This past weekend featured two of the biggest invites of the season for the Bay State so it should come as no surprise this week’s rankings contain a lot of movement. Some teams confirmed what we already believed, while others seemed to come out of nowhere. A few teams struggled, perhaps due to the unseasonably warm weather Saturday. The Championship Races at Ocean State went off smack dab in the middle of the afternoon. Still, there was a lot to celebrate.
None more so than at the Ocean State Invitational, where Massachusetts had a dominant showing. Our top three teams went 1-2-3 in the Championship Race. Lexington retakes the #1 spot after winning with an impressive score of 63 points. Westford Academy finished runner up with 76 points and Billerica was third with 86 points. Those are impressive scores in what may have been a preview of the Meet of Champions in November. Last season, Westford Academy topped Lexington by four points, 118-122. It’s also worth noting that Billerica was without their #1 runner, and runner up at the Meet of Champions last season, Gianna McGowan. This year’s championship race should be one for the ages. It won’t stop there, as all three of these teams will be contenders on the regional scene.
Bishop Feehan makes their triumphant return to the rankings after winning the Varsity B Race over Wachusett, who make their debut at #12. Natick also makes their debut at 11 after winning the Varsity 1 Race at Ocean State over Central Catholic. The Redhawks have flown under the radar this season in the Bay State Conference, falling to both Needham and Wellesley. This win was a great look at their potential. Their addition makes it a total of six teams from the Bay State Conference on our list. Speaking of which, they have a major dual meet today against Weymouth. Keep an eye out for the results as they become available. North Andover makes their debut at #18 after a strong race at Bay State.
Westwood maintains their position at seven after heading into this weekend with some questions to answer, as they are without their number one runner from last season. They passed the test with flying colors as they won the Varsity A race over Amherst Pelham. The Hurricanes move up six spots for their effort. The race for the Division 2 title at the Meet of Champions should be fantastic as these two teams were separated by only nine points.
- Lexington +1
- Westford Academy +1
- Billerica
- Winchester
- Needham +1
- Newton North
- Westwood
- Concord-Carlisle +1
- Bishop Feehan
- Amherst Pelham +6
- Natick
- Wachusett
- Cambridge Rindge & Latin
- Weymouth
- Norwell
- Wellesley
- Whitinsville Christian
- North Andover
- Notre-Dame Academy
- Braintree
Honorable Mentions: Arlington, North Quincy, Lenox Memorial, Hampshire Regional, Melrose, Northampton
