Bright skies and warm temperatures greeted the field at the Inaugural Marshvegas classic. A perfect day to get your feet wet.
Freshmen 1.5 Mile Race
Freshmen races started the day, which gave the 9th grade boys the first opportunity to traverse the euro style course. The Marshfield Rams started the day strong, taking the first five spots. Connor Rightmire won the 1.5 Mile race in 7:34, just over five-minute mile pace. The podium was a Patriot League party as teams from the South Shore turned out in full force for the new race.
It was almost a Rams sweep, but Leah Cogan of Dennis-Yarmouth traveled up from the cape to take the crown in the girl’s race in 10:32. Marshfield Elle Ablondi and Diya Prabhu were second and third in 10:34 and 10:38.
Junior Varsity 2.3 Mile Race
In the Junior Varsity races, the runners took on a different layout around the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Plymouth South’s Joseph DiMartinis took the win in 13:08 for the 2.3 Mile course, a few ticks ahead of Elijah Viera Green of Holliston in 13:12.
In the girls Junior Varsity race, North Andover took over from the start and never looked back. They crowded the podium taking the first 13 spots. Olive Larosa was the victor, crossing the line 15:36.
Varsity 5K
The Varsity Races returned to the traditional 5K distance, which meant more hay bales and more trips over the water pit.
After a strong showing at the Clipper Relays, the North Andover boys came in looking to show what they can do in a full team race, and did not disappoint. Their top four all finished in the top ten, between 17:04 and 16:53. Tucker LaRosa was their top performer in 16:53, Brogan Zwinggi finished right on his heels in 16:54. Liam Rand was their fifth scorer coming in at 17th in 17:28.
The Scarlet Knights top four also finished in order, taking 7-10. As we progress through the season it will be worth watching how tight that pack remains. North Andover has solidified themselves as a team to watch for the rest of the season.
The Brookline Boys also deserve their flowers as well. As noted in our preview, they rested their top five from their first meet against Natick, which gave the rest of their team a chance to shine, and shine they did. They finished second, just 10 points behind North Andover. Their biggest performance came from Aiden Vandor, who finished second overall in PR of 16:27. That performance should give the Warriors confidence in their prospects at full strength the rest of the season.
Nathan Palmieri of Pembroke was the overall winner in 16:25. Palmieri is one of the top contenders in Division 2 this season, and this was his first test of the season. The hay bales and water pit weren’t a problem for the junior, as he passed this early season challenge with flying colors.
Like the victors in the boy’s race, the Boston Latin Academy Girls came in with a strong performance from a relay meet and were looking to prove what they could to do in a traditional meet. The fans onsite at the Marshfield Fair Grounds were treated to a show as they punctuated their win with a 1-2 finish. Sara Blanco of Boston Latin Academy finished all alone in 19:34, about as clear a statement as you can make that she’s a contender to watch. Her teammate Anjuli Claire Szydlo was able to hold off Kylee Beaudoin of Sandwich for second place and run 20:24 to Beaudoin’s 20:28.
Boston Latin Academy was able to hold off North Andover for the win in 56 points to the Scarlet Knights 58. North Andover put forth a valiant effort led by Julia Kroon, who finished in 21:06 for seventh place. They were able to get their first seven runners in before Boston Latin Academy’s first five, showing that every scoring runner matters. That kind of depth will serve them well later in the season at larger races.
In the end it wasn’t enough to overcome Boston Latin Academy. This was a great challenge for the Dragons as they emerge as one of the top teams in Division 2. Last year they were third at the Meet of Champions with the same group they have now. Keep an eye on them, as they will have theirs on the top prize come November.
