SEVEN SENIORS COMPETE ONE FINAL TIME FOR THE MINUTEMEN AT REGIONALS

Meet Information
Nike Cross Regionals Northeast
November 30, 2019
Bowdoin Park - Wappingers Falls, NY
RESULTS
WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY - Saturday, competing as "The Minutemen Running Club," 18 members of the Lexington Boys and Girls Cross Country teams traveled to New York to compete against runners from New England as well as New Jersey and Pennsylvania at the Nike Cross Regionals. Six girls competed in the Northeast Open Race while the boys had a six man team in the Open Race as well as the Northeast Championship Race. The girls did exactly what they have done all season, pieced together a gritty effort and landed on the podium by finishing third as a team with 100 points. Winning the race was the girls from Downington West (PA) with 80 points. In both the Open Race and the Championship Race the boys competed hard and turned in 11th and 13th place finishes.
Highlights from Girls Open Northeast:
Senior captain Pauline Steines put a stamp on her stellar LHS Cross Country career by leading her team from start to finish at NXR. When the gun fired Steines shot to the front pack and begin the hard mile and a half long climb to the top of the brutal course at Bowdoin Park. She continued her hard pace throughout the second half of the course and with one final furious kick she edged out a competitor to grab seventh place overall in a impressive time of 20:29.00. Following Steines was sophomore Clara Fu. The young harrier was thrust into the starting lineup at All-States due to a last minute illness, and after making the most of that opportunity she wanted one more shot to race this fall. Fu did everything she could with that opportunity by running a fantastic race of her own and finishing 24th overall in a time of 21:19.50. Next was the tight back of Zoe Gu, Julia Lennon-Newell, and Anna Nelson. Gu was 35th in 21:44.30, while Lennon-Newell used her signature lightening fast finish to place right behind her teammate in a time of 21:46.30. Nelson was steady from start to finish and with a time of 21:48.60 was able to seal third place for her team by finishing in 38th overall. Along with the top five, senior captain Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas finished her career with a fine performance by running 22:33.40 and placing 65th in the process.
Final Girls Team Scores (Top 5)
1. Whippets Footracing Team - 80
2. Rocks XC - 97
3. The Minutemen Running Club - 100
4. Bobcat Track Club - 112
5. Hunterdon Lions Track Club - 155
Highlights from Boys Northeast Championship:
After a strong showing at the All-State Championships two weeks ago, The Minutemen took a step up in class at NXR. For the second year in a row the individual crown was won by one of Massachusetts' best harriers, this year it was Concord-Carlisle's William Chaffin. The senior outlasted Jack McLoughlin of La Salle (RI) taking the crown by one second with a time of 15:49.60. Despite the loss for McLoughlin, his team won the race with 74 points earning a trip to Portland Oregon next week for the Nike Cross National Championships. The Minutemen were lead by senior captain Micah Benson (50th overall). He ran a strong race from start to finish crossing the line in 17:03.70, which bested his time at last years NXR by 25 seconds. Also turning in a big improvement over last year was fellow senior captain Adam Bernstein (17:10.00) who finished 61st. Running what was arguably his best race of his season, Matt "Big Mac" McAlarney ran a furious second half of the race down the challenging decent and ended his LHS XC career with an 89th place finish in a time of 17:25.10. Following the trio of seniors was junior captain Max DiCerbo who ran 17:40.00 to finish 110th. In his final XC race, senior Seth Cutler placed in The Minutemen's top five for the first time in a championship race by running a time of 18:11.70 and placing 144th overall. The Minutemen's final finisher was senior captain Selvin Backert who ran 18:16.70 to finish 149th.
