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. (via Boston.com)

The Lowell boys won the team title by going 3-5-6-7-8 for 29 points.  Mike O'Donell of Methuen won the individual title, holding off Ryan Cooney of Andover to win the race in 16:09.  Cooney finished second in 16:16, Patrick Coppinger was third (16:28), and Robert Massey of Chelmsford was fourth (16:32).

US#1 Southlake Carroll, Texas continues to impress with a 24-second 1-7 spread at the District Championships. US#5 Lexington, South Carolina dominates Mid-State Meet.  US#1 Fayetteville Manlius, New York maintain the top spot. US#2 Saratoga Springs, New York moves up defeating US#23 Burnt Hills-BL @ Sec. 2 Suburban Council. 

Xaverian defended their conference title winning the conference meet with 32 points.  BC High, with 4 of the top ten,  finished second with 43 points and ahead of SJP with 68 points. Dennis Muldoon of Catholic Memorial, in his first season of XC, won the varsity race in 16:34, with BC High's Ian O'Leary in second in 16:42. 

With defending Division 4 state cross-country champion Wesley Gallagher leading the pack, Pembroke High is shooing for its third consecutive s looking to win it’s third consecutive All State Championship. Senior Joe Vercollone and sophomores John Valeri and Christian Stafford are the other boys up front for the Titans. (via Boston.com)

King Philip High senior Chris Allen set the pace and the Mansfield High boys' cross country team was in hot pursuit, despite the rain and challenging conditions in running the Hockomock League Championship Meet Saturday at Borderlands Park. (via www.thesunchronicle.com)

A slip and a fall 200 yards after the opening gun sounded nearly ruined the Franklin girls team’s shot at a third straight Hockomock League cross country title yesterday. Rachel Flynn, though, wasn’t about to let a spill deter her from running a strong race. Flynn bounced... (via Boston Herald)

Sophomore Leah Miller earned her second straight NECC Runner of the Year honor with a personal-best time of 19:07 in winning the women's side, while Kyle Casiglio earned All-NECC First Team accolades with a second-place finish of 27:10 in leading Lesley's men.(via athletics.lesley.edu)

The Atlantic Coast League is always one of the most competitive in the state.  This year was no exception, featuring several ranked teams and a couple of individuals that will challenge for a state title in late November.

John Keklak was on-site at the DCL Championships and captured dozens of photos from each level.  

Mt. SAC was this past weekend and Sarah Baxter (Simi Valley CA) proved herself in a big way, entering the rankings at #12 after winning the Team Sweeps race with a time of 16:59, the fastest on the day.  Mary Cain (Bronxville NY) moved to #19 with her top-10 all-time finish at Bowdoin Park with a 18:05.96 clocking.  And Abbey Leonardi (Kennebunk ME) ran 18:05.59 to set the course record at her Regional meet despite muddy conditions, moving up one spot to #9.  Be sure to click on each athletes name to see times, articles, photos and interviews of each athlete if available. (via MileSplit United States)

The variables going into Saturday’s championship are plentiful, and that’s what makes this sport so exciting.  The only way to determine a champion is to race, and the Hockomock League Championships should be one of the best in the state.

The Nashoba boys and girls cross country teams didn't merely win the Mid-Wach B meet yesterday on the 3.1-mile course Ghiloni Park. They dominated. The lowest finisher from either team was eighth.  (via http://www.milforddailynews.com)  

Matt Doran, Paul Maurais and Chris Kivior finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, as Hopedale's boys cross country team captured the Dual Valley Conference Meet championship yesterday at Nipmuc Regional in Mendon.  (via http://www.milforddailynews.com)  

Freshman Brendan Adams (Pembroke, Mass.) was named the Northeast-10 Conference Men's Rookie of the Week Monday after placing 16th - tops among freshmen runners - at the Conference Championship Sunday at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass. (via www.goriverhawks.com)

Kerr Phelan of Hamilton Wenham talks about her current season, her future goals, and training with the Cape Ann League powerhouse team.  (via www.salemnews.com)

Boston U. sweeps the performer of the week nods after the final tune-ups before the America East Championship this Saturday at the University at Albany. Chris Mercurio (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) grabs the honor for the men while Marita Stressenger (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) takes home the women’s prize. (via AmericaEast.com)

US#5 Stillwater MN jumps in the power rankings after smashing their 1997 Harrier National Champion Team Conference meet record. US#4 American Fork UT runs past US#11 Davis UT for the 2nd fastest team time in Utah State Meet history. US#1 Fayetteville Manlius NY girls maintain the top spot as US#2 Saratoga Springs NY moves up. For the third straight year the #1 and #2 ranked teams will face off for the New York State Championship.

