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The weather could not have been better. After cold and inclement championship meets in '05 and ‘06, this was a pleasant change. Had the forecast been correct it would have been too hot. Predicted: high 70's, actual: high 60's. The sun kept poking through but didn't show itself long enough to heat things up. The athletes were relieved.

The starting gun signaled an abrupt change of climate. While OA and Franklin were in their element in the woods of Borderland Park, everyone else felt they were caught in an orange and blue tornado. Perhaps more technically correct, they were mauled by the Panthers and Tigers. Only Canton's Alyse Rocco with a sixth place finish could keep those two teams from sweeping the top-10 spots.

By the end of the short loop, Jenna Davidner and Jessica Pickett had already opened up a large lead. They would continue to extend it throughout the race, eventually going 1-2 in 18:45 and 18:49. They were well over a minute faster than the next runner. Before I go to the real race – as opposed to the unreal display by Davidner and Pickett – I'd like to promote Pickett as the surprise of the year. She was always good, but this is ridiculous. I thought Davidner would be alone at the top. It reminds me of a quote from The Purple Runner. To summarize : To make it to the top takes a commitment. There are plenty of people with the talent to do so. But most are unwilling to do what it takes to get there.

Pickett obviously was willing to do what it takes.

Back to the real race! The chase pack of around 10 runners were feeling each other out at the end of the first loop. This contingent would decide the meet. By the second mile the attrition was noticeable. One by one runners would drop off the back. Standing at the stone house, I saw the pack had finally dwindled to three, FRanklin's Kathleen Ryan and Mary Cole running side-by-side with OA's Julie Binney tucked in behind. In a meet decided by two points (OA 31-FR 33) this was one of the critical match-ups. Give all the credit in the world to Binney, who over the last 500M out-kicked two of the best quarter milers in the league. Franklin responded by putting the trio of Lianne Swanson, Siobhan Duffy and Aubree Piepmeir ahead of OA's Sarah Loftus.

I don't know what Franklin could have done better. This must be the first time a team has put all five runners in the top-10 and lost the meet (actually top-9). OA's 5 th runner, Christine Annicelli, crossed the line in 15 th place giving them the two-point victory. Annicelli came up with a key performance, covering the 5K twenty-six seconds faster than at Franklin Park the week before.

In 11 th was NA's steady Amanda Parker. In her first year of cross-country, she's been North's top runner every meet. Parker finished just 13 seconds behind the 7th runner. Perhaps the surprise visitor to the top-12 list was sophomore Allie Kirsch of Sharon who ran over a minute faster than a week ago. She was the 28 th best Hock performer at Bay States.

Kirsch barely held off the best frosh in the league, Lindsey Walsh of Stoughton. Walsh placed 13 th , two seconds behind. The runner-up frosh was Rachel Kline of Oliver Ames coming in at 20 th place, 37 seconds behind Walsh.

The team competition after the "battle of the titans" went to Mansfield for the second year in a row. They finished one point higher than '06. Their success hinged on team depth, since their first runner was Elaina Dominesy at 17th (21:35).

With the new Hock course there is now a new “top-25” all-time list. Hopefully the course will remain the same each year so that athletes from different eras can be compared.

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