Results Link to Coolrunning
The Milford Invitational offered up good competition for some insight 
into the 2016 NH Middle School season. 15 teams from all three Divisions ran on the flat and fast 2 mile double loop course. It had a true NH Cross Country feel by undulating thru freshly cut corn.
Individually, Cali Coffin of Fairgrounds left little doubt that she was making a statement race. By setting a torrid pace, she won the race in an impressive 12:05, outdistancing the next finisher Morgan Nault of McLaughlin by 11 seconds. Also turning in great performances were Rundlett’s Morgan Orcutt who placed 3rd in 12:28 and Grace Jones of Elm St. who placed 4th in 12:35. Rounding out the top 5 was sixth grader Masho Primmer of Amherst in 13:01 and leading a pack of her fellow Amherst teammates to a team victory by placing 7th, 9th, 10th and 16th a total span of 31 seconds.
Amherst’s winning score was 47 points. Rundlett was second with 73 points, McLaughlin 3rd with 83 points, Deerfield 4th with 113 points and Elm Street was 5th with 143 points.
On the boys side 2015 State Champion Londonderry was on a mission to prove that they are the most formidable team in the state this year. Returning the top 3 finishers from last year Large School Championships, it wasn’t a matter of “if” they would win the team competition, it was by how much.
The Londonderry pair of Matt Griffin and Ryan Young were hooked up in a battle of wills with Deerfield’s Brayden Kearns. Griffin masterfully controlled the fast pace throughout, but in the last 100 yards Kearn’s unleashed a very powerful, come-from-behind kick that distanced himself from the very talented duo.
Kearn’s time of 10:39 broke the record of 10:59 set last year by NH State Champion Nico Ramirez of Keene. Griffin finished 2nd in 10:41 while Ryan Young took home third place honors in 10:44. Londonderry’s Will Heenan placed 4th in 10:56 and Rundlett’s Eben Bragg finished 5th in 11:29.
As expected Londonderry dominated the team competition by placing 4 of its runners in the top ten. Londonderry’s team score of 36 points is indicative of many good things to come this season. Rundlett placed second for the day with 67 points to go along with the girls runner-up finish (best overall girl/boy combined team on the day). Deerfield was third with 93 points, Keene was 4th with 126 points and McLaughlin was 5th 147 points.