Watching the Weymouth program is like taking a step back to a different era.  Not because what they do is archaic, but rather, because the values they display are akin to simpler times.  Weymouth operates as an extended family; where accountability, support, and work-ethic are the defining traits.  These character traits are woven into the fabric of the disciplined and organized system that has been so successful for Coach Mike Miller. 

Check for the latest scores and highlights each week as we gather information from around the state. 

The Stonehill College men's and women's cross country teams each claimed championships at the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Cross Country Championships, which were held today at Stanley Park in Westfield, Massachusetts. American International College student-athletes swept the individual championships as Glarius Rop won the eight-kilometer men's race in a time of 23.59 and Jeptui Cherutich won the five-kilometer women's race in a final time of 17.39. Rop and Cherutich were also named Northeast-10 Conference Male and Female Athletes of the Year, which was voted on by the conference's head coaches.  

Hold the Wheaties. Pass the pasta and chocolate. That was the breakfast of champions for Wachusett Regional High sophomore Colleen Sands, the first to cross the finish line yesterday, leading the Mountaineers to their 11th straight Division 1 title at the Quabbin Invitational cross-country meet.  (via www.telegram.com)

With the big cross-country meets approaching, runners from Wachusett Regional and St. John's traditionally have enjoyed had great tuneup races at the annual Wachusett Invitational. This year's event, the 54th, stayed the course. (via www.telegram.com)

Five years in the making, the MSTCA Twilight meet was a resounding success and an experience  that will not soon be forgotten by those that participated.  The electric atmosphere was only outdone by the intense battles on the race course.  Bishop Feehan coach Bob L'Homme  described the varsity boys race as a "heavyweight fight", and it was by far the most exciting team competition we have witnessed all season.

There was no cotton candy. All the games and rides had long been stowed away. But the lights shone brightly and a carnival atmosphere hung in the chilly fall air Saturday night as more than 1,400 high school runners from across the state competed in the inaugural Bob McIntyre Twilight Cross Country Meet at the Barnstable Fairgrounds. (via www.capecodonline.com)

Henry Lodge was a bit shocked when he looked around and realized he was surrounded by Brookline runners. Heading into the final loop of last night’s inaugural McIntyre Twilight Cross Country Invitational in Falmouth, the Bishop Feehan junior was wondering if his Shamrock teammates were close behind. Shortly... (via Boston Herald)

Bishop Feehan and Brookline were locked in a heavyweight fight at the MSTCA Twilight, while St. John's rolled to a relatively easy victory at Wachusett.

It turns out sound team strategy can beat out spectacular individual performances.  Both were on display at Lenox High School on Wednesday when Scott Carpenter and Lauren Farry dominated races, but the Lenox girls and Pittsfield boys stole the show on the duals scoreboard. (via www.berkshireeagle.com)  

Once Don MacAulay found something he loved, he stuck with it for the long run. The 73-year-old MacAulay was recently honored by the Massachusetts Track & Field Officials Association with a lifetime membership, acknowledging a half century of service to the organization he joined in 1961 after his graduation from Northeastern. (via Boston.com)

There is something about racing at night that causes athletes to lose their feel for pace and forces them to run an abnormally fast first mile.  This scenario will force athletes out of their comfort zone early in the race, and will once again separate those pack running squads that thrive on their ability to work together.  The team that maintain their composure in the first mile, and practice patience until the half-way point, will most likely prevail.   

