2016 Southeastern League Championships Recaps, Photos, Results

Southeastern League Middle School Championships

Old and New Champions Crowned at 2016 Southeast League Championships

The 2016 Southeast League Championships were recently held on the tremendously well-kept trails at Coe -Brown Northwood Academy. Coe-Brown put on such a professional event. They look forward to hosting the Division III NH Middle School Championships for the first time this weekend.

Two-time NH State Champion Addison Cox put on a racing clinic by winning her third straight individual Southeast League title. Her time of 11:52 was just 7 seconds off of the course record held by freshman standout Carolyn Fischer of Bishop Guertin. Cox won by nearly a minute over 6^th grader Sophie Hopkins of Deerfield (2^nd 12:49). Two more 6^th graders were next to cross the finish line led by Northwood’s Mary Joy (3^rd 13:08) and Deerfield’s Rosemary Layton (4^th 13:23). Nottingham’s Sara Joly (5^th 13:27) just nipped Deerfield’s Caley Nault (6^th 13:28). Five seconds were all that separated the next four runners. Northwood’s Libby White finished 7^th in 13:40, Deerfield’s Christina Malette was 8^th 13:41, Northwood’s Alyviah Blad was 9^th 13:43 and Sheldyn Fisher of Strafford rounded out the top ten in 13:44.

Northwood and Deerfield basically flipped flopped 4 runners each in the top ten places with Northwood gaining a slight edge. But in the end it came down to the all-important 5^th scorer. Deerfield’s overall team depth was the key to Deerfield winning its sixth straight Southeast Team Title. Deerfield won with a low score of 33 points to Northwood’s 2^nd 44 points. Strafford placed 3^rd with 98 points, Nottingham 4^th with 122 points, Barrington 5^th with 127 points, Chichester 6^th with 164 points, Three Rivers 7^th with 170 points and Epsom placed 8^th with 187 points.

Deerfield’s top seven were Hopkins, Layton, Nault, Malette, Bella Lemay 13^th 13:53, Seven Doperalski 15^th 14:00 and Ava Woodman 16^th 14:02. Deerfield’s dynasty should continue with all 12 of its top runners returning next year.

This Saturday at CBNA, Northwood’s Addison Cox will be trying to be the first 3-time NH State Middle School Champion in the 43 year history. Deerfield will also be looking to win its second state title in three years when it tries to dethrone defending champion Hopkinton on this same course.

Undefeated in 2016, Northwood 6^th grader Aidan Cox was pressed early on by Deerfield’s Brayden Kearns. Cox made a well calculated decisive move on the hill, dropping Kearns just passed the mile mark and went on to set another course record time of 10:29. Kearns (2^nd 10:49) rallied back after dropping to third to just beat out the Northwood’s pair of 8^th graders Porter Heigis (10:51) and Luke Tkaczyk (10:58).

After a nearly 50 second duration, younger brother Tyler Tkaczyk of Northwood placed 5^th 11:45 edging out his longtime summer training buddy from Strafford Lars Hogne (6^th 11:52). Deerfield’s Sam Hopkins was the last to break the 12 minute barrier by placing 7^th in 11:57. Without their usual fifth scorer in the race, Northwood’s Logan Milhelich stepped up and ran perhaps the race of the day, valiantly placing 8th in 12:14 filling the void seamlessly as Northwood’s fifth man. Deerfield secured the next two places with John Murphy 9^th 12:18 and Brandon Comire placing 10^th in 12:23.

By placing five of its runners in the top eight, Northwood easily derailed the Deerfield locomotive that had won six straight Southeast League Titles. It was Northwood’s first Southeast League title since 2006. Northwood won with a low score of 21 points. Deerfield place second with 40 points, despite placing all seven runners in the top fourteen slots. Barrington placed a distant 3^rd with 119 points, a much improved Chichester ran a strong 4^th with 136 points, Strafford was 5^th with 140 points edging out Nottingham 6^th with 144 points, Epsom (7^th 173 points) and Three Rivers of Pembroke finished 8^th with 206 points.

Northwood’s 2016 Southeast League Champions scoring team were Cox, Heigis, 2xTkaczyk, Milhelich, Max Heigis 18^th 13:22 and Max Compton 22^nd 13:36.

Aidan Cox and his Northwood team will be both the race favorites, together seeking their first NH State Individual and Team Championship this weekend. Four-time state champion Deerfield and top runner Brayden Kearns are the underdogs this year, but relish this challenging role.