Division II State Championships, 10/31/2020

Boys Team 2020

Boys Team 2020

Girls Team 2020

Girls Team 2020

Coaches Sandu, Walker, Irving

Coaches Sandu, Walker, Irving

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The long awaited 2020 Cross Country Division Championships is in the books! After a season of nervously checking each Covid email to see if this was the one that would end our season, the MVXC team made it to the last weekend in October happy and HEALTHY! The day dawned cold, but messages of encouragement from alumni warmed the hearts of coaches and athletes alike. One alumni was thrilled to hear that 4 pairs of her retired spikes and flats would be covering the rugged Derryfield course this year on new feet. That’s giving back! Another alumni sent me a photo of the course - I had no idea that the course was covered in snow. I should have expected it...2020!



After navigating the blockade of the food drive at school, all 16 athletes arrived on time and ready to go. We arrived right on time, and quickly snagged a spot in the middle, away from our usual spot, but a spot that had been cleared by a Division 1 team. We checked out our own private porta potty, and then quickly hit the trail for a last minute course walk/warm-up. Just an hour after arriving it was time to race!



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The start of the girls race was very interesting, with 4 waves started by starting pistol 10 seconds apart. It made an interesting dynamic, as you were never quite sure who was in front of whom, since it depended on which wave the runner started in. Pretty quickly it was apparent that the NHCC preview was spot-on (and how could it not be, considering it’s author), and Sophia was solidly in control of third place in the race. She held the position all the way to the finish line, finishing as the 5th fastest runner of the day across all divisions. This marks the third straight Meet of Champions qualifier for Sophia, with one year to go. No MVXC runner has ever qualified all 4 years. Next across the line was Carlie, just a few seconds ahead of Samantha. Just a bit behind Samantha was Victoria, who actually placed as the second runner for MV on the day, as she started in wave 3, 20 seconds down. She also ran a huge PR of a minute - on a tough course in snowy, slippery conditions. Wow! Not far behind the pack of three was MacNeill, crossing as our 5th runner and sealing the point total. Liz, with yet another PR, and Alyssa finished off the racing for MV. Overall, it was a very good day for the girls - we raced well, and more than anything we actually had the opportunity to race. The girls also beat three teams on the day, placing 13th out of 16 teams competing. While the season is over for most of the team, Sophia will be racing next weekend at MOC’s in Nashua.

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Within a couple minutes, the four starting waves of the boys race had integrated together and the MV pack of Marshall, Oliver and Elisha had formed once again. Jostling for position up towards the front of the race was Ethan who had his sights set on one of the five individual MOC-qualifier spots. Maintaining his position as the fifth MV runner for the entire race, Mark demonstrated his determination to overcome a season-long injury with a strong run. The last two MV spots were a battle between Trevor and Jack. Both boys ran arguably their best races of the season with Jack earning a shiny new PR (don’t forget it, Jack) and Trevor running his second fastest time ever. Jack, who had been battling a nagging injury, finished as MV’s 6th runner with Trevor closing out the top 7. Though it was harder to maintain a tight pack in a big race like this, the tenacious trio sprinted hard to the snowy finish line with Marshall as our #2 runner, Oliver as our #3, and senior Elisha as our #4. Only 26 seconds separated them which made for an exciting finish. The boys team earned a solid 11th place, bettering their placement from last year by one spot. The major highlight of the day came from senior Ethan. Qualifying for the Meet of Champions was a bit different this year as the top 5 schools qualify and then the next five individuals that are not part of those qualifying schools make it as well. As soon as the results were posted, Coach Irving did the calculations and it looked like Ethan had snagged the final spot. However, no one fully trusted the science teacher’s math abilities, so we had to hold off on our excitement. As soon as we heard “Ethan Dodenhoff of Merrimack Valley” over the speakers, the team erupted in cheer, making for a perfect happy ending to a fantastic day (and to Ethan’s MV cross country career). The team left Derryfield Park in high spirits thanks to tough and inspiring performances from everyone.

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Away @ John Stark, 10/23/2020

Teammates!

Teammates!

MacNeill Leads The Pack

MacNeill Leads The Pack

The final regular season meet of the year saw MV travelling to John Stark, home of the “Sidehill Wampus” (so much sidehilling and ankle-rolling!). The weather was cool and damp, very good conditions for running. Both teams were ready to roll and it showed, as the boys added another victory by the narrowest of margins (27 to 28) and the girls scored their first win of the season with another close score, 26 to 29. Dual meets don’t get much better!

