For Newburyport’s Nick Carleo, this fall has been all about the last few weeks of November. He had little concern for competing at major invitationals or glitzy twilight meets that most runners live for throughout the fall. Even last weekend at Eastern Mass. Championships, Carleo was reserved and felt no need to extend himself beyond simply winning the race. This smart and patient racing style is something we have seen from Carleo prior to last Saturday. It was the one time Carleo did make an appearance at a big invitational in early October at Bay States, his first race of the season. While with most runners there is a little rust to shake off in the first race that was certainly not the case for Carleo on that day in Franklin Park. He looked strong, smooth, and in control for the entire Kevin Black Race. The Newburyport senior seemed to be going through the motions, and cruised home to a 15:40 victory. Carleo’s time from Bay States currently puts him #13 on the All-Time Franklin Park list. Now imagine what Carleo is capable of unleashing when he is no longer holding back and is instead firing on all cylinders. Although I don’t think we will see a course record, Carleo is capable of breaking into the Top 10 All-Time and possibly dipping under 15:30. Carleo is the hands-down favorite for Saturday’s D2 race, but he will still have some competitors breathing down his neck in the early stages. Behind Carleo, Tucker McNinch of Lenox is the next top returner from last year’s race. In 2013, McNinch finished 8th at the All-State Meet in Gardner and his races this season show he could easily improve on that performance. At Bay States in October, McNinch ran a respectable 16:21 to finish 3rd in the Bob McGuire Race. In the past few weeks, McNinch won the Berkshire County League Champs in 15:21 and also defended his Western Mass. title with a 16:31 victory at Northfield. Battling alongside McNinch should be Medfield’s Austin Scola. Last weekend, Scola took home his first Eastern Mass. Championship title and turned in one the fastest times of the day with a 15:43 performance. Prior to that, Scola ran a strong 15:40 for 3rd at the Twilight Meet and also dropped a 16:10 in the Kevin Maloney Race at Bay States. Also looking to factor in the mix on Saturday will be the Central Mass. D2 Champion, Nick Steele of Bromfield. Steele looked great last weekend in Gardner and has only been getting better every race out. Other top contenders in Saturday’s D2 race will be Mike Famiglietti of Tewksbury, Andrew Ernst of Marblehead, and Travis Ciempa of Hoosac Valley.
The race for the top D2 team is shaping up to be an exciting battle of teams from each region of the state. In the east, Hamilton-Wenham and Newburyport will be coming off last weekend’s close D5 team race at Wrentham; Hamilton-Wenham came away with the team title on the 6th-man tiebreaker. In the middle of the state, we have the top ranked boys from Hopedale. They are entering Saturday as the favorites and last weekend captured their 5th-straight Central Mass. D2 title. Then to the west, there are two strong squads from Mt.Greylock and Lenox Memorial. At the Western Mass. meet, Mt.Greylock narrowly won with 49 points to Lenox’s 51. While I do think Hopedale is the team to beat on Saturday, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these teams knock off the Blue Raiders.
In a similar setup to the Boys’ D2 Race, a harrier from the Cape Ann League appears to be the dominant force in this weekend’s Girls’ D2 Race. Senior Olivia Lantz of Manchester-Essex heads to Franklin Park as the defending state champion and, from her performances throughout the fall, appears likely to repeat. Despite being sick last weekend, Lantz was still a force to reckon with at Wrentham and rolled to one of the fastest times of the day with her 18:05 victory. Prior to her Eastern Mass. win, Lantz had only raced at the Bay State Invitational in early October. Competing in the Jim Hoar Race, Lantz rubbed elbows with the likes of Rebecca Grusby and Kayley Richards. The Manchester senior competed well and crossed the line in 2nd with 18:45, the fastest time of the day. It’s going to take a big performance to take down Lantz, but it certainly isn’t an impossible task. One of those girls trying to challenge Lantz will be Erin Dietz of Bedford. The Bedford senior has really flown under the radar all season, but finally made her presence known last weekend in Wrentham. In the Girls’ D5 Race, Dietz easily defended her title and cruised to a solid 18:25 victory. Attempting to continue her successful campaign on Saturday is Nauset senior Coralea Geranigtis. Earlier this season, Geranigtis had a big race victory at the Twilight Invitational and, just last weekend, she took top honors in the Eastern Mass. D4 Race with her 18:53 victory. Hoping to make some noise on Saturday will be a cohort from the central region of state. Surprising everyone last weekend, Felicia Banda of Gardner swept the Girls’ D2 in Gardner and won in 17:50. Not too far behind Banda were Gianna Mastrometteo of St. Peter-Marian and Makenzie Cyr of Douglas. All three of these girls will certainly be up in the lead pack on Saturday. Other potential contenders on Saturday will be Nicole Maclellan of Bedford, Sarah Edwards of Bellingham, and Emily Demarco of Ipswich.
Last year, the ladies from Hamilton-Wenham dominated the D2 team race and won by over 50 points. This year, the girls of Hamilton-Wenham look poised to repeat team victory on Saturday. Last weekend in Wrentham, they were unmatchable in the Girls’ D5 Race. They placed three girls in the top 10 and all five scorers were in the top 15 of the race. Earlier this season, Hamilton-Wenham also competed very well at Bay States, winning the Steve Sawyer Race with a respectable 20:08 team average and less than a minute spread. Preparing to show their Western Mass. strength are the young ladies from Lenox Memorial. No one came close to them at the Western Mass D2 Race and they won the Julie Collins Race at Bay States with a 20:34 team average. With one of the top girls in the state, Manchester Essex is certainly another team who will be mixing it up on Saturday. Other top D2 teams will be Tyngsborough, Nauset, and Ursuline Academy.
<p> A weekly series previewing the weekend action in Massachusetts.</p>