WESTFIELD – Bigger isn’t always necessarily better.
Longmeadow, carrying a squad of more than 50 runners, squared off against Westfield in a season opening girls’ cross country meet Tuesday at Stanley Park. The Bombers prevailed 22-33.
Westfield’s Sophie Gronbeck runs to a first place finish to help the Bombers down the Longmeadow Lancers in a high school girls’ cross country season opener Tuesday at Stanley Park. (Photo by Hallie Grady)
The teams were evenly matched at the top of the rosters, and the meet was decided by the first 10 finishers – five from each school.
Westfield’s Sophie Gronbeck won the race, defeating runner-up Lucy Metz, of Longmeadow. Bombers’ Mia McDonald and senior captain Libby Irwin claimed third and fourth place, respectively.
Westfield’s Mary Philpott and Clara Hinck took sixth and eight, respectively, in a flat-out sprint to the finish line, inches ahead of Longmeadow to seal the team’s victory.
There is little time to celebrate the victory as Westfield collides with defending Western Massachusetts champion Northampton next Tuesday at Stanley Park.
Rams top Saints
Southwick 16, St. Mary 46
Becca Prohen (23:06), Reece Couture (24:51), Maggie Drohen (25:42), and Sam Smith (26:00) swept the top four spots for Southwick. St. Mary’s Ally Rougemont was fifth (26:47).
BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY
Carroll, Rams prevail
Southwick 17, St. Mary 37
Southwick swept the top three spots – Billy Carroll (18:47), Jack Davis (21:07), and Matt Jensen (21:36) – to help carry to a convincing home win Tuesday.
St. Mary’s Joe Walz placed fourth (23:38).
Southwick’s Sean Costello (5th, 23:19), Cam Brockbank (6th, 26:03), and Jake Grilli (7th, 26:14) claimed spots 5-7, St. Mary’s Colin Fitzgibbons was eighth (26:56), and Rams’ Noah Ahner (27:27) and Bryan Roy (39:39) rounded out the top 10.