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The girls were off the line first, and right away it looked like it was going to be a challenging day, as five John Stark Generals were stretched out in a line behind Sophia, trailed by the rest of the Pride. However, there’s a reason that cross country races are 5 kilometers long - the race goes to the determined. Fortitudine Vincimus! And conquer they did, in beautiful style. While up front Sophia had no issue cruising to easy victory, drama played out behind. Samantha, never losing her cool, worked her way up through the ranks of the Generals, eventually putting sizable distance between her and all but one, finishing third. Carlie moved forward as well, passing 4 Stark runners over the second half of the race, including one in a crazy kick (“I couldn’t feel my legs!”) down the homestretch. Challenging Carlie for race of the day, MacNeill started in the second wave, 20 seconds back of wave one, and not only caught several wave one runners, but also ran one down in the homestretch. Victoria was next across, sealing the win for MV. Liz, also from wave two, punched her ticket to the State Meet with a 6th place for the team, while Alyssa ran a solid race to finish as MV’s 7th.


Violet exemplified guts and grit with her run, hobbling in with a wounded foot but no excuses. Emmaleigh, meanwhile, got a big enough headstart at the end to avoid Anna’s killer kick (and Anna’s lunch), both dipping under the 30 minute mark on a tough course. Taylor ran her best race of the year, powering up the back hills and kicking down the finish straight to close things out for MV and a fantastic day of racing.

  • Coach Irving

Wave Two Start

Wave Two Start

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Having won their last matchup with John Stark only 48 hours prior, the boys looked confident on the starting line (Especially Trevor who ensured Coach Walker multiple times, “We’re gonna win today”). Right before the start of the race, Marshall, Oliver, and Elisha were given one simple instruction: stay together. As the race unfolded they did exactly that, finishing within 15 seconds of each other in a solid pack of three. Up at the front of the race, Ethan was challenged for the win by John Stark’s number one runner. Not having the home course advantage this time, Ethan finished strong for second place and gained some valuable racing experience. In his first race back from injury, Mark battled for the fifth spot with Trevor. Though they started in different waves, both boys put up a strong fight to close out the top 5 and secure the win. While it was Trevor who crossed the line first, Mark posted a time 11 seconds faster and ultimately grabbed the fifth spot. After some confusion with the course map, Ryan lit up the track with a strong finish for the 7th spot. Chris, Zach, Bryce and Aidan ran tough and rounded out the rest of the team, closing out a successful day for MV. The kick of the day for the boys goes to Aidan, who went from 0 to 100 in 0.5 seconds and sprinted through a tunnel of his screaming teammates and coaches.

- Coach Walker

Home with Bishop Brady and John Stark

Senior Ethan, 6 years on MVXC, races to a solo victory in his last race on the home course.

Senior Ethan, 6 years on MVXC, races to a solo victory in his last race on the home course.

Senior Elisha, in his third year on MVXC, splits a pair of John Stark runners en route to a great time.

Senior Elisha, in his third year on MVXC, splits a pair of John Stark runners en route to a great time.

Great running weather, lots of spectating parents, and three competing teams instead of two, sort of brought back some normalcy to our cross country meet today, or at least it felt so. It was a good day and the boy's victory over John Stark and Bishop Brady, the little ceremony to recognize outgoing seniors, and the cupcake feast afterwards made it all feel even more special. Despite missing several runners due to injuries, the MV boys won the team competition with a score of 31 points. Senior Ethan Doddenhoff led the way placing 1st overall with a season-best ( 18:11). Marshall Carey Matthews battled a couple of challengers over the last quarter mile to also run a very fine time (19:01) and place 5th. Senior Elisha Doddenhoff (19:34) and sophomore Oliver Forsha (19:35) battled each other and, in the process, managed to outlast a runner from John Stark who ran with them most of the way. They placed 6th and 7th, respectively. Rounding out our top five and scoring in the team competition was Trevor Latorella who ran another personal best (21:18)

Thanks for the miles, Elisha and Ethan!

Thanks for the miles, Elisha and Ethan!




