DIVISION 2 GIRLS
Championships Dates: Nov. 11 – Division State Meet at Wrentham Development Center. Nov. 18 – Meet of Champions at Willard Field, Devens.
Top Teams: Div. 2A – Walpole, Whitman Hanson, Westwood. Div. 2B – Holliston, Nashoba, Wakefield, Bedford, Longmeadow, Newburyport. Div. 2C – Dover Sherborn, Medfield, Whitinsville Christian, Archbishop Williams.
Runners To Watch: Div. 2A – Mari O’Connell, Marblehead; Tea Pagnotti, Westwood; Maggie Joyce, Whittier Regional; Caroline White, Walpole . Div. 2B – Carmen Luisi, Holliston; Maggie Kuchman, Holliston; Caroline Collins, Nashoba; Annabelle Lynch, Holliston; Abigail Kelly, Newburyport; Madeline Mahoney, Nauset Regional; . Div. 2C – Margaret Bowles, Dover Sherborn; Abby Flagg, Whitinsville Christian; Alexa Schroeder, Martha’s Vineyard; Georgia Brooks, Groton Dunstable; Anna Lonergan, Watertown.
Predictions (Team/Individual winners): Div. 2A – With low 20-minute runners White and Illa Zollo leading the way, Walpole appears to be the team to beat. McConnell gets the favorite label. She was the 1C runner-up in 2022. She was also second in the two mile at the Div. 3 championship meets for indoor and outdoor. Her best of 18:35 from the divisionals last fall is nearly 40 seconds faster than her next rival based on returnees. Div. 2B – This division is loaded with talent with six teams that ranked among top 10 in the recent MSTCA X-C Poll. Once again, Holliston is the top team and will be tough to beat. The Panthers have the top two runners in the entire division with Luisi and Kuchman. Kelly’s another runner that should place high. The trio should be in that high 17-minute to sub 19-minute range. Nashoba and Wakefield look to be the squads that have the best chance to dethrone Holliston this fall, but it will be difficult. Div. 2C – Flagg is the early favorite here. As an eighth-grader last year, she won this race with an impressive 18:47 clocking She was third at the Meet of Champions the following week. Bowles appears to be her biggest threat. She was third in 2022 at the divisionals where she was timed in 19:08. She ran 18:22 on the super-fast 5K at the Twilight Invite. Dover Sherborn, Medfield and Whitinsville Christian all appear to have a shot at the title. Meet of Champions – For the last two years, Luisi has come out on top in this race. We don’t expect that to change in her final season on the trails. It could also be deja vu for Holliston in the team race, too. The Panthers appear strong enough to make it three straight. Luisi, Lynch and Maggie and Sarah Kuchman have been part of the last two. You know they’re all eyeing that third one.
