Kelly Lavan (18:56.0) and Elise Ramirez (19:03.8) ran their best 5K times of the season as they led Sachem North to a team win in the Varsity II (Large School) race at the annual Brown University Cross Country Northeast Championship Meet at Goddard Park in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
Lavan and Ramirez had plenty of season and career-best company today as most of their teammates joined them in XC highlight days. Weather was perfect for XC, but heavy rains beginning yesterday and ending early this morning led to ankle deep mud along several sections of the course.
Puddles, mud and leaves disguised exposed roots and rocks that are common on the trails that dominate the course leading to somewhat hazardous race conditions. Mackenzie Coleman turned her ankle on such a section near the half mile mark of the course and turned it again at the two mile mark.
Undeterred and tough-as-nails, Mackenzie (20:21.2) ran a strong race and finished third for Sachem. Oriana Howell (20;27.9) had a career day on the course as she finished fourth for the North Arrows. Katie Michta (21:07) finished team scoring as she crossed the line fifth for her team.
Siobhan O’Gorman and Brigid Rattiger had career days of their own as the led Sachem to a fifth place finish in the JV II Race. Both hammered the last mile of the course to pick off rivals and close the gap and pass rivals. Strong finishes by all JV squad runners led to a top-5 runner team scoring tie with Massapequa. Sachem’s #6 runner Katie Pfeil broke the tie by beating Massapequa’s No. 6 (and No. 5) runner. Patricia Romano and Jenn Weiss returned from injuries to join Monica Abrams as part of Sachem’s scoring five harriers.
Sachem begins its post-season next Tuesday at the Division Championship Meet at Sunken Meadow State Park. The North Arrows will join the top teams in Suffolk in the Championship Team race.
FOOTNOTES
- Patricia Romano ran a season-best as she showed heart and courage in her race.
- Dowon Hwang belonged to the College Board for several hours as she took the PSAT at West Warwick High School.
- Soph Brigid Rattiger was raving about the mud-covered trails at Goddard. She resisted temptation to jump and dive into mud pits as she blazed through the trails on her career-best day.
- Kelly Lavan met Coach Carolyn Martin of Quinnipiac after her race today. Coach Martin spoke to Kelly and Coach Young about Quinnipiac’s athletic and academic programs and about the Bobcats successful XC program.
- Several family members traveled to Goddard Park to cheer on their daughters (and son Greg for the Colemans) and all Sachem athletes.
-Words submitted by Sachem North coaching staff