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2024 MOC Streakers
Divisional Merges
NH Meet of Champions! 18 teams competing for 6 spots going to New Englands at Wickham Park (CT) next Saturday. The most direct piece of data we use for this has to be the merges from last weekend. But these are from the Division State Championships, a very different meet on a very different course. Division meets are intimate, careful but intense races, while MOCs are a frenzy of competition. Derryfield is one of the hilliest courses in New England, while Alvirne, this year’s site for Meet of Champions, is one of the fastest. So, take what the merges say with a grain of salt. We also have an additional nugget of information as this year’s Battle of the Border meet included most of the state ranked teams.
Let’s be honest. The Meet of Champions has a tendency to sneak up on everyone. Rightfully so as the Divisional State Championships is the focus for all. Teams prepare for months, scout other teams, and throw everything they have at this one meet. It marks the end of the season for 57 NH schools. The 3 team state champions celebrate only the way state champs can, but so do the 15 other qualifying teams in a different way. But then, before they know it, the MOCs arrive. The MOCs are an entirely different race and not just because of the change in venue. Years ago, the MOCs were held at Derryfield as well, and still, they were an entirely different experience because of who was competing. NH’s best of the best comprise a race with a dense field. Not a lot of room to run because every one is so good. So, yes for a chance to race against New England’s best, but also for the bragging rights of “Best in NH!”, let’s break down each race.
Girls Race 2:30pm
Most years those teams and runners who are performing at their best at Divisions continue to do so at the MOCs. They have generated momentum and ride that wave right to New Englands. On the girls side, Hanover certainly has the most momentum heading into Alvirne. Across all races, Hanover had the best total team time by over 3 minutes, the best average time by close to 40 seconds and the best 5 person gap of 1:22 of all qualifying teams. Not to mention, their merged score is only 54 points because their entire top 5 landed in the top 17. Led by Megan Faris, Lea Perreard, Aria Deeb, Millie Larrick and Alice Bell, Hanover is the undisputed favorites heading into Saturday.
NH#2 Oyster River’s Divisional meet certainly did not go according to plan, but consider this. Despite not having three of their vaunted top 5 which entered the season, Oyster River not only finished 2nd in the D2s, they still match up extraordinarily well with the rest of the state as indicated by how they placed on the merge…2nd! 2024 D2 Champ Haley Kavanagh leads the way of course and is supported by her little sister Olivia as well as the super soph Maddy Cook. Those names are familiar, but Jahrie Houle and Eleanora Gelsey Drees are their new 4 and 5 scorers. Expect them to be in the mix for sure, but don’t be surprised if they rise up and truly compete with Hanover this week. A week removed and healthier they will be!
Now according to the merge the next 3 teams seem to have a qualifying spots of 3rd-5th in the bag as D1 Champ Pinkerton, D1 Runner-Up Exeter and D3 Hopkinton have a 100+ point cushion over 6th. Led by Gabrielle Bedard, Parker Knowlton, and Kalisan Marzolf, Pinkerton won by a single point over Exeter. Similar to Oyster River, if they are fully healthy the Trailblazers could truly compete with any NH school. Exeter was with out one of their top runners in Eli Cross but led by the Paterna sisters Alexis and Brianna, the Hawks are in a statistical dead heat with Pinkerton separated by only 5 points. Matter of fact, the Maddy Lane-led Hopkinton is only 6 points behind them in the merge as well. Expect Lane, Shaylee Murdough, Maisie Emerson and company to be in that top 5 mix.
Then we have 4 teams battling for the final qualifying spot for New Englands. Bedford seems to have the edge as they are led by D1 Champ Mikita Barry. This guarantees them the valuable low stick. Nashua North is also led by a low stick caliber runner in Laura White whose time from Divisions places her 5th on the merge. Concord led by a nice 1-2 punch of Quinn Doherty and a resurgent Shelly Smith surprised many by placing 3rd in D1s. Bishop Guertin led by potential top 10 finisher Anna Fondakowski should also be considered as a contender. Potential sleeper would be the Anna Simpson led “home” team Alvirne.