Final Boys Team Scores (Top 5)
1. La Salle Academy - 74
2. Brothers TC - 105
3. Whippets Footracing Team - 124
4. Black Bear XC - 154
5. Tolland XC Club - 181
13. The Minutemen Running Club - 384
Highlights from Boys Northeast Open:
The Minutemen were led by a pair of sophomores who finished with identical times but got there in completely different ways. Thomas Lane got off to a slow start when both of his shoes came untied in the first mile of the race. Despite this, the young harrier remain undeterred by the daunting course, pressing on and moving his way through the field throughout the second half of the 5k. On the other side, Graham Bracken got off to a strong start and battled his way through packed field all the way to the finish line where Lane came up behind and just out-leaned him at the line. The two were both credited with a fantastic time of 17:55.90 and were the only two LHS runners in the top 50, placing 47th and 48th respectively. Next across the line for The Minutemen was junior Reed Solomon. He finished off his breakout season by running 82nd in a time of 18:22.00. Junior Nate Croke was 90th in 18:27.20. Sophomore Evan Eberle was LHS's fifth man, crossing the line in 18:31.40 to place 98th. The Minutemen's final finisher was sophomore Nick Lam who was 127th in 18:47.70.
Final Boys Team Scores (Top 5)
1. West Chester - 125
2. Hall Warriors TC - 137
3. Hawks TC - 138
4. La Salle Academy - 148
5. Germantown Friends TC - 168
11. The Minutemen Running Club - 303
After what was likely the most successful season in school history last year, this year's squad followed it up with another extremely successful run. The girls won their second consecutive MIAA title (fourth in six years). Both the boys and girls placed in the top five at All-States for only the second time in school history. But more than their successes on race day, this team brought it in practice every single day. Whether it was 90 degrees in August or freezing temps in November, the young men and women who made up this year's squad brought a contagious enthusiasm mixed with a relentless effort to practice, and that is what made this team special. A special shout-out also goes to the seniors who have been the backbone of what could be called a golden era of Lexington Cross Country. Thank you for all you have done for this program.
Up Next
With the cross country season now over, The Minutemen head indoors. The winter track season begins with a scrimmage against Chelmsford on Monday December 9th. The meet - at Lexington High School - is set to begin at 6pm.
Nike Cross Regionals Northeast
November 30, 2019
Bowdoin Park - Wappingers Falls, NY
RESULTS
WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY - Saturday, competing as "The Minutemen Running Club," 18 members of the Lexington Boys and Girls Cross Country teams traveled to New York to compete against runners from New England as well as New Jersey and Pennsylvania at the Nike Cross Regionals. Six girls competed in the Northeast Open Race while the boys had a six man team in the Open Race as well as the Northeast Championship Race. The girls did exactly what they have done all season, pieced together a gritty effort and landed on the podium by finishing third as a team with 100 points. Winning the race was the girls from Downington West (PA) with 80 points. In both the Open Race and the Championship Race the boys competed hard and turned in 11th and 13th place finishes.
Highlights from Girls Open Northeast:
Senior captain Pauline Steines put a stamp on her stellar LHS Cross Country career by leading her team from start to finish at NXR. When the gun fired Steines shot to the front pack and begin the hard mile and a half long climb to the top of the brutal course at Bowdoin Park. She continued her hard pace throughout the second half of the course and with one final furious kick she edged out a competitor to grab seventh place overall in a impressive time of 20:29.00. Following Steines was sophomore Clara Fu. The young harrier was thrust into the starting lineup at All-States due to a last minute illness, and after making the most of that opportunity she wanted one more shot to race this fall. Fu did everything she could with that opportunity by running a fantastic race of her own and finishing 24th overall in a time of 21:19.50. Next was the tight back of Zoe Gu, Julia Lennon-Newell, and Anna Nelson. Gu was 35th in 21:44.30, while Lennon-Newell used her signature lightening fast finish to place right behind her teammate in a time of 21:46.30. Nelson was steady from start to finish and with a time of 21:48.60 was able to seal third place for her team by finishing in 38th overall. Along with the top five, senior captain Isabel Siu-Zmuidzinas finished her career with a fine performance by running 22:33.40 and placing 65th in the process.
