Battle of the Border Meet Hub!
Full Results – Courtesy of North Star Timing
PICS!
Oh what a day at the 2023 Battle of the Border at Alvirne High School! What a pure CROSS COUNTRY day! While other activities were certainly postponed (including other XC meets in other states), NH once again embraced the challenges from mother nature. This combined with pure competition made the 2023 BoB a memorable one! With Alvirne now being the MOC course, the top teams in the state along with some impressive guests from across our border(s) showed up to take their first run on the pure XC course at Hills House. Matter of fact 7 of the top 10 girls teams and all 10 of the top ranked teams took to the hills and trails. Entering this season, there were quite a few questions marks regarding which teams and individuals would become tops in NH. Well, with 3 weeks until Divisions, the girls side seems a bit settled while the boys side of things was just thrown into disarray of parity.
The girls race seemed to hold true to form as Oyster River girls and Hanover’s Leah Perreard, pre-race favorites, held serve to win. As mentioned, with all the rain over summer and fall, especially yesterday, the course was a mudder’s heaven. From gun to tape, Perreard led, immediately and consistently putting pressure on the field. Needham’s, Greta Hammer and York, ME’s Cary Drake gave chase and certainly kept her honest. In the end, Perreard’s strength would stand up as she crossed in 18:19 with MI Large School Champ Hammer crossing in second in 18:30 just 6 seconds up on Drake. Perhaps the most consistent harrier in the state over the recent years, Oyster River’s Mackenzie Cook placed 4th in 18:54, then came the pack! Bedford’s Fiona Lee (NHXCTF podcaster!) and teammate Kelseigh O’Neil outkicked Pinkerton’s Sookie Folsom, OR’s Haley Kavanagh, and Hanover’s Lila Muirhead. These five finished 5th-9th respectively with times all within 3 seconds of each other ranging from 19:12 to 19:15. Rounding out the
top 10 was ORHS freshman Haley Bezanson who outkicked Needham’s Taylor Partridge for 10th in 19:17.
Bezanson completed 3 Bobcats in the top 10, which is always pretty tough to beat especially when #4 was Neely Roy who placed 13th just 2 seconds behind Bezanson in 19:19. To complete their scoring, Madalyn Cook placed 17th in 19:51. With 5 in the top 17, this may have been one of Oyster River’s most comfortable win as a team thus far this season as they tallied 52 points. Led by Perreard’s win, Muirhead’s top 10 finish, and Megan Faris’s 12th place finish, Hanover tallied 87 points for 2nd. Needham, MA placed 3rd with 104 points. Not at full strength as Contessa Silva was sick this weekend, Pinkerton placed a gutsy (as always) 4th on a tiebreaker over North Andover MA. They have their 6th runner Sarah Rzasa to thank for this one. Bedford would finish with 172 points for 6th, Dover 195 for 7th, Newton South 207 points for 8th, Winnacunnet tallied 239 points for 9th and Concord 249 points for 10th.
The boys race was the race of surprise as both pre race favorites had challenges. Individually, one was correct with picking BG’s Matthew Giardina, but certainly had his toughest test at BoB from a fellow NH runner as Coe-Brown’s Jamie Lano shadowed Giardina throughout the course. Giardina’s 4 second margin of victory was his largest lead of the day as the two seemed to be inseparable until the final 600 or so meters. Just phenomenal racing as the two separated from the field early and then crossed with Giardina in 15:32 and Lano in 15:36 (in that mud!).
Winning the pack race was Bedford’s Jacob Redman, who crossed with a 16:00 right in front of Hanover’s Lucian Gleiser (NHXCTF podcaster!), who clocked a 16:02. South’s Daniel Byrne was 2 seconds back crossing in 16:04. He held off a locked-in William Simard from Con-Val, who perhaps had his best race ever as he crossed in 16:05. Needham’s Max Hammer nabbed a close 7th in 16:09. Concord’s Josiah Conley was 8th in 16:21, North Andover’s Luke McGillivray was 9th in 16:27 and his teammate Dylan Cote rounded out the top 10 in 16:31.
Those two helped pace North Andover to the overall team win as along with Emmett Larosa, Josh Pelletier and Floresquer-Lla, they tallied 92 points for the win. But as all 10 of the top 10 ranked NH teams were competing, all eyes were on the Granite State as to how the rankings would shake out after this one and it did not disappoint. From the outset it was clear not only Lano but Coe-Brown’s top 3 came out aggressive as Luc Kerouac and Sanjith Nomula put themselves in the top 15 immediately. This put direct pressure on everyone else because if this scoring held, they would have 3 in front of every other teams 2nd. Matter of fact BG was the only team able to prevent this as Carson Fischer placed 12th complementing Giardina’s win.
Would any other team be able to pack runners in to counteract CBNA’s top three? Kerouac crossed in 16:40 for 13th and Nomula was right behind for 14th with a 16:41. While BG was the first candidate, Salem’s Brock James placed 11th and his teammate Brodie Chisholm was 15th. Then as South’s Dante Castellano and Andrew Byrne crossed in 17th and 19th, scoring their top 3. The prevailing thought was South would pile in to remain number 1. However, Souhegan’s top 2 came across with Owen Stine 18th and Taloosh Anderson in 20th. Hanover’s #2, Ryan Faris would place 21st in 16:50, but Coe-Brown seemed to respond as their 4th, Liam McLean would finish 27th in 17:00. With Coe-Brown’s 5th not in sight yet, the tide seemed to then turn to Souhegan with their 3rd and 4th scored rather immediately as Dallen Noorda and Finley Irvine would place 29th and 30th respectively.
By the way with Pinkerton’s Nathan Binda and Finn Christensen Kraft placing 26th and 31st respectively, the Long Red Line were in the game as well. In the end Hanover’s would have the first scoring 5 across as Ben Groves, Andrew Valentino and Will Parker would place 35th, 36th and 45th to score 137 points; however, in the surprise of the meet, #7 Coe-Brown’s 5th Keegan Sousa placed high enough at 64th in 17:47 for Coe-Brown to hang on for 2nd overall and NH’s surprising top team with 115 points. South would be 13 points behind Hanover with 150 points and a mere 5 points in front of Salem. Pinkerton came back to place 6th with 183 points with Oyster River edging Bishop Guertin for 8th by 1 point. Bedford would round out the top 10.
These results continue to build momentum towards Division meets as Division 1 and Division 2 are certainly not settled! And we cannot wait to see the Meet of Champions back at Hills House course at Alvirne.
In other races, Bedford’s Jack Mortimer won the freshmen race with Pinkerton winning the the team title. Needham’s Madison Roach won the girls race as did her team. Her JV teammates dominated their race winning with just 17 points as Adah Rosen won in 21:31. Hanover won the boys JV race as Pinkerton’s Trainor Mailloux won that one in 17:17.
Congratulations to Alvirne XC community for another job well done! See you back for the MOCs!
One Response
This was a great recap! My runner fell in that slick mud but hearing them run and seeing their power I am impressed they all made it!
Thank you again! Our Milford NH team rocked!