First-year runner Zach Lauren pushed Latorella over the early part of the race snd then finished strong with a time of 22:53 which was good for 16th place. Another first-year runner, freshman Christopher Morgan, placed 20th in a personal best time of 24:22, despite missing a week due to illness. Finally, Aidan Angus rumbled down the home stretch in 33:40 as our last man, yet to the loudest cheers and applause of the spectators reminding us all once again of the great spirit in our sport.

- Guest Writer Coach Sandu




Senior Carlie, 5th year MVXC, races though the first mile.

Senior Carlie, 5th year MVXC, races though the first mile.

Much to their dismay (and my delight), the girls discovered that they were to be the second race of the day. All except Sophia, as she ran unattached in the boys race in order to experience running in a pack to prepare for the State Meet. A former MV student now attending Brady, Abby Shagena placed a strong second in the race, deserving of a mention here as she did complete in track all three years in middle school, so we can claim her! The top MV runner on the day was Sam-a-lama, who looked in the ravine as if the troll under the bridge might eat her for supper, yet once again found the inner strength and mental fortitude (there’s that word again!) to close the gap on those ahead over the final mile. Close on her heels was Carlie, this year’s model of consistency. Running her second-best time ever, she closed out her home course career in style. And her shoes now hang in the senior shoe tree (fairly low - an easy mark for anyone seeking free running shoes of a particular size). Next across was MacN...WHAT!?! Mac’s back! MacNeill ran her race of the year to place 4th for the team in her best race since 10th grade, smiling all the way. A 7 year veteran of the MV team, it was a fitting way to bid adieu to the home course. Also, after about 26,004 attempts and 6 hours, her shoes also hang in the senior shoe tree. Somehow Coach Walker survived the necessary rescues necessitated by MacNeill’s shoes winding up in the wrong tree…

Senior MacNeill, in her 7 year (!) in MVXC, races the final mile of the home course. Smiley as ever!

Senior MacNeill, in her 7 year (!) in MVXC, races the final mile of the home course. Smiley as ever!

Speaking of come-backs, Violet was across as the 5th runner in a great time, only a few seconds back of MacNeill. The Alyssa/Victoria duo was next to cross, with a switch up (to be fair, of course) of the finishing order. Our 8th finisher was the ever-improving, and most positive person you’ll ever meet, Liz. Yet another PR! I’m telling you Liz, you get that donkey running and head to Colorado for some burro racing. Look it up, it’s a thing! Otherwise Odie and I are heading west without you. Call me crazy, but did you know we have the state record holder in the race-walk mile as an alumni? All because we noticed no one could keep up with her on course walks. You never know! 9th across for MV, and certainly not walking, was Anna (quote of the day today - “Oh, that’s why you call her the Herrmannator!” - Alyssa), followed closely by Emmaleigh in 10th throwing down a ginormous kick. Trinity was next, somehow managing a solid time and a kick at the end despite finishing on a sprained ankle that has ended her season. That’s toughness! Taylor was the next runner in, with a time that was IDENTICAL to her time at Hopkinton, a much easier course. Every practice, every race, Taylor always gives 100% and has a fan club that she doesn’t even know about. It’s true! Hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.

- Staff Writer Coach Irving

Thanks for the miles and smiles, MacNeill and Carlie!

Thanks for the miles and smiles, MacNeill and Carlie!

Away @ Bow, 10/14/2020

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Among the more interesting things in cross country running is the fact that unlike most other playing “fields”, no two cross country courses are the same. While they are all different, some do start to feel overly familiar when you run them year in and year out. Which is why going to Bow was so unique - never in the history of MVXC have we ever run that course! A brand new never-ever course! Should have brought my disc golf discs…

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Lined up team-pursuit style, the MV girls in the first group were sent out 30 seconds ahead of Bow’s first group, then the next MV group, then Bow’s second group, followed by a final wave of Bow runners. While interesting in that runners were all over the place and there may have been some fun pursuing and keep-away-ing going on, it made it quite complicated to tell who was really where. The exception, of course, was Sophia up front playing keep away. While she never did get to the point where she could play a whole 18 holes of disc golf in the Bow woods (there was a course on the trail), she did find time to cast a line or two in the secret pond out back. She also ended the #1 Bow girls season-long undefeated streak.

