The Westfield High School girls’ cross country team prepares for the start of the Western Massachusetts Division I race Saturday at Stanley Park. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – The Western Massachusetts boys’ cross country championships may have been held during the afternoon Saturday, but it truly was a Purple Knight.
Holyoke claimed four of the top seven spots to win the WMass championship Saturday at Stanley Park.
While Northampton’s Liam Sullivan easily won the race in 15:53.88, besting Amherst’s Owen Wright (16:09.37), Holyoke swept the next three places (Joel Ramos, 3rd; Cameron Correia, 4th; Bryan Dec, 5th) to secure key points in the Purple Knights’ first-place finish.
Purple Knights’ Izaien Lugo was seventh (16:29.37).
Holyoke (60) was followed by Amherst (68), Northampton (74), West Springfield (105), and Longmeadow (135). Minnechaug (159), Pittsfield (223), Ludlow (226), Belchertown (264), and Westfield (304) rounded out the top 10.
Junior Gabriel Piepergerdes was the first Westfield runner to cross the finish line. Piepergerdes finished 15th overall (16:57).
In the girls’ competition, Northampton captured the team championship with a 31, and Amherst freshman Sophia Jacobs-Townsley took home the individual title with a winning time of 18:54.44.
Westfield sophomore Sophie Gronbeck placed eighth overall (20:00.02). Bombers’ Mia McDonald was 16th (20:35.66), followed by teammates Carley Censabella (23rd, 21:18.56), Madison Eline (31st, 21:42.89), and Elizabeth Irwin (32nd, 21:43.76).
As a team, Westfield finished third (110), behind Amherst (62), just in front of Ludlow (132) and South Hadley (155).
DIVISION II HIGHLIGHTS: Southwick junior Jack Davis placed 20th overall (17:38.73) for the Rams, who, as a team, took home seventh place honors (236) in the D2 boys’ race. Other notable finishes included: Gateway’s Davis Britland (27th overall), St. Mary’s Joe Walz (78th), and Edward Towers (122nd).
In the D2 girls’ race, Reece Couture (29th) was the first Southwick female to cross the finish line. Gateway’s Fay-Valerie Gryzbowski was 46th, St. Mary’s Casey Rutledge was 111th.
Other local student athletes placing well were Julie Carroll (Holyoke Catholic) and Bill Carroll (Cathedral) siblings who hail from Southwick. Julie placed 9th in the women’s field with a 19:36.42 and Bill placed 17th with a time of 17:31.88.
