A group of Westfield runners leads the pack at the start of the PVIAC championship race Saturday at Stanley Park. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – For 495 high school cross country runners, a second place finish at the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference championships would have been reason to celebrate. But for two Bombers, it was not enough.
Westfield’s Ben Doiron and Ally Morin finished runners-up against their respective peers in the PVIAC championships Saturday at Stanley Park. Both hard-working, talented athletes vowed to have a better showing at next weekend’s Western Massachusetts competition in Northfield.
“I wish I had the chance to do it over again,” said Morin, a senior, following her final race at Stanley Park. “I’m probably going to be crying later because I love this place.”
Morin ran stride-for-stride with Amherst’s Anna Kaplan for much of the 3.1 mile course. With about a half-mile to go, Kaplan started to pull away.
Kaplan completed the race in 19:00.46.
“I just couldn’t hang on,” said Morin, who completed the race in 19:10.95. “We were together for most of the race. I was hoping to outkick her at the end, but stuff happened.”
“I’m not done by any means,” the Bombers’ top female runner stressed. “I’m hoping to reevaluate what I’ve been doing, and hopefully something crazy happens (at WMass).”
Alexa Morin, right, shares an emotional moment with her sister, Ally, who moments before finished runner-up in the PVIAC championships at Stanley Park Saturday. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Southwick-Tolland Regional sophomore Emily McKinney finished 18th overall with a time of 20:56.32. Rams’ Abigail Howe placed 42nd (21:43.89), Nabilah Khan was 71st (22:39.84), and Cassie White, 73rd (22:40.81).
Ashley Yost was the first female runner to cross the finish line for Gateway, placing 83rd (22:56.02). St. Mary’s Casey Rutledge was 203rd (26:4461).
BOYS’ RESULTS
“I thought I could hang on. I stayed with them. I caught Stender at the hills, but Conway’s a strong runner. Once we hit the field today, I felt sluggish. My opponent started to pull away.”
That was Doiron describing his battle with the top runners in the region Saturday at the PVIAC championship race. Westfield’s top runner was right on his opponents’ heels rights up until the 2-mile mark.
Samuel Conway, of Minnechaug won the race in 15:48.95. Doiron was second (15:56.61). West Springfield’s Liam Garvey was third (16:00.20), and Amherst’s Ryan Stender, fourth (16:11.71).
“I’m going to have to rethink my strategy for Northfield,” Doiron said. “It should be another battle. Hopefully I can get him.”
Westfield’s Cheyenne Grabiec placed sixth overall in 16:26.66. Bombers’ Colin Irujo was 17th (17:15.59), and Gabriel Piepergerdes, 33rd (17:49.55).
Chris Hanechak (Gateway, 43rd), Billy Carroll (St. Mary, 66th), and Jared DeMaio (Southwick, 140th) each finished first for their respective schools.
