More than 500 harriers from 23 schools enjoyed ideal conditions – highs around 60 degrees and a dry course – at the 2014 Bobcat 
Invitational, hosted by Oyster River in Durham Saturday.
In the distance contest, the Winnacunnet girls placed five in the top 15 to win the meet convincingly with 46 points. Souhegan (81), Exeter (105), Windham (179) and Dover (194) were next. Winnacunnet’s depth was apparent as they took the JV race as well.
Oyster River’s Maegan Doody and Exeter’s Shannon Murdock battled for 4,000 meters before Doody pulled away to win in 18:32. Murdock finished in a stellar 18:43. Those are the two fastest times run on the Oyster River course since Marina Slavin set the course record of 18:21 in 2010.
Put this new name on your watch list: Exeter freshman Jackie Gaughan placed third (19:22), giving the Blue Hawks a potent 1-2 combo up front. Souhegan super soph Madeleine Hunt placed fourth (19:30). The Winnacunnet trio of Mercedes McCoy (19:32), Amanda Cestrone (19:35), and Alli Scibisz (19:38) were close behind. Hopkinton’s Maddie Clark and Sarah Nadeau, and Hollis-Brookline’s Sarah Cramton rounded out the top 10. Saint Thomas standout Melissa Hiatt and Hannah Gillis of Souhegan also broke 20 minutes.
Host Oyster River took the boys title, defeating Goffstown 84-124. Winnacunnet (134), a surprising Kingswood (159), and Windham (177) also placed in the top five. Oyster River’s JV squad took 1-6 to dominate the JV race.
Justin Carbone of Exeter blasted the field in 16:10 for the win. Dom Repucci of Hopkinton placed second (16:19), with Oyster River sophomore Patrick O’Brien (16:29) in third. Kingswood’s Hunter Miller (16:54), Goffstown’s Jackson Brannen (16:54), Dover’s Anthony Coraluzzo (16:57), Winnacunnet’s Luke Janik (16:59), Kennett’s Nick Brown (17:00), Monadnock’s James Elmour (17:05), and Exeter’s Dan McColley (17:07) also placed in the top ten.
For perspective, Carbone’s time was 15 seconds faster than what Souhegan’s Eli Moskowitz ran to win the meet last year.
Full results are posted on the front page at http://lancertiming.com/
Submitted by Fergus Cullen
