Our Club completed one of its most successful cross country seasons ever this past weekend when our girl’s 13-14 team won the National Jr. Olympic Championship in Myrtle Beach, SC with 131 points, just ahead of the San Diego Road Runners, who had 143 points.  This is the third national title for the Club and the eighth time that we have scored in the top five, including two second place finishes and one third.  It was also the fourth major win of the season for the girls after victories at the Boston Mayor’s Cup, Wayland Festival and New England Championships.

The times on the national course, which was run at the Whispering Pines Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, were extremely fast, making the team’s win even more impressive.  Teams from New England are much more accustomed to more challenging, hilly courses, so adjusting to a flat, extremely fast course was a real challenge.  The Club’s top four girls all covered the first mile in under 5:39 and then came through the two mile under 11:52, finishing the full 4k course just 19 seconds apart.  “I stated after the Regional meet three weeks that our strength was our ability to run as a pack”, stated an elated Coach Joe Tranchita.  “To have executed so well at such an intense, high level competition speaks volumes for their physical abilities and mental focus.  This was just an outstanding performance and tremendous achievement”.

The Club’s 11-12 girl’s team also ran well, finishing 6th with 197 points, while the boy’s 11-12 team was 10th with 281 points.  The girl’s team showed great promise for the future as they placed their top six runners within 35 seconds of each other.  “This experience will hopefully provide these girls the impetus to come back next year with the goal of equally what our older girls were able to accomplish.  If they continue to improve over the coming year, they could be a real force next season”.

13-14 GIRL’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM SCORING PERFORMANCES – LEAH BRAMS WAS 11TH IN 14:40.38, REBECCA GRUSBY WAS 16TH TEAM IN 14:49.62, LAUREN ILSLEY WAS 20TH IN 14:55.08, SONYA JAMPEL WAS 24TH IN 14:59.1, COURTNEY AYLAIAN WAS 60TH IN 15:49.02, ZOE GOMPERS WAS 71ST IN 16:02.7,CHARLOTTE SYKES WAS 126TH IN 17:29.79, LINDSEY MOGAN WAS 129TH TEAM IN 17:33.62

11-12 GIRL’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM SCORING PERFORMANCES – CLARE MARTIN WAS 26TH IN 11:16.85, GABBY VANDENDRIES WAS 36TH IN 11:25.96, EINAT GAVISH WAS 38TH IN 11:30.74, MICHAELA JONES WAS 45TH IN 11:39.6, ALEX WOLF WAS 52D IN 11:48.9, CATHERINE DEGROOT WAS 54TH IN 11:50.97, OLIVIA VERNON WAS  55TH IN 11:51.84, ROSE TESZLER WAS 80TH IN 12:16.94

11-12 BOY’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM SCORING PERFORMANCES – DANIEL O’DONOGHUE WAS 16TH IN 10:18.87, MICHAEL O’DONOGHUE WAS 39TH IN 10:42.63, CALVIN PERKINS WAS 45TH IN 10:44.22,HENDERSON SYKES WAS 89TH IN 11:15.83, ANDREW MAH WAS 92D IN 11:17.31, JACOB JAMPEL WAS 121 IN 11:43.18, STEVE INGMAN WAS 131 IN 11:52.1, SEAN O’NEILL WAS 133 IN 11:55.52