Patriots runners shine at Devens Invitational
CCHS boys and girls cross country teams also defeated Newton South last week.
The Acton-Carlisle boys varsity cross country team placed five in the top 15 finishers in the Devens Pre-Championship Invitational, a meet featuring 100 runners from 17 teams, on October 11.
Team record: Overall and Dual County League both 3-0
Notable team scores (low scores reflect better results): CCHS 45, Cambridge 61, Boston College High 69.
Big day: Charlie MacDonald, Brady Quayle, Brendan Quinn, Joey Bodenrader, Jackson Misek, Jay Bodenrader, and Cam Smack ran a strong meet for the varsity.
Unsung heroes: The JV team placed 12 in the top 15 spots, and if this meet (15 teams, 90 athletes) had been scored, the Pats JV would have won easily. Toby Martel, Luke Crounse, Sawyer Bout, Ryan Perry, and Adam Synnestvedt finished 2-6. Nineteen Patriots ran personal bests on the 5K course.
Up next: The Patriots were to travel to Nara Park on October 15 for a tri-meet against Acton-Boxborough and Cambridge Rindge and Latin.
CCHS 15, Newton South 49
The Pats defeated Newton South, 15-49, by taking the top six places and 11 of the top 12 spots on October 8. Within the first quarter mile, CCHS had a pack of six solidly in front and another group not far behind. The Patriots’ time spread from first through 10th was just 32 seconds.
Big day: MacDonald pulled ahead for a three-second winning margin (14:36, a 5:25 per mile pace over the hilly 2.7-mile course) over Misek.
Unsung heroes: Brady Quayle (in at 14:42) improved a remarkable 58 seconds from the home meet three weeks earlier; Nick Baughman and Henry Bonzagni improved 49 and 54 seconds, respectively. John Tyson improved his time from three weeks ago by 3:23 and ran the best race of his career.
CCHS girls cross country bests Newton South, 19-44
Acton-Carlisle girls cross country took eight of the top nine finishes to overwhelm the traditionally strong Newton South Lions, 19-44, on October 8 in the Patriots’ last home meet of the season.
Team record: 2-1 at invitationals; Dual County League 3-1
Big day: Maria Chopas set the pace from the start and finished the hilly 2.7-mile course in 17:22. She was followed by Pelin Turner (17:56), Emma Kjaersgaard, and Felicity Daglish.
Unsung heroes: Abigail Adams averaged seven minutes per mile to take sixth place, followed by Lily Miles, Allie Sheppard, and Maeve Sullivan.
Up next: After a large invitational on Cape Cod, the Pats were set to visit Acton-Boxborough on October 15.
— Hanna Bruno
