ATTLEBORO — There was nonetheless simply over a mile remaining within the boys varsity race, however Boston Latin School’s Bilal Elhaji was assured if he ran sensible over the remaining distance he might garner the gold medal on the fifth annual Highland Park Invitational.
Elhaji was just a few steps off the tempo being set by Luke Allen of East Greenwich, R.I., after the pair had shaken the lead pack and he might really feel it beginning to gradual. The junior waited till slightly below 800 meters remaining on the rolling grass course earlier than making a last decisive transfer and pulling away to a formidable win in 16 minutes, 45.5 seconds.
Elhaji felt the slower tempo performed proper into his strengths.
“I wanted to stick behind the lead pack and when the pace slowed I knew I could win it,” he mentioned. “I waited until 600-700 meters to go so I could make a decisive move. I don’t have a great kick, but the pace wasn’t hard for me. I thought maybe he’d come back on me, but I knew I had a lot left.”
The Wolfpack had little drawback with the windy circumstances because it dominated the staff competitors, placing up 30 factors for the victory. Liam Fitzgibbon was third general for Boston Latin in 16:56.6 and Brendan Nolan was additionally within the high 5 together with his fifth-place end in 17:13.6.
Bishop Feehan had a more durable time within the ladies staff competitors, however nonetheless wound up with the win, ending with 61 factors to East Greenwich’s 63 factors. Toll Gate’s Alison Pankowicz captured the person title in 19:41.8, however the Shamrocks’ Lauren Augustyn accomplished what she meant on doing by taking second in 19:52.
“I wrote on my mirror that wanted to break 20 (minutes) and place in the top four and I did,” mentioned Augustyn, who is not any slouch on the monitor with private bests of 5:15 within the mile and 11:09 for 2 miles. “It’s my favorite course. I like how it’s two laps and not three and it’s kind of an equalizer because of the hills and terrain.”
BC High has a robust freshman to observe in Colin Kurtz, the blond-haired harrier with the sleek stride ran properly to complete a robust second within the 3K race in 11:02.5. East Greenwich’s Brody Tetreault was the winner in 10:53.8.
Kurtz was pleased together with his silver medal efficiency, however wished he was nearer to Tetreault close to the end.
“I felt like I could have gone faster,” mentioned Kurtz, himself a 5:08-miler. “He put in a move about halfway through and I couldn’t stay with him. Finally, it was nice to have someone to chase.”
Kurtz sang the reward of his freshman teammates and is wanting ahead to subsequent weekend’s Ocean State Invitational. Finishing thirtieth and sixteenth the previous two years within the seventh and eighth-grade races, he’s hoping for a greater exhibiting within the freshman occasion.
“I’ve been slowly moving up,” mentioned Kurtz. “I’d like to be in the top three this year.”
Bishop Feehan freshman Noelle Salwierz is hardly a rookie, having run and made it to the nationwide finals within the Junior Olympics the earlier two years. She put in a robust effort for third within the freshman ladies’ race together with her 13:34.
Salwierz is mostly the No. 5 and 6 ladies on Feehan’s varsity squad and was pleased general together with her race.
“I felt good today,” she mentioned. “I wanted to do 13 (minutes) and come in the top five. It was windy. I was a few feet behind someone, but it wasn’t helping (blocking the wind).”
Source: www.bostonherald.com
