GIRLS MAKE A STATEMENT; BOYS PODIUM AT INAUGURAL HIGHLAND PARK INVITE
Meet Information
Highland Park Invitational
September 21, 2019
Highland Park - Attleboro, MA
RESULTS
ATTLEBORO, MA - Saturday was a special day for cross country in Massachusetts. After more than two years of work to convert the former Attleboro Country Club into a 5k cross country course, a select group of teams from Massachusetts and Rhode Island competed in the inaugural Highland Park Invitational. The course is named 1996 U.S. Olympian and former Bishop Feehan star Mark Coogan, who was in attendance as the official starter for the varsity boys race. At a glance the course appeared relatively pedestrian, but between the rolling hills, soft running surface and temperatures climbing into the mid 80s, the converted golf course gave runners all they could handle over 5000 meters.
Highlights from the Varsity Races:
On the girls side The Minutemen were shorthanded with senior captain Pauline Steines available. However, no one told the other seven ladies that they were not supposed to factor in the team title. The seven girls braved the heat and gutted through what turned out to be a very challenging course to narrowly take the team title scoring 96 points to East Greenwich (RI) 99 points. First across the line for The Minutemen was freshman Ruby Fehm (19:50.05), competing in her first ever 5k, she used a furious kick to just edge out senior captain Danna Ofek (19:50.64) as the two placed sixth and seventh overall. Next across the line for LHS was the junior class tandem of Anna Nelson (21:28.47) and Zoe Gu (21:28.82); the ladies placed 25th and 26th respectively. Lexington's all important fifth runner was another junior Lauren Sterne, who crossed the line in 21:36.45 finishing 30th in the team scoring. Sophomore Juila Lennon-Newell (22:30.02) was The Minutemen's final official finisher. Along with these six girls, freshman Mirra Payson - who was running third for LHS through 2.5 miles - succumbed to the heat in the final meters of the race. Despite utter exhaustion, the young runner showed true heart as she refused to quit when her legs gave out on her, and continued to press on with the aid of Coach Trachsel and an athletic trainer until she crossed the finish line. Between Payson's no quit attitude and the way her teammates picked her up to take home the title, there is no question that these ladies have what it takes to be a force to be reckoned with come November.
In the boys race the nationally ranked team from La Salle Academy (RI) was able to take home the team title by scoring 87 points, despite being without four of their top seven harriers. Wellesley's boys were the top team from Massachusetts placing second with 89 points, which left The Minutemen with a bronze plaque after scoring 106 points. LHS's boys were led by a pair of top ten finishes from senior captains Adam Bernstein (16:47.26) and Matt McAlarney (16:51.70); the two placed sixth and tenth respectively. Junior captain Max DiCerbo was next across the line for The Minutemen, finishing 26th in 17:19.31. Finishing 31st was senior captain Micah Benson (17:27.79). Seth Cutler (17:28.90) just edged out sophomore Graham Bracken (17:29.79) as LHS's fifth man. Cutler finished 33rd while Bracken was 34th. Senior captain Selvin Backert came across the line in 18:25.06 to finish 62nd.
Highlights from the JV Races:
In the girls race despite no team titled being awarded, Lexington's ladies put on an absolute clinic taking the top four spots en route to scoring 21 points; a total that was over 50 points better than the next best team. Senior Maude Hajjaj led the race wire-to-wire, taking the tape by over 20 seconds in a time of 21:25.83. Sophomore Clara Fu was next in 21:48.06, just ahead of senior captain Summer Spencer (21:49.58). Following behind her fellow captain was senior Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas who crossed the line 22:11.34. Lexington's pack attack mentality trickled down to the final three runners as juniors Aylin Bruce (23:15.38) and Lorelei Marcell (23:16.90) finished just ahead of sophomore Ipek Kendircioglu (23:20.34); the three finished 11th, 12th, and 14th respectively.
The boys put on a packing running showcase of their own scoring just 27 points, over 30 points better than the next best team. Sophomore Daniel Ramsey placed third in 17:56.38. He was followed closely by junior Maxim Slobodchikov (17:57.08) and sophomore Nick Lam (17:58.94); the two were fourth and fifth respectively. Next across the line was sophomore Evan Eberle, who completed the 5k course in 18:11.10 to finish sixth. Rounding out the quintet of top ten finishers for LHS was sophomore Traver Smith III, who crossed the line in 18:16.89. Along with the strong top five, senior Jack Stevens was 16th in 18:39.15, while Anthony Mabardy was 28th in 19:14.31.
Highlights from the Freshmen Races:
Racing a 1.5 mile course, the freshmen girls had a very strong day. Kayla Gordon (10:50.73) and Serena Caira (10:52.96) were fifth and sixth overall. Julia Littlewood was 19th in 11:14.54, while Chloe Pacheco-Bloch finished in 11:18.74 (22nd). The Minutemen's all important fifth finisher was Ashley Taylor. The young harrier crossed the line in a time of 11:27.96, which was enough for a 25th place finish. Like the JV races no team title was awarded. However, should one have been given out LHS's girls would have had the best score in the race with 55 points.
The freshmen boys from La Salle were able to put up the best score - 37 points - in the freshmen race. However, The Minutemen's freshmen were able to put up the second best total, with 49 points including all five runners finishing in the top 15. Ian Miller led the way, finishing eighth in 9:21.35. Following Miller was the tight pack of Kyle Taylor (9:26.76), Andrew Hine (9:27.80), Antonio Lopez (9:28.22), and Aidan McPhee (9:29.21); the quartet finished 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively.
Up Next
After a great litmus test against some of the best in the region, The Minutemen return home to face Winchester. The meet will be the first Liberty Division contest of the season and is set to begin at 4pm.
