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This coming Saturday the State Class Meets kick off with some classic match-ups. Class II hosts some of the best runners in the state, with the girls charging off at 9:30AM. There will still be a slight bite to the air when they arrive, but by race time the temperature will be in the balmy 40's.
Dennis-Yarmouth is one of the favored teams. It doesn't hurt to start off with Colleen Weatherbee, arguably the most dominant runner in the state. She has cruised through all her competition undefeated and unchallenged. Not far behind will be Brooke Fallon, a sophomore who was 12th in this meet last year. In the Coaches Invitational she posted one of the fastest times of the day, placing 2nd in the sophomore race at 19:08. This team is very young and talented. Their CMI top 5 were two juniors and three sophomores. As a team they were third in Class II last year and look to move up. They placed 2nd at CMI, close (66-73) behind a strong Haverhill team – actually running the exact same cumulative time. After an average time of 20:59 on an incredibly rainy/muddy day, it will be interesting to see what they will run if the field is solid. Way back on October 1st they averaged 20:12 at the Bay State Invitational (#5 running 21:04) placing second to Amherst Regional.
Concorde-Carlisle placed 2nd last year and are in a position to challenge again. They are not a team of stars, but rather a strong contingent. Once their first runner comes in, the rest won't be far behind. This is the year they've been looking toward. Three of their top runners are seniors. It is the final hurrah for Cassi Knight, Emma Schumacher (10th-'04) and Lindsey Clark (4th-'04). Cricky Cicchetti (is that name cool or what!) is also back from that squad. The addition of frosh Ginny Keesler (4th in the SCI frosh race) have made them an even better team.
I don't know enough about Beverly. But they won the Northeast Conference dismantling Marblehead (19-73) and placing a strong 6th at SCI (without their top runner) . They just missed going to state finals last year (6th-DI) so they will be itching to move up in the rankings. They are led by conference champion Kelly O'Connor who won the sophomore SCI in a fast 19:06. Megan Oulette was their top performer at CMI placing 13th.
If you think CC has a chance to reach the podium, then you've got to figure that Westford Academy does also. They were just one point behind CC in the Dual County Championship. Westford is lead by last year's DII winner Stephanie Pancoast who was 2nd to Weatherbee at CMI this year and second in the Dual County League Championship. Joining her near the front of the pack will be Elizabeth Powell who was 5th last year and 4th in her conference championship. If they have an achilles heel, it is a further spread between the runners. That can hurt a team at this level, since the top runners can't go much higher and the back runners have so much further to slip in a large field. They have a good chance to run another week, but to seriously challenge the top teams they'll have to close up ranks.
Franklin isn't ready to give up their top spot easily. For the past three years they have been the Eastern Division champs. Many of the runners are gone from that team, now running at places like Tufts, Yale etc. But the cupboard isn't bare. This year they are led by Lindsey Booth (8th at SCI – 22nd in Class II last year) and Leah Godfrey (20th in Class II '04). The trio of Liz Fisher, Courtney Dacey and Siobhan Duffy (an ever-improving frosh) give them a solid 5. After being upset by Oliver Ames (52-54) in the Hockomock Championship, they came storming back, winning the Hockomock Invitational and beating a solid Marshfield team.
OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH
Two of the wildcard teams to watch will be Marshfield and North Attleboro. Neither team scored in the Class II meet last year, failing to finish 5 runners. Each is enjoying a resurgence this year.
Marshfield had a solid run at the Hockomock League Invitational placing second behind Franklin. They were 8th at CMI this year, led by Molly Shanley who was 3rd in the DI sophomore race at SCI.
North Attleboro counters with Jenna Banks, (8th SCI 11&12), Stephanie McNamara (14th SCI 11&12) and Sara Krasney (11th SCI GR10). They finished third in the Hockomock behind Oliver Ames and Franklin, and were just behind Marshfield at the Hock Invite.
Whitman Hanson (8th in '04) – 7th in CMI is hard to figure. They have a solid group with a better # 5 than many teams, but with no frontrunners they will start out adding big points right away (it might sound good but that's a bad thing). This is a sport where you hold your breath waiting for your 5th runner to appear. This could really play to the Panthers' favor, they'll breath easier earlier.
Arlington, (19th in '04) led by the twin Kerns – Cristie and Courteny, was second in the Greater Boston League behind Peabody.
Sandwich (11th in Class III in '04) – not bad
Natick – (9th-CMI) – Maybe Rebecca White can fire them up.
Gloucester – Probably the sleeper in the group. Avery McNiff isn't the only good runner on this team.
Tewksbury - Kaitlin Rose wants to lead them to the promised land.
Individuals to watch!
In the fight for the 7 open spots, you have to figure subtracting at least five runners. If D-Y, Beverly and Westford Academy all make it, Weatherbee, Fallon, Pancoast, Powell and O'Connor will be automatics. Take them out of the mix. Franklin and Concorde-Carlisle can make it on without putting a runner in the top 15. I'm not saying they won't place that high, but they don't have to. Again, if they make it, no prob for the individuals. So if those are the 5 teams that make it, there will be quite a battle for open spots – you might have to place in the top 12 to head on to the finals. By the way, chances are very slim that I can pick 5 for 5. I'm logical, rational and methodical. Cross country race results aren't! It makes as much sense to bet on runners as on Jai Alai.