Final Girls Team Scores (Top 5)
1. Whippets Footracing Team - 80
2. Rocks XC - 97
3. The Minutemen Running Club - 100
4. Bobcat Track Club - 112
5. Hunterdon Lions Track Club - 155
Highlights from Boys Northeast Championship:
After a strong showing at the All-State Championships two weeks ago, The Minutemen took a step up in class at NXR. For the second year in a row the individual crown was won by one of Massachusetts' best harriers, this year it was Concord-Carlisle's William Chaffin. The senior outlasted Jack McLoughlin of La Salle (RI) taking the crown by one second with a time of 15:49.60. Despite the loss for McLoughlin, his team won the race with 74 points earning a trip to Portland Oregon next week for the Nike Cross National Championships. The Minutemen were lead by senior captain Micah Benson (50th overall). He ran a strong race from start to finish crossing the line in 17:03.70, which bested his time at last years NXR by 25 seconds. Also turning in a big improvement over last year was fellow senior captain Adam Bernstein (17:10.00) who finished 61st. Running what was arguably his best race of his season, Matt "Big Mac" McAlarney ran a furious second half of the race down the challenging decent and ended his LHS XC career with an 89th place finish in a time of 17:25.10. Following the trio of seniors was junior captain Max DiCerbo who ran 17:40.00 to finish 110th. In his final XC race, senior Seth Cutler placed in The Minutemen's top five for the first time in a championship race by running a time of 18:11.70 and placing 144th overall. The Minutemen's final finisher was senior captain Selvin Backert who ran 18:16.70 to finish 149th.
Final Boys Team Scores (Top 5)
1. La Salle Academy - 74
2. Brothers TC - 105
3. Whippets Footracing Team - 124
4. Black Bear XC - 154
5. Tolland XC Club - 181
13. The Minutemen Running Club - 384
Highlights from Boys Northeast Open:
The Minutemen were led by a pair of sophomores who finished with identical times but got there in completely different ways. Thomas Lane got off to a slow start when both of his shoes came untied in the first mile of the race. Despite this, the young harrier remain undeterred by the daunting course, pressing on and moving his way through the field throughout the second half of the 5k. On the other side, Graham Bracken got off to a strong start and battled his way through packed field all the way to the finish line where Lane came up behind and just out-leaned him at the line. The two were both credited with a fantastic time of 17:55.90 and were the only two LHS runners in the top 50, placing 47th and 48th respectively. Next across the line for The Minutemen was junior Reed Solomon. He finished off his breakout season by running 82nd in a time of 18:22.00. Junior Nate Croke was 90th in 18:27.20. Sophomore Evan Eberle was LHS's fifth man, crossing the line in 18:31.40 to place 98th. The Minutemen's final finisher was sophomore Nick Lam who was 127th in 18:47.70.
Final Boys Team Scores (Top 5)
1. West Chester - 125
2. Hall Warriors TC - 137
3. Hawks TC - 138
4. La Salle Academy - 148
5. Germantown Friends TC - 168
11. The Minutemen Running Club - 303
After what was likely the most successful season in school history last year, this year's squad followed it up with another extremely successful run. The girls won their second consecutive MIAA title (fourth in six years). Both the boys and girls placed in the top five at All-States for only the second time in school history. But more than their successes on race day, this team brought it in practice every single day. Whether it was 90 degrees in August or freezing temps in November, the young men and women who made up this year's squad brought a contagious enthusiasm mixed with a relentless effort to practice, and that is what made this team special. A special shout-out also goes to the seniors who have been the backbone of what could be called a golden era of Lexington Cross Country. Thank you for all you have done for this program.
Up Next
With the cross country season now over, The Minutemen head indoors. The winter track season begins with a scrimmage against Chelmsford on Monday December 9th. The meet - at Lexington High School - is set to begin at 6pm.