As the uppy-downy course played out, it was clear that the fall leaves inspired one MV runner - Victoria. Steadily moving ever forward, she crept up to the point of touching Carlie on the shoulder, while Carlie, arriving at the thankfully flat track that contained exactly ZERO hills, threw in a “goodbye kick” to maintain seniority, for now. Samantha, racing at approximately 13,000 feet elevation, cruised in for a solid 4th position on the team. Alyssa, taking a momentary break from her list of activities that is too long to list here, was our 5th runner on the day. Next up was Liz, whose blistering kick down the final stretch caused lane one to melt into bubbling, boiling, rubber. Liz doesn’t do the end of practice strides each day, and now I know the true reason. She’s saving the speed!

Looking at the results shows a true rarity; in fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it in an XC race. A tie! MacNeill tied for 19th with a Bow runner. Photo evidence please, because we know Smiley Mac can outkick anyone (except Anna)! Speaking of Anna, she was the next one in, followed closely by Violet. Next race we expect to see the cartwheel into a split move you practice every day at practice. Emmaleigh finished strong in the middle of a sea of Bow girls, followed by strong races from Trinity and Taylor, who no doubt did not forget to enjoy the beauty of the fall leaves as they ran gracefully through the beauty of an October fall day.

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With no official starting gun or horn, the coaches were caught off guard when the boys sprinted out for what appeared to be a warmup stride but never stopped. The first wave (consisting of everyone except for Trevor and Aiden) got off to a quick start on the hilly course as Bow’s top boys chased them from a 30-second staggered start. In the second wave of MV runners, Trevor vocally expressed his disdain for Bow’s race-starting system and cursed his way throughout the entire 5 kilometers. In the latter half of the first loop, Bow had caught up to MV’s top runners and started forming a gap. Ethan held on for dear life but Bow clearly had the advantage on their home course. Within striking distance of Ethan was the power duo of Marshall and Oliver, both taking an aggressive approach on the tough course. Behind them, Elisha pushed hard to keep the top four close together. This order remained the same as the top four sprinted to the finish line within 50 seconds of each other. The battle for MV’s fifth spot took place between Jack and Trevor, despite the fact that they started in separate waves and their true placement wouldn’t be known until the end of the race. In the end, Jack closed out the top five for MV and ran a minute faster than last Saturday, proving how important it is to keep pushing in the last mile. Though Trevor’s outspoken wrath continued past the finish line, he still finished as MV’s 6th runner and earned a solid time on a difficult course. Finishing five seconds after him was Ryan who was still feeling dizzy after having to cartwheel around spectators during the race. Zach finished ten seconds behind him to complete a strong MV trio. In only his second race since being a part of the injury crew, Aiden closed out the race for MV with a hard rally to the finish. Accounting for the difficulty of Bow’s course, the MV boys look poised to make a statement at Saturday’s home meet.






Away @ Pembroke, 10/10/2020

Results at bottom of page (photos)

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After a cool week of great running weather, Saturday dawned a little on the warm side. Regardless, the MVXC team was up early for a duel meet at Pembroke, well rested from a hard-fought battle of Nuke-em the day before.

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In a change of order, it was boys first, girls second over the PA trails. The boys team left their watches at home and channeled their inner racers, earning their first win of the season. The start of wave #1 saw Elisha at the front of the pack with Oliver right by his side, showing off a new competitive edge that his coaches were excited to see. Marshall started patiently in the middle of the pack, calculating the most efficient tangents and splits in his head per usual. The rest of the boys in wave #1 packed up, not letting any green jerseys out of their sight.

If any injured runners are looking for a quick remedy, playing nuke-em the day before a race seems to do the trick seeing as every member of the injured crew toed the line on Saturday! This included the return of MV’s top runner Ethan, who joined wave #2. Starting a minute behind the first wave proved to be an advantage for Ethan as he caught up to his brother within the first ten minutes of the race.

One of the most notable differences between the boys on Saturday was the way each of them responded to the coaches during the race. When told to close a gap, Oliver and Marshall responded by immediately picking up the pace. The top 5 finished with 23 points to Pembroke’s 34.

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Ethan, who finished right behind Elisha in a sibling sprint to the finish, took the overall win and dipped under 19 for the first time this season. Marshall closed hard to take 4th overall with Oliver finishing close behind. The finish of the day went to Trevor “I can’t kick, Coach” Latorella. With a Pembroke runner right on his heels in the final stretch, Trevor endured the frantic yelling of all three coaches as they tried to convince him that he needed to get to the finish first in order to earn the team win. Though we later learned that the win was already secured, Trevor still managed to hold off Pembroke’s #4 runner with a kick in the last ten meters of the race. The rest of the boys finished off the race strong, and gained valuable experience competing on a slower course.

