We asked, and you responded.
Just who are the top returning runners that will hit the trails this season? After requesting your help on this site and through our Instagram account, with have compiled a top-10 list with your assistance of the runners we feel will be among our best this fall.
We already listed our six through 10 best. Now, here’s our picks for the remaining five, including who we feel should make the most noise this fall. To the coaches out there, there’s no need to thank us. We realize by creating lists like these, we create billboard material for some of your athletes, who either didn’t make the list or felt they should be a little higher in the rankings. Trust us, that was never our intention. But based on past history, we’re sure we did.
Here’s our picks for the final five of our list.
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No. 5 – Alessandra Gavris, Weston
Gavris had a strong year on the trails last fall. She clocked the fastest time among MA runners at the Twilight Invitational where she was timed in a PR of 18:19.6 on the lightning-fast 5K course at Barnstable. She was a runner-up at the Division 3A Championships and struck it rich at the Meet of Champions where she ran 18:47. Gavris missed most of the indoor season and the entire outdoor campaign due to a stress reaction, but that injury is now behind her as she begins her junior season for Wildcats.
No. 4 – Madelyn Germain, Norfolk County Aggie
Germain has been one of the top runners in Div. 3, capturing the 3A title and placing second at the Meet of Champions the last two years. The senior harrier was the Mayflower Conference champion last year and was one the top finishers at the Frank Mooney Invitational and Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational. After finishing as a bridesmaid at the last two MOCs, will she reverse the fortune this fall? Time will tell.
No. 3 – Greta Hammer, Needham
Hammer was our top underclassmen last year as well as one of our best harriers on the dirt trails. As a ninth-grader in 2022, she was third at the Div. 1A race where she ran a PR of 17:51.8 at Wrentham. Hammer followed that performance by placing second at the MOC.
No. 2 – Aoife Shovlin, Cambridge Rindge & Latin
Shovlin had a hugely-successful cross-country season in 2022 with top finishes at several state-wide competitions, highlighted by a victory in the Div. 1 race at the MOC. She was fifth in the Div. 1A meet a week earlier by crossing the line in 17:58.9. Shovlin also captured the Bay State Invitational and was second at the Frank Kelley Invitational and Dual County League Championships.
No. 1 -Carmen Luisi, Holliston
While she’s endured success on the track, it’s clear that Luisi’s forte is the uneven terrain where she is the two-time defending champion in Div. 2 at the MOC. In 2022, Luisi won titles at the Frank Kelley Invitational, the Frank Mooney Invitational and the Tri Valley League Championships where she ran a season best of 17:43.6 at Norwood. We expect Luisi will once again be at the forefront this season with an eye towards not only winning her third individual crown but potentially excelling past the regular season. She was 27th at the Eastbay Northeast Region X-C Championships. A top-10 finish will earn her a trip to the finals in San Diego.