The competition for NH State individual champion should be pretty fierce. Yes Bedford’s D1 Champ Barry has been undefeated against NH competition this season, but OR’s D2 Champ Haley Kavanagh had the fastest time on the day this past weekend and is an NXN qualifier last year. Let’s not overlook D3 Champ Hopkinton’s Lane who went unchallenged from the gun at D3s as well as most of her season. She certainly will be looking forward to racing with company Saturday. Part of that pack, at least initially, should also be Hanover’s Faris and North’s Laura White. Leading the chase pack should be Exeter’s Alexis Paterna, Hanover’s Perreard, Plymouth’s Elli Englund and Dover’s Anique Poulin.
Boys Race 3:20pm
Couple questions looming with this one and it truly depends on how teams view the MOCs. Do they view them as a mere qualifying meet for New Englands or an exciting culmination to the end of the NH season for the bragging rights? Depending on the answer, teams who feel they have legitimate shots at a podium at New Englands may rest their stars if sick or banged up. If they don’t rest them, they may employ a conservative approach. Larry Martin and deep squads during his Londonderry dynasty days were so deep, he would rest kids at MOCs so they had fresh legs at New Englands. All he wanted to do was qualify. So, with that said, all we can do is look at the players most likely in the game with the aforementioned disclaimer.
According to the divisional merge, the D1 Champs and runner-ups will do battle for the top spot again this week. Buoyed by their incredible top 4, which could all place in the top 15, Bishop Guertin would seem to have the edge. Matthew Giardina will certainly challenge for the win, but Ethan and Carson Fisher have potential to also be in the top 10. Three in the top 10 is tough to beat at MOCs especially when their 4th, Samuel Prescott should score with a number less than 20! Pinkerton seems to love Hill House course at Alvirne. They counter with a complete team of solid harriers and could very well turn the tables. Watch for Oscar D’Amelio, Trainor Mailloux and Sean Hayes to be at the head of the Long Red Line. At times these three have been interchangeable. If they could be within 10-15 seconds of one another with their 4 and 5 doing their normal strong jobs, Pinkerton will be in business. They had a super tight 1-5 spread of only 53 seconds last week after all.
Last year’s champs and runner ups, Nashua South as well as Hanover, should be the next set of contenders. South also has a great top 5 full of experience from last year and are led by Daniel Byrne who should nab at top 10 finish at the very least. With an admirable 1-5 spread of 1:00, if South could get 1-2 more in the top 20, they will be a threat to win it all. Similarly, Hanover had a spread of :57 seconds last week on their way to repeating as the D2 State Champs and are led by Ryan Faris and Ben Groves. With this same line-up, Hanover should be all set for New Englands even threatening to contend for a top 2 placing with Andrew Valentino due back next week.
Salem and Coe-Brown also seem to be in strong position to qualify for New Englands as they have a 100+ cushion to 7th place Keene on the merge. Salem, NH #5, is led by Brodie Chisolm and has a respectable spread of 1:11 last week. Coe-Brown, NH#6, boasted the tightest top 5 spread of 50 seconds and are led by Luc Kerouac and Patrick Youngs.
If any of the aforementioned should have an off day look to Keene, Oyster River, Souhegan or Alvirne to take advantage.
Individually expect Keene’s D1 Champ Sullivan Sturtz and BG’s Matthew Giardina to continue what they started at Divisions. Sturtz simply looked unbeatable last week, but Giardina is Giardina, so expect him to be at least closer. D3 Champ Hillsboro Deering’s Elijah Bodanza as well as D2 Champ Con-Val’s Will Simard will certainly be a part of that front pack as well. Look for a few young-ins to be in the mix at the start or at least leading the chase pack with BG’s Ethan Fischer, and Pinkerton’s D’Amelio. Also expect to see names like Milford’s Logan Koerthals, Byrne, Mascoma Valley’s Gunner Currier, Salem’s Chisholm, Monadnock’s Peyton Joslyn, Kearsarge’s Daniel Dalbec, Pinkerton’s Mailloux, and Concord teammates Spencer Clemans and Josiah Conley.
Good luck to all!