Highland Park Invitational
September 21, 2019
Highland Park - Attleboro, MA
RESULTS
ATTLEBORO, MA - Saturday was a special day for cross country in Massachusetts. After more than two years of work to convert the former Attleboro Country Club into a 5k cross country course, a select group of teams from Massachusetts and Rhode Island competed in the inaugural Highland Park Invitational. The course is named 1996 U.S. Olympian and former Bishop Feehan star Mark Coogan, who was in attendance as the official starter for the varsity boys race. At a glance the course appeared relatively pedestrian, but between the rolling hills, soft running surface and temperatures climbing into the mid 80s, the converted golf course gave runners all they could handle over 5000 meters.
Highlights from the Varsity Races:
On the girls side The Minutemen were shorthanded with senior captain Pauline Steines available. However, no one told the other seven ladies that they were not supposed to factor in the team title. The seven girls braved the heat and gutted through what turned out to be a very challenging course to narrowly take the team title scoring 96 points to East Greenwich (RI) 99 points. First across the line for The Minutemen was freshman Ruby Fehm (19:50.05), competing in her first ever 5k, she used a furious kick to just edge out senior captain Danna Ofek (19:50.64) as the two placed sixth and seventh overall. Next across the line for LHS was the junior class tandem of Anna Nelson (21:28.47) and Zoe Gu (21:28.82); the ladies placed 25th and 26th respectively. Lexington's all important fifth runner was another junior Lauren Sterne, who crossed the line in 21:36.45 finishing 30th in the team scoring. Sophomore Juila Lennon-Newell (22:30.02) was The Minutemen's final official finisher. Along with these six girls, freshman Mirra Payson - who was running third for LHS through 2.5 miles - succumbed to the heat in the final meters of the race. Despite utter exhaustion, the young runner showed true heart as she refused to quit when her legs gave out on her, and continued to press on with the aid of Coach Trachsel and an athletic trainer until she crossed the finish line. Between Payson's no quit attitude and the way her teammates picked her up to take home the title, there is no question that these ladies have what it takes to be a force to be reckoned with come November.
In the boys race the nationally ranked team from La Salle Academy (RI) was able to take home the team title by scoring 87 points, despite being without four of their top seven harriers. Wellesley's boys were the top team from Massachusetts placing second with 89 points, which left The Minutemen with a bronze plaque after scoring 106 points. LHS's boys were led by a pair of top ten finishes from senior captains Adam Bernstein (16:47.26) and Matt McAlarney (16:51.70); the two placed sixth and tenth respectively. Junior captain Max DiCerbo was next across the line for The Minutemen, finishing 26th in 17:19.31. Finishing 31st was senior captain Micah Benson (17:27.79). Seth Cutler (17:28.90) just edged out sophomore Graham Bracken (17:29.79) as LHS's fifth man. Cutler finished 33rd while Bracken was 34th. Senior captain Selvin Backert came across the line in 18:25.06 to finish 62nd.
Highlights from the JV Races:
In the girls race despite no team titled being awarded, Lexington's ladies put on an absolute clinic taking the top four spots en route to scoring 21 points; a total that was over 50 points better than the next best team. Senior Maude Hajjaj led the race wire-to-wire, taking the tape by over 20 seconds in a time of 21:25.83. Sophomore Clara Fu was next in 21:48.06, just ahead of senior captain Summer Spencer (21:49.58). Following behind her fellow captain was senior Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas who crossed the line 22:11.34. Lexington's pack attack mentality trickled down to the final three runners as juniors Aylin Bruce (23:15.38) and Lorelei Marcell (23:16.90) finished just ahead of sophomore Ipek Kendircioglu (23:20.34); the three finished 11th, 12th, and 14th respectively.
The boys put on a packing running showcase of their own scoring just 27 points, over 30 points better than the next best team. Sophomore Daniel Ramsey placed third in 17:56.38. He was followed closely by junior Maxim Slobodchikov (17:57.08) and sophomore Nick Lam (17:58.94); the two were fourth and fifth respectively. Next across the line was sophomore Evan Eberle, who completed the 5k course in 18:11.10 to finish sixth. Rounding out the quintet of top ten finishers for LHS was sophomore Traver Smith III, who crossed the line in 18:16.89. Along with the strong top five, senior Jack Stevens was 16th in 18:39.15, while Anthony Mabardy was 28th in 19:14.31.
Highlights from the Freshmen Races:
Racing a 1.5 mile course, the freshmen girls had a very strong day. Kayla Gordon (10:50.73) and Serena Caira (10:52.96) were fifth and sixth overall. Julia Littlewood was 19th in 11:14.54, while Chloe Pacheco-Bloch finished in 11:18.74 (22nd). The Minutemen's all important fifth finisher was Ashley Taylor. The young harrier crossed the line in a time of 11:27.96, which was enough for a 25th place finish. Like the JV races no team title was awarded. However, should one have been given out LHS's girls would have had the best score in the race with 55 points.
The freshmen boys from La Salle were able to put up the best score - 37 points - in the freshmen race. However, The Minutemen's freshmen were able to put up the second best total, with 49 points including all five runners finishing in the top 15. Ian Miller led the way, finishing eighth in 9:21.35. Following Miller was the tight pack of Kyle Taylor (9:26.76), Andrew Hine (9:27.80), Antonio Lopez (9:28.22), and Aidan McPhee (9:29.21); the quartet finished 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively.
Up Next
After a great litmus test against some of the best in the region, The Minutemen return home to face Winchester. The meet will be the first Liberty Division contest of the season and is set to begin at 4pm.