GARDNER -- The North Middlesex Regional cross country coaches will tell you they knew they had a special runner in their arsenal the minute Chris Skelly joined the team. Now a junior, Skelly finally reached his pinnacle after climbing the ranks in Central Mass. throughout his high school career. Skelly edged out some tremendous competition from St. John's and Nashoba Regional to claim his first district crown, winning the Division 1 meet by slightly more than 13 seconds on a 2.85 trail Saturday morning at Gardner Municipal Golf Course.
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Here are the Top 50 Times Central Mass State meet Times, which happen to be the Top 50 New Gardner course times as well.
GARDNER — On the Saturday morning bus ride from Dudley to the Gardner Municipal Golf Course, Shepherd Hill cross-country runner Lucy Harmon closed her eyes and smiled. "Our football team came out to the bus and cheered us on when we left, which was so nice of them," she said. "Then, I just envisioned this perfect race we would have as a team."
GARDNER — The sun was shining, but the November morning air was chilly as Sutton High senior Jessie Cardin perched at the starting line Saturday, shivering and set to launch onto Gardner Municipal Golf Course's 3.1-mile cross-country route. But Cardin was not ready to run at all in the Central Mass. Division 2 Championships. She was plagued by a migraine headache and said she felt uneasy, her muscles too tight. The starti
GARDNER — Jamison Koeman's grandparents, Ken and Kay Koeman, flew from Lynden, Wash., to see their grandson compete in Saturday's Central Mass. Division 2 Cross-Country Championships at Gardner Municipal Golf Course. Koeman, a junior at Whitinsville Christian, didn't disappoint them, winning the 3.1-mile run in 15:12.3, 12 seconds better than friendly rival Paul Maurais of Hopedale (15:24.4). Defending champion Price Day of Bromfield held off Uxbridge's Brady Phillips for third.
St. John's cross-country coach Raul Laborde acknowledged his team feels the pressure to uphold its storied tradition every year. But after winning their fourth straight Central Mass. Division 1 championship Saturday at Gardner Municipal Golf Course, the Pioneers obviously thrive on it, too. St. John's captured its 21st title since 1984, holding off crosstown rival Shrewsbury, 60-72. Nashoba Regional was third with 82 points. All three teams return here for next Saturday's state meet.
It's been 16 weeks since many of the Massachusetts State harriers first laced up their running shoes in preparation for this weekends State Championships. Everyone is prepared and ready to go. This is the most exciting meet of the year for many runners. For some, it's the final destination, but for others, it is nothing but a speed bump in the road to the State finals in Gardner.
A few years ago I compiled this list of all the Champions going back to our first State Meet in 1938. It was an incredible project, and hopefully this brings back some memories for some coaches and athletes. If any mistakes were made please forward them along, we are also missing some assorted results here and there, mostly prior to 1970. Please help Milesplitmass fill in the remainder of the missing data. The MIAA will crown new Champions this weekend, and we are looking forward to adding them to our "List of Champions" !
I am not the truly gifted. In fact, I might be the complete opposite. My gangly frame and choppy stride are stark contrasts to idealistic vision the sport places on a pedestal. I was not created in a lab; rather, I was forged on the road by the scorching summer sun and the hammer of the endless asphalt. The genetic lottery ticket I hold is the product of two equally unathletic parents, and any perceived talent I may display is the most certainly the product of hard work. But don’t feel sorry for me, because I know that my team’s success often rests in my hands.