The boys celebrated their first win by taking a picture with Uncle Spartan

(legend has it, Ethan and Elisha’s long lost uncle was frozen and turned into a Spartan statue, destined to watch over the Pembroke Academy campus forever).

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The girls race set off in one wave down the track, around the softball field, and into the woods. Sophia was soon out of sight of everyone, on her way to winning by one of the largest margins in memory, slightly over 5 minutes. A pack of three Pembroke runners were the next to cross, followed by Carlie who ran a well-paced effort and was able to run down PA’s 4th runner. After the 4th Spartan came the duo of Alyssa and Victoria, who for the second straight race ran side-by-side the entire way. Teamwork makes the dream work! Victoria managed to outkick Alyssa this time around, evening out the finish order. Fair is fair! Finishing fifth for MV was Violet, who came from out of nowhere over the final mile. That pace for the first two miles and she may have been on Sophia’s shoulder! Next in was Liz, who along with Violet was able to run down and past PA’s 5th runner. Liz, as the 6th runner, may not score on the day, but does serve as a displacement runner, knocking back the score of PA’s 5th. Emmaleigh, over a hard-fought final half mile, also managed to catch and pass the 5th Spartan, but the home crown was able to urge one final charge out of the competition, who managed a last-ditch kick to finish just ahead of Emmaleigh. Trinity and Taylor emerged from the woods less than a minute apart to round out the day for the Pride.







Away @ Hopkinton, 10/3/2020

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A beautiful morning and a flat course foretold fast times at the second meeting of the week between the MV and Hopkinton Harriers. Losing the traditional fairgrounds course due to covid-related insurance issues, Hopkinton showed off a new course at Houston Fields, behind the library. Upon arriving, the team was treated to a display of collegiate running as the Franklin Pierce (Coach Walker’s alma mater) XC crew was running a workout. They would later work the race as well.



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As usual, the girls were the first to the line - er - socially distanced cones. After an awkward horn start (wait, does that sound mean go?) they were off, charging across two football fields and onto the “story trail”. Before long Sophia opened up a gap that would eventually enable her to read some of the stories on the trail by her third lap. I believe she got through Moby Dick, War and Peace, and Song of Hiawatha, although she wasn’t too enthralled with the rhyme scheme of Hiawatha (“I thought poems were supposed to rhyme?”). She would go on to win by almost two minutes. After a group of Hopkinton Hawks flew past, Carlie and...who’s that?...SAMANTHA!...Samalama in her first race of the year. They would continue to run close to each other the whole race, until Sam put in a bit of a surge over the final loop to pass the two runners in front of her, thus ensuring the scoring differential was two points better than Wednesday. Less than a minute behind the Carlie-Sam duo came another duo - working together the entire race, putting the TEAM in teammates - Alyssa and Victoria. They crossed with almost identical times, times that each represented sizable PR’s for each, and the second PR in a row for Victoria. The pairings continued for the remainder of the race, although not quite as equal as these two. Smiley, aka MacNeill, was the next across, followed by another PR streaker, Liz. Then in the kick of the day, throwing enough dust to obscure the sun, Violet vs Anna. After some back and forth (“who’s it going to be! Oh, it’s Anna! No, it’s Violet!?) the soon-to-be-famous kick of Anna won out. Emmaleigh was next across, closing in on the 30 minute barrier, with Trinity not too far behind. Taylor ran her best race of the young season to close things out for the girls team.

The boys have been talking a lot lately about the importance of getting out fast in a race. On Saturday, Ryan decided to take it to the next level by demonstrating a four-point sprinter stance at the starting line. We’ll get you some starting blocks for the next home meet, Ryan! Having just raced Hopkinton three days prior, the boys were ready to take advantage of the perfect weather and fast course.

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With the absence of Ethan, Elisha and Marshall’s main objective was to break up Hokinton’s top guys. From the start, Elisha executed this perfectly by positioning himself right in the mix of his competitors. Marshall took a more patient approach and ran safely behind the pack, waiting to unleash his signature kick. The rest of the boys didn’t hold anything back as they proved the effectiveness of pack-running.

