Girls Division 1
It was an absolute picture perfect day for the All State Meet at beautiful Stanley Park in Westfield today. We will start with the most exciting race of the day as the Division 1 girls race lived up to it's billing and certainly did not disappoint.
It was a three horse race entering the last 800M stretch as Ariel Keklak of Lincoln Sudbury, Julia Curtin of Beverly, and Margie Cullen of Needham battled it out right to the wire. Keklak utilized her track experience to out kick Curtin in the final few feet to take home her first Cross-Country All State title. Margie Cullen of Needham finished third. Keklak clocked the fastest time of the day in 17:25, followed by Curtin 17:26, and Cullen finished in 17:33.
It was the second straight week these three girls battled it out. Last week on a very windy day in Wrentham, in the Division 2 Eastern Mass meet it was Cullen pulling away from Keklak in the final loop. Julia Curtin finished third place. The Newton South tandem of Clare Martin (4th-17:45) and Rebecca Grusby (5th- 17:49) held off Abigail Long of Bishop Feehan (6th-17:49).
Even though the individual race was spectacular, the run for the team title might have been more thrilling. Needham defended their title over the pre race favorite and last week winner Lincoln Sudbury. The margin of victory was a single point. Needham scored 116, Lincoln Sudbury 117, Newton South 133, Lexington 170 and Beverly 189 points to round out the top 5. It was the third straight All State title for the Needham Rockets.
Girls Division 2
The Division 2 girls race was certainly the most bizarre race of the day. Bridget Mitchell of Milton had a gigantic lead with about 1000 Meters to go. It was such a big lead we had to crop two photos together because second place wasn't in sight. Sarah Edwards of Bellingham absolutely crushed the last 800 meters of the race and flew by a rapidly fading Mitchell and won the All State title by over ten seconds. Mitchell would eventually hold on to third place. Edward's time was 18:12, followed by Phoebe Von Conta of Parker Charter (2nd-18:23), Bridget Mitchell (3rd-18:24), Colette O'Leary of Milton (4th-18:24.9), and Sarah Tully of Wayland (5th-18:27) rounded out the top five.
The team title went to Tom Shaw's Milton squad as they captured the teams first title since 1998. Milton finished first with 58 points, 2nd Lenox- 104, 3rd Tewksbury 145, 4th Hamilton Wenham 159, and 5th was Old Rochester.