Oliver Ames star Kate Sobieraj was content material working a considerably gradual early tempo at Saturday’s Catholic Memorial Invitational at Franklin Park.
When you’re a notoriously laborious finisher just like the gifted Sobieraj, ready earlier than springing a surge on the runners round her is a luxurious.
Racing in cool, calm situations, Sobieraj tucked herself into the lead pack via a 5:48 opening mile and made her transfer away from the group with a surge on the descent of treacherous Bear Cage Hill. No one was in a position to reply her decisive transfer and Sobieraj pulled away to a powerful victory in 18 minutes, 52.0 seconds. Alison Pankowicz of Toll Gate (R.I.) took second in 19:00.5 and Bedford’s Fiona Lee earned the bronze medal in 19:03.5.
“I wanted to go out slow,” mentioned Sobieraj, who completed tenth in final fall’s Div. 1 All-State race and, extra not too long ago, 14th within the Ocean State Invitational. “I knew the hill was coming and I wanted to really push there. I was hoping for the win. I wanted to run hard and I knew I had to run the hill hard if I was going to get the win.”
The powerful Marshfield group, led by Eleanor Angeles-Whitfield, who was a strong sixth in 19:14.6, got here away with the win with 74 factors. Bedford was second with 93 factors and Lexington put up 114 factors for third.
Billerica’s Ryan Leslie wished he was within the sooner Varsity Red race, however that solely meant he must push the tempo by himself within the Varsity Silver occasion.
Leslie was alone and looking out snug via a 4:53 opening mile and for all intents and functions the race was over. By the time he entered The Wilderness part of the three.1-mile structure, simply previous the two-mile mark (10:10), he led by 100 yards.
Leslie pushed laborious over the ultimate mile and received simply in 16:05.5. Somerville’s Atticus Kaye was the runner-up in 16:26.4. Leslie’s teammate, Patrick Hall, completed third in 16:52.5.
Marshfield edged Billerica within the group competitors, 75 factors to the Indians’ 78 factors.
Leslie noticed the group itemizing earlier than the meet and just about knew he’d be alone.
“It was a good solo effort, but it would have been nice to be in the Silver race,” he mentioned. “The first mile felt really relaxed. The hill hit me a little more than I thought it would.”
Just as Leslie predicted, the Varsity Red race was a burner as Bishop Guertin’s (N.H.) Matthew Giardina took command on the gun and was by no means challenged as he ran away with a sterling 15:36.2 win, the quickest time of the day. Isaac Mahler of Hall (Conn.) was a powerful second in 15:47.6. Brendan Thomas of Oliver Ames was third in 16:01.4.
Reading’s Finn Johnson-Houlihan locked horns with Owen Geagan of B.C. High within the freshman race earlier than surging on the high of Bear Cage Hill and outkicking Geagan on the final straightaway to win the 3-kilometer race in 10:20.2. Geagan was simply steps again in 10:23.1.
Isabella Miller of Central Catholic used her velocity and the downhills to her benefit in successful the freshman race. Miller completed in 12:21.6, simply forward of Madelyn Laros of Billerica (12:26.8). Miller’s teammate, Emma Ausilio, was third in 12:30.9.
Source: www.bostonherald.com