But if I am right, this is the fight. Keep an eye on these battles.
Chrissy Meagher of Fontbonne. The Ducks can't make it as a team and she won't miss it as a runner, so make that only six spots available. She was a very quick 2nd at the Hock Invite, 3rd at State Coaches and 4th at CMI. I don't see her sitting home on November 19th .
Molly Shanley of Marshfield. Third in sophomore race at SCI. Not a shoo-in but very likely.
Emily Tran of Sharon. She was third in this meet last year and is the Hockomock League Champion. Her best races are her big races.
Jenna Banks of North Attleboro. Jenna was only 8 seconds behind Tran in the Hock Championship and beat her at the Hock Invite. She placed 6th at SCI. She's come a long way since last year and isn't about to slow down.
Katie Meagher of Mansfield. Katie placed 10th last year in DIII in 20:56 on that sloppy Franklin Park course. Another talented Hockomock League runner.
Alex Wessman of King Philip. Alex is also up from DIII and ran strong at the Hockomock Invite two weeks ago. She's well rested after SAT's last week.
Rebecca White of Natick. 7th at CMI and third in the BayState League Meet. Does she get an extra boost running around “White Stadium”?
Avery McNiff of Gloucester. Second to Beverly's O'Connor at the Northeast Conference Meet. She is A-very good runner. Get it?
Kaitlin Rose of Tewksbury. 6th in the Middlesex League and was 19th in DIII last year. Will Rose rise to the occasion?
And of course I'm forgetting some runners who haven't made much noise this year but are waiting to break thru. That is the fun of this meet. I've got a few dark horses in mind but I'd hate to spoil their fun. Stay tuned!
Top Returning Runners of Class B Meet '04
1 #2606 Pancoast, Stephani 11 WEST. ACAD. 20:00 1
3 #2460 Tran, Emily 11 SHARON HS 20:38 3
4 #1793 Clark, Lindsey 11 CONCORD-CARLISLE HS 20:43 4
5 #2608 Powell, Elizabeth 11 WEST. ACAD. 20:47 5 6 #233
10 #1800 Schumacher, Emma 11 CONCORD-CARLISLE HS 21:09 9
12 #1836 Fallon, Brooke 09 DENNIS-YARM 21:26 11
14 #2369 Lapsley, Deirdre 11 PLYMOUTH NORTH HS 21:39 13
18 #1835 DeRosa, Emily 11 DENNIS-YARM 21:53 17
19 #2459 Pham, Ngoc 11 SHARON HS 21:58 18
20 #1961 Godfrey, Lea 10 FRANKLIN HS 21:58 19
22 #1958 Booth, Lindsay 10 FRANKLIN HS 22:00 21
23 #2637 Affannato, Nicole 09 WHITMAN-HANS 22:01 22
24 #1843 Wetherbee, Colleen 10 DENNIS-YARM 22:02 23
25 #1959 Dacey, Courtney 11 FRANKLIN HS 22:02 24
27 #2119 Shanley, Molly 09 MARSHFIELD HS 22:03
30 #2112 Donahue, Lauren 10 MARSHFIELD HS 22:07
31 #1977 McNiff, Avery 09 GLOUCESTER HS 22:09
32 #1792 Cicchetti, Cricky 10 CONCORD-CARLISLE HS 22:09 27
34 #1777 Martin, Kristen 10 CENTRAL CATH 22:17 29
36 #2263 Banks, Jenna 11 NO ATTLEBOROUGH 22:18
1 FRANKLIN HS 73 2 7 19 21 24 37 75
Total Time: 1:47:24.00 Average: 21:28.80
2 CONCORD-CARLISLE HS 87 4 9 12 27 35 87
Total Time: 1:48:13.00 Average: 21:38.60
3 DENNIS-YARMOUTH REG HS 104 11 17 20 23 33 40 42
Total Time: 1:49:49.00 Average: 21:57.80
TEAMS NEWLY MOVED TO CLASS II
From Class 1
In '04 Beverly had three non-seniors in the top 25
13 #1624 McNiff, Brenna 10 BEVERLY HS 21:17 13
23 #1626 Ouellet, Megan 11 BEVERLY HS 21:53 23
24 #1620 Accomando, Katie 11 BEVERLY HS 21:59 24
From Class III
Top 25 runners from '04
10 #2091 Meagher, Katie 11 MANSFIELD HS 20:56 10
19 #2530 Rose, Kaitlin 10 TEWKSBURY HS 21:28 19
25 #2045 Wessman, Alexandra 11 KING PHILIP 21:53 25
Team Results
Mansfield 3rd
Tewksbury 6th
King Philip 9th
Sandwich 11th