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In the final stretch, Elisha finished off his near-perfect race with a shiny new cross country PR and the top spot for MV. Marshall came flying in behind him, completing a one-two punch and slipping under the 20-minute barrier. In an epic battle to the finish, Oliver was overtaken by Hopkinton’s #4 runner, but the gap to Elisha and Marshall is closing each week. Next up, the pack of Jack, Trevor, Ryan and Zach finished within a span of 20 seconds of each other without letting a single Hopkinton runner break them up. Chris, who battled with a Hopkinton runner for the majority of the race, finished with another huge PR of 25:09. That’s over FIVE minutes off his time from a few days prior. Overall, the boys made up for the loss of one of their top guys with a strong fight against Hopkinton.


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Home with Hopkinton, 9/30/2020

Results Link Click Here - Boys

Results Link Click Here - Girls

While the dry wells and rocky riverbeds were disappointed to see the rain move out earlier than expected, a silver lining of beautiful weather for running arrived in time for the races. With socially distant starting “dots” instead of a line, the girls lined up (or is it “dotted up?” first for the first home running event since October 2019.

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Just as the rain departed early, so did Sophia Reynolds depart from the pack of runners, taking the lead for good at the 1 meter mark. Already in the 3rd mile of a 5 mile workout, Sophia “accidentally” ran a minute too fast over the first mile (“My watch said 7:05!”, as she came through close to 6:15). Carlie, running a little bit of a yo-yo race - faster, slower, faster, slower...etc. - was the #2 MV runner across the line for the second straight week, with a time almost 2 minutes faster than the week before. Alyssa, Victoria, and MacNeill were the remaining scorers and the next finishers, each running a bit of a solo effort for the entire way but in sight of each other, and each multiple minutes faster than the previous week. In fact, Victoria cut over TWO MINUTES off her PR from a year ago. Among the remaining runners, Liz notably also ran a rather sizable PR, probably due to the “fighter face” she carried for the majority of the first half of the race.

Anna cracked the 30 minute barrier for the first time this year, and even got the chance to throw down her trademark kick at the end, outdistancing a Hopkinton runner. Emmaleigh powered through to almost break 30, while newcomer Macie was not too far behind. Trinity and Taylor each showed multiple-minute improvements over last week to wrap things up for the MV girls.





After a tough race at Coe-Brown, the boys were determined to make a statement on their home course and this was a perfect opportunity to practice being competitive as a team. At the sound of Sandu’s air horn, they sprinted away from their socially-distanced starting dots. Motivated by watching professional races on Youtube all day, an ambitious Zach immediately took the lead, eager to lower his PR from the week before. Luckily, Zach slowed to a much more reasonable pace as the initial adrenaline rush settled.

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As they approached the first mile, a pack of Hopkinton’s top boys had broken away, but Ethan was not far behind. Marshall and Elisha crossed the first mile marker right after Ethan, followed by a strong duo of Oliver and Jack, and then a trio of Ryan, Zach, and Trevor while Chris battled for a PR behind them. Before the race, the boys were advised to work together and try to pack up, so seeing this play out felt like a victory in itself (not to mention the slew of PR’s and improvements that would come later).

While the ravine section of the course was grueling for many of the runners, it also allowed the boys to reap the benefits of last week’s hill workout. Ethan (who eats hills for breakfast) powered through the ravine, but lingering injury pains held him back and he lost contact with Hopkinton’s top guys. The final stretch of the race saw many breakthroughs for the boys. Marshall was able to translate his impressive workouts at practice over to a strong finish in 5th place as MV’s #1 runner, cutting off over a minute from his time last week. Elisha came in right behind him, helping to prevent Hopkinton from sweeping the race. Ethan pushed through the pain in his foot to take the 3rd spot on the team with Oliver right on his heels taking the 4th spot. Jack kicked it in for the 5th spot to give the team a solid 39 points.

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The cross country rookie Zach sprinted to a big PR of 22:03, shaving a minute off his time from last week and putting him one step closer on his quest for sub-20. After working together the entire race, Trevor closed out the top 7 with Ryan close behind. Not only did Ryan shave a whopping SIX minutes off his time from last week (yes, he was sick last week but still…), he also scored a new lifetime PR. Chris walked away with a three (!!) minute PR, and the second largest week-long improvement of the day. Chris also deserves a shout out for completing the entire 6-mile training run last week even though he was only required to do the first three miles. Hard work pays off! Based on the work ethic of this group of boys, I’d say the improvements this season will be plentiful.