The rain was hard, the mud was thick and the air was raw. But none of that mattered to the Lowell High boys cross country team. (via www.lowellsun.com)

Many athletes were idle, but there were a few big changes in the rankings this week.  US#1 Julie Macedo (DE) continues to assert her dominance as she won the Joe O'Neill Invite by 42 seconds over US#9 Haley Pierce (UT) with a time of 16:55.26. Be sure to click on each athletes name to see times, articles, photos and interviews of each athlete if available. (via MileSplit United States)

A number of athletes join a cross-country team to keep in shape. A few run to relieve stress, or to expend extra energy. Chernet Sisay has a far different reason. The Brookline High senior runs because he is happy to be alive, and he’s going to do anything it takes to make a name for himself. (via Boston)

Check for the latest scores and highlights each week as we gather information from around the state.

The Titans captured their third straight Boys Northeast Championship Division title, beating US#30 St. Anthony's (NY) by just two points behind some very solid performances across the board.  MileSplitMass had the opportunity to catch-up with Head Coach Greg Zopatti and ask him a few questions about their latest win.

The Southlake Carroll (TX) boys take over the #1 spot from Arcadia, and Fayetteville Manlius (NY) remains a unanimous choice.

Five odd photos from the Brown Invitational.

Coach Rooney from Pembroke put together another entertaining compilation of race highlights from the 2011 Brown Invitational.  

Dennis-Yarmouth’s Jordan O’Dea walked through the finish line chute slowly, her legs bearing the results of a sloppy course with caked-on mud from the ankles up. The junior flashed a tired smile after posting an 18-minute, 57.3-second win on the spongy Franklin Park layout in the Division... (via Boston Herald)

Once again, the Hamilton-Wenham girls cross country team is cruising along undefeated and should be one of the front runners at the big end-of-the-season meets. (via www.salemnews.com)

Cheserek sets another meet record and Pembroke wins their third in a row.

Cheserek continued his revision of the record books by shattering the Goddard State Park 5,000 meter course by over 25 seconds.  His winning time of 14:34.6 marks the fourth course record in as many weeks, and he confirmed that it’s all by design. 

Former Mansfield standouts, and brothers, Ryan and Shayne Collins had impressive races at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational. 

Many athletes were idle, but there were a few big changes in the rankings this week.  (via MileSplit United States)

 Joseph J. Donahue, a Northeastern University track & field legend and Hall of Famer, passed away on Monday morning, Oct. 10, 2011, after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 72 years old. (via USTFCCCA)

Catarina Rocha and Aisha McAdams enter Saturday's race with a wealth of credentials, but the pair will have plenty of company and a sea of maroon jerseys may envelop the two as the team battle rages in the front pack.

Having Edward Cheserek in the field forces some early decisions for the rest of the front pack.  Do they attempt to go with him?  Do they simply let him go and monitor the next major move from within the chase pack?  One thing is certain, you had better be confident in the strategy you choose and commit to it wholeheartedly. 

John Keklak was on-site at the Weston, Wayland, Lincoln-Sudbury tri-meet and captured dozens of photos from each level.

Last month, the Panthers finished ninth out of 42 teams at the Ocean State Invitational in Warwick, R.I., and followed that up with a surprising seventh at the Baystate Cross County 5K Invitational on Oct. 1 in Wrentham. 

Brendan McCarthy was the first in a string of eight straight runners representing the unbeaten Mansfield High boys' cross country team (4-0) to cross the finish line, while Emily Sarkaisian was the first of eight straight Hornets to break the tape in 15-50 victories over Attleboro High.  (via www.thesunchronicle.com)

Led by unbeaten runners Shannon Hickey and Drew Beck, the Oliver Ames girls and boys cross country teams finished the regular season undefeated and captured Hockomock League Davenport Division crowns Tuesday. (via http://www.enterprisenews.com)  

Check for the latest scores and highlights each week as we gather information from around the state. 

US#1 Arcadia, CA maintains the top position on the boys side and like the end result of the 2010 Nike Cross Nationals Team Championships is the team to beat.  US#1 Fayetteville Manlius, NY runs another top team championship performance to claim the Girls Eastern States Championship.

Dennis-Yarmouth experienced a major setback at the 2010 EMass Championships.  But dreams don’t die easily at this seaside school, and this humble group of dedicated athletes has found a way to turn that memory into motivation.

Lowell has spent the last couple of week trying to get healthy.  If this performance is any indication, they are well on their way.

