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2025 MOC Streakers
2025 Divisional Merges
NH Meet of Champions! 18 teams competing for 6 spots going to New Englands at Thetford Academy (VT) next Saturday. The most direct piece of data we use for this has to be the divisional 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.
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 that 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 MOC is 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 producing 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!”
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, NH#1 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 over 40 seconds and the best 5 person gap of 1:03 of all qualifying teams. Not to mention, their merged score is only 48 points because their entire top 5 landed in the top 20 on the merge. This lead up looks eerily similar to last year, but Hanover seems even more dominant in 2025. So successful that they are now ranked #5 in the Northeast. Megan Faris, Millie Larrick, Lila Muirhead, Aria Deeb, Alice Bell, Lila Marchetti and Grace Stewart are undefeated against NH competition this season. Expect this to continue as they are the undisputed favorites heading into Saturday.
The three teams seemingly battling for 2nd-4th positions are D1 Champ Pinkerton, D1 runner-ups Exeter and D2 runner-ups Oyster River. These 3 teams were separated by only 11 points on the Divisional merge. NH#2 Pinkerton will be looking to ride the wave of momentum off yet another D1 title. The Trailblazers will rely on their stellar packing led by Kalizan Marzolf, Sookie Folsom, and Gabrielle Bedard. Along with Parker Knowlton and Noami Ebhaleme, Pinkerton sported the 2nd best pack time of 1:10 at Divisions last week.
NH#3 Exeter has benefited from the low sticks provided by the Paterna sisters, Alexis and Brianna. This past weekend, Alexis produced the fastest time on the day posting a blazing 18:40 on the evermore challenging Derryfield Park. But, do not overlook her sister Brianna, who was 9th on the merge, given the Blue Hawks just 10 points after 2; better than any other team not named Hanover. If Molly Kells, Izzie Bremer and Ashleigh MacEachem could close the gap slightly, they could leapfrog Pinkerton.
Also with 2 low sticks, Olivia Kavanagh and Neely Roy (5th and 6th in the merge), NH#4 Oyster River totally flip the tables and rise to runner up status at the MOC. Factor in perennial all-stater Maddy Cook, Haley Bezanson and Jahrie Houle, the Bobcats have the experience as defending champs always seeming to race well at the Hill House course and at the Meet of Champions.
Led by Mikita Barry, NH #5 Bedford seems to be a comfortable pick at the number 5 slot for New Englands. Barry will undoubtedly finish in the top 3-4 and seems to love the Alvirne course. She along with senior Raissa Caridade and Grace Boll will lead the solidly consistent Bedford squad on Saturday. NH#6 Hopkinton seems to have the inside track to nabbing the final New England qualifier. Led by multi-time D3 Champ Maddy Lane and Maisie Emerson, the D3 champs have been solid all season long and will be looking for a return trip to New Englands. A slew of D1 schools appear to be next best with Bishop Guertin, Concord, Keene, and Windham. BG is led by freshman Zoe Coler, Concord by Mahalie Burdette, Keene by Abigail Pinegar, and Windham by Hazel Perks.
The competition for NH State individual champion will once again be pretty fierce. Hopkinton’s Lane and Exeter’s Lexi Paterna have battled multiple times this season, most recently at Hopkinton XC Festival which came down to the last few moments and Lane winning. However, Paterna had the fastest time this past weekend by around 20 seconds. Throw in defending champ Barry along with D2 Champ Faris, and it may be a party of 4. The chase pack will not be too far behind and should be filled with names like Kavanagh, Roy, Larrick, Muirhead, Paterna and Deeb. All top individuals will be running for contending teams, which also lends to the promise of an incredible show!
Boys Race 3:20pm
Couple questions do surround this one and the favorites, NH#1 Pinkerton. Now #5 in the Northeast, Pinkerton certainly is the undisputed favorites to win this Saturday. They could truly take it easy and view this as a mere qualifying meet for New Englands. They could rest 1-2 of their top 7, conceivably still win and rest for their real challenge, New Englands. Do they do that? Regardless, the Long Red Line is truly back in the names of Trainor Mailloux, Jason Robie, Oscar D’Amelio, Sean Hayes, Joseph Gustavson, Austin Cipriano, and Owen Boucher. Last week, not only did they have multiple low sticks, but they had an incredible 38 second pack time. Whichever direction they decide on, expect them to win and advance.
For most, the MOCs is an exciting culmination to the end of the NH season. It is the meet for the bragging rights in the Granite State. According to the merge, D2 Champs Hanover and Runner-ups Coe-Brown, separated by 1 point last week, are in a dead heat. Ready for round 2?? Once again it will be the team with front runners v. the pack. NH #2 Hanover will undoubtedly be led by D2 Champ Ben Groves and his teammate, runner-up Isaac McNaughton. Don’t overlook Alexander Collins, Dylan Faris or Oliver Collins. If they can close the gap to Groves and McNaughton, watch out! These 5 along with Ben Hourdequin and Will Hanaway will assuredly punch their ticket to New Englands next week which will almost feel like a home meet at nearby Thetford Academy!
Last week NH #3 Coe-Brown sported an historic 17 second pack time. While last week was highlighted by a breakout performance by freshman Broden Cox (4th in D2), their order of finish as a team now has truly been a mixer. Expect their leader Patrick Youngs to return to form this week and that would be great news for the Black Bears. As with any pack running team, if their pack, Youngs, Cox, Samuel Youngs, Mateo Ferguson, Ben Jobin, Ben Larson and Gus Glaser can move up further in the field and/or one of them can break from the pack and roll to a top 10 finish, watch out.
While D2 enjoyed a true mano a mano battle between 2 incredible teams, this week there will be more contenders ready to mix it up. NH#4 Keene was a slight surprise as they stepped up to be the runner up in Division 1. Led by Sullivan Sturtz, who will assuredly grab a top 3 finish at least, and Tristan Woodbury, currently in the top 10 on the merge, the Blackbirds sport 2 valuable low sticks. As with any team possessing those aces, if Gavin Morton, Aiden O’Donnell, and Cooper Tiani could become kings and move up, Keene could crash the top three.
NH#5 Londonderry and NH#6 Oyster River seem to have a cushion to nab the final 2 New Englands qualifying spots. Both finished third in their respective divisions, both had similar runner averages and total team times and they are separated by only 13 points on the merge. Londonderry has been led all season by their 3 headed monster of Patrick Ramsey, Josh Twomey, and Carson Fitzgerald. If all three finish in the top 20, they could leapfrog Keene. Demonstrating the depth of their program, despite losing their top runner, Oyster River still finds themselves in a position to advance to yet another New Englands. Led by Levi Clapp, Garrett Sellers, and Brendan Banafato, the Bobcats are always a challenge and a threat.
Teams which could be nipping at the proverbial heels of the top 6 include Souhegan, Nashua North, and Nashua South.
Individually, we are in for another gem. After all, this is the New Hampshire Meet of Champions!!! D1 Champ Ethan Fischer of Bishop Guertin scored the fastest time of the day last weekend with a 16:01. Earlier in the day, the D3 Champ Peyton Joslyn of Monadnock crossed in 16:03. Get your popcorn ready. Then you factor in Keene’s Sturtz a former D1 state champ in his own right, and you have 3 runners with the pedigree of potential state champions. Expect the remainder of the top 10 to be filled with names like Bodanza, Mailloux, Robie, Woodbury, Groves, Hayes, McNaughton, D’Amelio and Josiah Conley of Concord. This is the MOCs of NH, so don’t be surprised to see other names cracking this top 10-15!
Good luck to all!
