Photo by PTXC
Massachusetts harriers had a fine showing at the Northeast Regionals today at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York. In the Boys Championship race it was the Middlesex School (Independent School League) standout Viraj Deokar finishing sixth place with a time of 15:30. The Acton native was 37th in the same race in 2014. Deokar made a huge leap onto the National scene last spring when he finished 4th and ran 14:41 in the 5K at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
(photo above captured Catarina Rocha cheering her brother on in the critical homestretch )
Another Braz / Rocha family member made it to San Diego, as Marcelo Rocha grabbed the last and final spot to San Diego with his 10th place finish. Rocha battled it out over the last 400 Meters and finished strong enough in the home stretch to pull away from Dominic Hockenbury of Pennsylvania. Rocha's time was a very fast 15:35 on the rolling hills of Van Cortlandt Park. Rocha became the fifth member of his family to qualify for the Nationals.
In 1979, Fernando Braz (Uncle) qualified at Van Cortlandt by winning his section of the four division race. He had the second fastest time of the day and was one of seven Northeast Boys to make it in the inaugural year of the high school Championship. Fernando went on to finish 15th at Nationals.
Marcelo's father and Coach, Joe Rocha, back in 1982 finished 7th at the Northeast Regionals and 15th at the National Meet in Orlando Florida. In 1984, his Mother Gina Braz was 7th in the Northeast Meet and 21st at the Nationals in San Diego. In 2012 his sister Catarina Rocha won the Northeast Regional and finished 2nd place at the Footlocker Nationals. Catarina is currently running for Providence College.
The MIAA Division 2 All State Champion Andrew Ernst of Marblehead was 16th place with a time of 16:00.
In the girls race, Ariel Keklak of Lincoln Sudbury qualified by grabbing the 7th spot (17:52). Last year Keklak finished in the dreaded 11th spot missing the ticket to San Diego by five seconds. Earlier this season she ran a fantastic race at the Manhattan Invitational on a shortened version of the Van Cortlandt course. She will be the only Massachusetts representative on the girls side making the trip to San Diego.
Margie Cullen of Needham was running in a strong 9th place going over the bridge towards the two mile mark, but did not make her way to the finish line. No additional information on the Needham superstar.
Other notable Massachusetts finishers were Rebecca Grusby of Newton South (15th-18:41), Grace Connolly of Natick (23rd-18:49), Clare Martin of Newton South (18:54), Sarah Edwards of Bellingham (29th-19:02), and sarah Tully of Wayland (39th-19:24).
The Footlocker National Championships will be on December 12th at Balboa Park in San Diego, California.