Dozens of former New England prep stars made a triumphant return to Franklin Park for the NEICAA Championships

No discussion yet. (via MileSplit United States)

Julie Macedo (DE) blasted a 17:26 5k in PA to run the 3rd best time on the Paul Short Invitational course to settle into the #1 spot.  Grace Tinkey (GA) goes to the number two spot while Molly Seidel (WI) retains the third spot.  Haley Pierce (DE) rockets up the rankings as she proves she is healthy with a win at the Great American XC Festival.  Other newcomers to the rankings include New Yorker Mary Cain at #18, Maria Hauger (MN) at #22 and Sarah Fakler (AZ) at #23.  Full updates on each athletes recent accomplishments are below.  Be sure to click on each athletes name to see times, articles, photos and interviews of each athlete if available. (via MileSplit United States)

When UMass Lowell junior Steve Fitzsimmons (Methuen, Mass.) went to clean out his closet earlier this summer, he was overwhelmed by the number of old running sneakers he found. (via www.goriverhawks.com)

It's a quite weekend for high school cross country in Massachusetts, but the collegiate ranks will take-over Franklin Park and plenty of former prep stars will be on display at the NEICAAA Championships.

The halfway point will mark the begining of several heated battles as teams vie for a coveted league championship. 

Shrewsbury High senior Tobin Dancy considers himself the disciplinarian of the Colonials’ three captains, and so far his teammates remain extremely motivated in their quest to capture the school’s first Central Mass. Division 1 boys’ championship. 

MSTCA officials are launching the inaugural Bob McIntyre Twilight Invitational, scheduled to take place on October 22nd at the Barnstable Fairgrounds in Falmouth.  This unique format is a first of its kind in Massachusetts and the only invitational to be run under the lights in New England.  

John Keklak was on-site at the Weston, Concord Carlisle, Westford Academy tri-meet and captured hundreds of photos from each level.  

Staci Rezendes has picked up right where the regular season ended last year. Hopefully, that means a better postseason. (via www.gazettenet.com)

The Salem News interviews Peter Hale of Swampscott to find out how his season is going so far.

Senior Kelsey Whitaker posted a winning time of 20:54 over Cunningham Park’s 5K course Tuesday, leading the NDA cross country team to a 15-50 win over Fontbonne Academy.  (via http://www.patriotledger.com)  

King Philip's Chris Allen is finding just as much success in his first season of running cross country as he does on the track. (via www.thesunchronicle.com)

Check for the latest scores and highlights each week as we gather information from around the state. 

The 4th Edition of the NHSCA National Team Rankings is announced via video from US Marines stationed in Afghanistan. (via MileSplit United States)

After missing last season due to injuries, Dan and Brian Crowley are healthy this season and are running well for Ludlow's cross country team. (via masslive.com)

Without a Saturday invitational on the schedule, Pembroke set-out for a session of 1000 meter repeats in our Workout of the Week segment.  The interval distance may be common, but what's not common is the execution and focus.

Foxboro High standout Brendan Sullivan led for much of Saturday's Bay State Invitational, but they don't keep track of that sort of thing, only who breaks the tape first. (via www.thesunchronicle.com)

WRENTHAM – Dennis-Yarmouth’s Jordan O’Dea pulled away from the field to capture first place at the MSTCA Bay State Invitational Meet at Wrentham Developmental Center on Saturday. (via www.capecodonline.com)

Gianna Cacciatore found redemption to be a sweet friend at yesterday’s Bay State Cross Country Invitational.  (via Boston Herald)

Brookline’s Chernet Sisay entered yesterday’s Division 1 Bay State Invitational Cross-Country meet riding the momentum of his first-place finish at last weekend’s Amherst Invitational. (via Boston.com)

Paolo Tavares covered a 3.1-mile course in 16:50 to help lead New Bedford to a 12th-place finish in a field of 36 teams at the 20th Annual MSTCA Bay State Cross Country Invitational held Saturday at the Wrentham Developmental Center. (via www.southcoasttoday.com)

John Keklak was on-site at the Bay State Invitational and captured hundreds of photos from each level.  

Whitman-Hanson makes a statement by going 1-2-3 in the Division 2 Varsity Girls race at the Bay State Invitational.