Paul Bergeron went to the beginning line of Saturday’s Foot Locker Northeast Regionals feeling about as unhealthy as he has all fall. The Westford Academy standout’s lingering again ache was nonetheless there and his ankle throbbed after turning it on Friday.
The Stanford-bound senior confirmed his unwavering toughness as he ran with the leaders all through the three.1-mile course at Franklin Park and in the end completed a robust third for the second consecutive yr in quarter-hour, 2 seconds within the record-breaking Marty Liquori Championship Race.
The race was a fast one in chilly, sunsplashed situations as Ryan Pajak of Pennsylvania broke former Oliver Ames nice Andy Powell’s course report by a second in 14:51. Defending champion Drew Griffith of Pennsylvania was simply seconds again in 14:54.
Bergeron, together with teammate Jack Graffeo, certified for the nationwide championships that will likely be held at Balboa Park in San Diego on Dec. 9. Graffeo was a strong eighth in 15:11 in his debut at Franklin Park.
Both runners have been amongst an enormous pack that handed by means of the mile in a conservative 4:40. The race had thinned out to Griffith, Pajak and Bergeron on the 2-mile mark (9:38) earlier than coming into the winding Wilderness part of the Franklin Park format. Griffith surged laborious with 500 yards left and pulled away for the win.
“I felt alright,” stated Bergeron, who captured his second All-State win final Saturday in Devens. “The last couple of days I’ve been going through kind of a sickness. And honestly this morning, a lot of things went wrong. I could barely put pressure on my ankle and my back kind of locked up. I was happy I was able to hold on as long as possible. My goal is still to go out there and try to win nationals.”
Graffeo was disillusioned together with his Twentieth-place end final yr, which solely made his top-10 end all of the extra satisfying.
“It was fast, but it was comfortable fast because the weather was perfect,” stated Graffeo. “I had a game plan in my head and I executed it the way I wanted to. I really tried to push the woods loop and make constant moves. That’s what helped me stay in it. I knew I was eighth coming off The Wilderness loop and I did a quick look back on that sharp turn and I really didn’t see anybody. I was really trying to catch the guys in front of me.”
Aoife Shovlin of Cambridge continued her torrid working by nailing down the ultimate qualifying spot within the ladies’ championship race. After after defending her Div. 1A and Div. 1 All-State titles the previous two weeks, Shovlin sprinted house for tenth in 18:16.
Belmont’s elusive Ellie Shea was second to Zariel Macchia of New York in 17:21. Macchia was clocked in 17:13.
Shovlin, who was slowed by an iron deficiency earlier within the season, battled laborious to punch her ticket to San Diego.
“I really tried to sprint hard to see if I could get in the top 10,” stated Shovlin, who wore black gloves to thrust back the chilly. “They (leaders) broke away pretty early. I was in 13th for a while, but I managed to move up from there. I don’t know what kind of place I’ll get (at nationals). I want to compete and run my best.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com