While wet weather threatened to put a dark mark on the afternoon events at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds this past Saturday, Mother Nature smiled fondly on our sport and we saw what might be the best Meet of Champions run on New Hampshire soil. I believe it’s hard to beat the Fairgrounds for a championship-style event and I had the great opportunity to be on the broadcast, working with one of the best commentating crews NHCC has ever assembled, making the job even better. Not to mention the break in the weather held until I was on my way home.
I was talking with one of our crew about how we might witness four great races on the day. They were confused as we had start times of 2:30 and 3:10 only. But I indicated while there would only be two starting guns, there would be two great races for the individual wins, with another two great races for the team titles. It’s been rare that the competition individually and team-wise has ever been that good. Not to mention a head-to-head matchup between two nationally ranked athletes that are among the best to ever run from the state. Not to mention the vibe was cooking and the spectators knew they were in for a show.
And a show it was. In the girls race, Hopkinton’s Maddy Lane and Exeter’s Lexi Paterna went toe-to-toe through the mile before Lane, not wanting a repeat of the race during the Hopkinton XC Festival, turned the screws early and in the end ran away with it, stopping the clock with the second fasted time in NH history with 16:48. Paterna ran a jaw dropping 17:15 for second, the fastest second place time ever. Paterna got the satisfaction of leading her team to the team title, with sister Brianna finishing behind her in third place.
And what about Lebanon and fourth placer Jill Campbell? After winning D2s last week as a freshman, she would lead her team to a third place finish and a berth to New Englands. I can’t remember that last time Lebanon made it to New Englands but I doubt it was with their top four as freshmen and five freshmen on the varsity squad. Seems they are going to be good for a while. (Editor’s note: this is the first time in school history)
With my eye always on Division 3 (if people don’t like that, feel free to offer your own commentary), I was impressed by the individual D3 girls, with five girls finishing within the top twenty-five qualifiers to New Englands with the aforementioned Lane, teammate Maisie Emerson in 8th, 8th grader Sylvie Brown of Profile in 14th, Elsa Barlett of InterLakes in 17th and Sophie Thurlow of Sanborn in 18th. Not a bad showing ladies.
The boys race on paper seemed to be a continuation of a dogfight from last week between Hanover and Coe-Brown, with D1 champion Pinkerton looking to spoil the party. Individually it was a showdown between D1 champion Ethan Fischer of BG and D2 champ Ben Groves of Hanover, the only two athletes to go under 16 minutes at Derryfield, with D2 runnerup Jason Robie looking to break this party up.
And things pretty much went to form, Fischer, Groves and Robie pulling away from sophomore Sam Youngs of Coe-Brown over the second half of the race. Groves would shadow Fischer to the end, with Robie hanging on by a thread through the last field loop. Groves would time things right, waiting until the end and running to the win in 15:05. Fischer was two seconds behind with Robie another 13 seconds back.
The team battle was wild as well, with Groves getting the lowest stick, followed by CB’s Patrick and Sam Youngs in 4th and 5th, Hanover’s Dylan Faris and Teddy White in 6th and 7th, with teammate Isaac McNaughton in 11th. Coe-Brown countered with Gus Glaser and Broden Cox in 16th and 17th, with their fifth man Mateo Ferguson rounding out their scoring in 25th. However he was followed in by Hanover’s Alexander Collins in 26th. These two teams occupied nine of the top twenty-five spots, ten of twenty-six, with CB coming in second 47 – 61, with Pinkerton back in third with 88 points. How often do you see a team with five in the top twenty-five and not win?
And again a shout out to D3, with the Hopkinton boys finishing sixth to make it to New Englands. As I was walking back from my filming location and came across Coach Rothe and Coach Sabol, I asked them when the last time the boys made New Englands and the girls did not, and that answer was never. Good work gentlemen. (Editor’s note: 1st trip to New Englands for Hopkinton boys in school history)
After last year’s bonanza of D3 boys individual entries to New Englands, this year was back a bit towards normal, with three time repeater Elijah Bodanza of Fall Mountain with 8th place, and two time repeater Colin Foster of Newfound with 9th place. Hopkinton’s James Lavers finished twentieth, leading Hopkinton to their sixth place team finish and a team trip to Maine.
And last but not least, the Hopkinton Fairgrounds and the Hopkinton Runners Society again, for putting on a great event. Everything in Hopkinton is top notch, and the course conditions even with three days of rain were impeccable. Not sure Derryfield Park can pull that off. Thanks to the NHIAA and Lancertiming for making everything smooth as silk and kudos for everyone making the event such a smashing success.
And congratulations to the teams and individuals representing NH in Belfast next week. Best of luck.
