Over the past few weeks, our cross-country previews have focused on the top teams to watch. With the competitive season kicking off Sept. 6, we’re turning the spotlight to some of the state’s best returning runners. This fall features five returning champions from last year’s Meet of Champions — setting up what promises to be an exciting campaign.
We’ll begin with one of those victors: Needham’s Greta Hammer. The Rockets’ runner had a year to remember as a junior, and it all started during cross country. Hammer was lights out in most of her races throughout the fall campaign. She broke 18 minutes five times, including a PR of 17:32.0 at the Bay State Conference Championships on Oct. 26. That meet would just be a warmup for what was in store the remainder of the season. Hammer was the Division 1A titlist and also claimed victory at the Meet of Champions. She continued her excellence on the trails by earning a trip to the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Seattle with a runner-up finish at the NXN-Northeast Regionals in New York. The Needham star was the individual winner in the two mile during the indoor and outdoor season at the Meet of Champions with a best of 10:21.48 at the winter competition. Based on what transpired last year, the encore looks very promising for Hammer for her final high school season. Along with a healthy Abby Hennessy (Westford Academy), the Needham senior should be considered one of the favorites, if not, THE favorite to repeat the magic again at the Meet of Champions and continue onto the postseason with another trip to Nike in late November.
