It’s only a matter of time before we get our first real glimpse of some of the top teams and athletes this cross-country season. While the competitive portion of the season begins on Sept. 7 with the Vineyard Invitational and the MSTCA XC Relays, we expect that will come later in the month at statewide meets like the Frank Kelley Invitational (Sept. 21) and the Bay State Invitational (Sept. 28).
The next few weeks, Bay State Running will be preview how we expect things will possibly transpire on the dirt trails. We’re going to break it down by divisions and sub divisions (e.g. 1A, 2B, 3C). Here we feature Division 1A boys and girls.
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BOYS
DIVISION 1A
Teams: St. John Prep, Lowell, Framingham, Lexington, Boston College High, Newton North, Brookline, Wachusett, Taunton, Methuen, Shrewsbury, Newton South, Cambridge Rindge & Latin, Lawrence, Haverhill, New Bedford, Acton-Boxborough, Needham, Attleboro, Weymouth, Franklin, Andover, Saint John’s
Top Athletes: John Wilson, BC High; Lysander Duffield, Brookline; Paulino Guevara Mateo, Patrick Noonan, Lexington; Alex Friedman, Newton South; Altamo Aschkenasy, Brookline; Greg McGrath, BC High; Shamus Larnard, BC High;
Outlook: Individually, we have five runners that place among the top 10 at last year’s meet with Wilson (third), Guevara-Mateo (fifth), Noonan (sixth), Friedman (seventh), and McGrath (ninth) returning. We’re listing Wilson and Guevara Mateo as the top contenders for the title. And it’s not just because of their top finishes at the divisionals. Both runners also had a very strong outdoor season. Wilson registered bests of 9:11.78 for the two mile and 4:19.07 for the mile. His best on the trails in 2023-24 was 15:38.43, which he did to place fourth in the Div. 1 race at the Meet of Champions. Guevara-Mateo twice went 9:11 for the deuce last spring and clocked a PR of 4:21 for the mile. In X-C, he was sixth at the MOC with a time of 15:47.51 and was second in his race at the Frank Kelley Invite with a PR of 15:41.60.
Among some of the stronger teams this season are Brookline, Newton South, Lexington and Boston College High. By the looks of it now, this could be a close battle between these teams as all four lost just two or three harriers from last year. Newton South is the defending champion. The Lions lost three to graduation, including their top finisher, Ilan Sherman-Kadash (second).
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GIRLS
DIVISION 1A
Teams: Lowell, Framingham, Lexington, Newton North, Brookline, Wachusett, Taunton, Methuen, Shrewsbury, Newton South, Cambridge Rindge & Latin, Lawrence, Haverhill, New Bedford, Acton-Boxborough, Needham, Attleboro, Weymouth, Franklin, Andover, Boston Latin, Braintree, Westford Academy, Durfee, Natick
Top Athletes: Aoife Shovlin, Cambridge Rindge & Latin; Greta Hammer, Needham; Gracie Richard, Weymouth; Sasha Lamakina, Framingham; Abigail Hennessey, Westford Academy
Outlook: We have to give the favorite nod to Shovlin, who won last year’s title and is the two-time defending DI titlist at the MOC. The talented senior, a Foot Looker Nationals finalist in 2023, has proven the last two years that cross-country is her forte where she has consistently been in the low -to-mid 18-minute range for the 5K distance. Shovlin has a best of 17:58.84 from her fifth-place finish as a sophomore at the Div. IA meet in 2022. Keep an eye on Hennessey. The Ghosts’ outstanding junior was second at last year’s meet with a time of 18:49.78. We believe she’s capable of a low 18-minute effort, possible sub-18 at the championship meets based on how she did this past spring. Hennessey registered bests of 4:45.70 for the mile and 2:09.82 for the 800m at the New Balance Nationals. She also has 59-second speed for the 400m. If the race is close down the stretch, you have to give her the edge with her footspeed. Don’t ignore Hammer, too. She only ran a few races last cross-country season and finished with a season best of 18:16.60 at the Bay State Conference Championships at Wrentham. She didn’t run the divisionals or the MOC. As a sophomore, Hammer clocked her PR of 17:51.57 t take third at the divisionals and was second overall at the MOC.
At last year’s meet, Cambridge Rindge & Latin edged Weymouth by three points for the team crown. CB&L lost two from that team, while Weymouth will be minus just one. Newton North, Lexington, Needham and Westford Academy should also be in the mix. We’re listing Weymouth as the team to beat. The Wildcats top six will be back on the line, including three – Richard (third), Isabella Galusha (14th) and Kate Carnes (15th) – that were among the top 15.
