It’s time to get ready for some intense competition this weekend with the MIAA State Championships. Here we preview boys’ Div. 2A, 2B and 2C.
DIVISION STATE 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Northfield Mountain
Division 2A
Day/Time: Saturday at 2 p.m.
Teams: Brockton, Greater New Bedford, Leominster, Essek North Shore, Revere, Bristol Plymouth, Shawsheen Valley Tech, Lynn Classical, Whittier, Greater Lawrence, Blackstone Valley Regional, Tantasqua Regional, Boston Latin Academy, Northeast Metro Regional, Westfield, Masconomet Regional, Walpole, Whitman Hanson, Assabet, Minnechaug, Norwood, Westwood, Grafton, Duxbury, Somerset Berkley, Putnam Voc, Marblehead, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Dartmouth, Longmeadow, Shepherd Hill, Melrose, Canton
Runners To Watch: Luke Zahurak, Walpole; Bradon Spiess, Boston Latin Academy; Ethan Halpern, Longmeadow; CJ Deliso, Longmeadow; Drew Monson, Longmeadow
Top Teams:
Outlook: We’re expecting this race to be a close one. It’s a race that could come down to the final stretch. Our pick to win it all is Walpole’s Zahurak. He’s been the most consistent of all our top entries and has also achieved a fair level of success at Wrentham. The Timberwolves’ senior, who was unbeaten during the dual meet season, clocked a personal best of 15:34.0 at Bay State Invitational on Sept.. 27. Less than two weeks ago, he was fifth at the Bay State Conference Championships where he was timed in 15:45.1. Zahurak was fourth in this race last year, something he can turn into gold with the right kind of race. Who are some of the other runners that can make things interesting late into this race? Halpern is coming off a strong race at the WMass XC Championships where he finished second overall with a impressive 15:50.0 on a tough 5K terrain at Stanley Park. Longmeadow’s Deliso, a sophomore, was third behind Halpren at that meet . He ran a best of 15:50.4 to place sixth in the Medium School race at the Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational. Speiss is another sub-16 guy, racing to a PR of 15:47.5 at Twilight.
Longmeadow, at No. 12 in our power rankings, is the team to beat this weekend. It will be tough, though. The Lancers have some strong front runners with Halprenm Deliso and Monson leading the way. They also have the ability to pack them in tightly with a gap of less than a minute between their one and five harriers. Boston Latin Academy, Melrose and Walpole are other teams that should figure in the mix.
***
Division 2B
Day/Time: Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Teams: Northampton, Nashoba Regional, Burlington, Chelsea, Scituate, Middleboro, Dracut, Amherst-Pelham, Wayland, Bedford, Ludlow, Marlborough, Holliston, East Longmeadow, Ashland, Burncoat, Nauset Regional, Tewksbury, Danvers, Pembroke, Newburyport, Falmouth, North Middlesex, Foxborough, Medfield, Chicopee, Hanover, Groton Dunstable
Runners To Watch: Silas Gartner, Falmouth; Max Harrington, Holliston; Calvin Miller, Amherst-Pelham
Top Teams: Amherst-Pelham, Groton Dunstable
Outlook: The overwhelming favorite in this race is Gartner. The Falmouth senior looked awfully strong in winning the Small & Medium Schools race at Twilight in mid October, blazing the quick 5K in a best of 15:14.0. He was also second in the Championship race at the Ocean State Invitational on Sept. 27 and recently captured individual honor at the Cape & Islands League Championships. Timewise, Silas is ahead of last year’s pace, which is good news considering he is the defending champion in this race, a winner and the Meet of Champions and also was a qualier for the now-defunct Foot Locker Nationals. This race features eight that have dipped under 16 minutes this season with Harrington (15:38.20) and Miller (15:39.0) the strongest among the crew.
It looks as though Amherst-Pelham and Groton Dunstable, who are at No. 15 and No. 19 our power rankings, have the best chance at adding the championship banner to their respective gymnasiums. Both have similar-type squads with Amherst Pelham holding a slight edge.
***
Division 2C
Day/Time: Saturday at 11 a.m.
Teams: Apponequet Regional, Saugus, Watertown, Auburn, Wilmington, Dighton-Rehoboth, Dedham, Norton, Martha’s Vineyard, Dover-Sherborn, Medway, Weston, North Reading, Swampscott, Minutemen Regional, Oakmont, Keefe Tech, Salem, Bishop Stang, Ursuline Academy, Fontbonne Academy, Archbishop Williams, Cardinal Spellman, Bishop Fenwick, Saint Mary’s, Manchester Essex, Saint Paul Diocesan, Pope Francis Prep, Arlington Catholic, Lowell Catholic, Notre Dame Academy, Notre Dame Cristo Rey, Whitinsville Christian, Saint Bernnard’s, Falmouth Academy, Saint Mary’s High – Westfield, South Lancaster, Riverview School, Immaculate Heart of Mary School
Runners To Watch: Matthew Fitzgibbon, Weston; Asrav Mehta, Weston; Townsend Roussin, Dedham
Top Teams: Weston, Dedham, Wilmington, Dover Sherborn
Outlook: The target is squarely on the singlet of Fitzgibbon, who comes in with the most impressive resume of his rivals. The Wildcats junior was a third-place finisher in the Medium Schools race of the Twilight Invitational where he was timed in 15:42.2. Fitzgibbon is also fresh off a victory in the Foley race at the Dual County League Championships where he raced to a nearly 40-second victory with a PR of 15:41.6 at Franklin Park. His impressive race at DCL leads us ti believe that he’s capable of 15:30 or faster at Wrentham. Menta (15:57.70-) and Roussin (15:59.0) come in with a pair of sub16s and could be a factor this weekend.
With the ability to have at least three of their runners in the top 10, Weston is the favorite to capture the team crown. The battle for second coud get intense between Dedham, Wilmington and Dover Sherborn.
