Hawkins first at MOCs

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Staff photo by Bruce Preston Courtney Hawkins of Milford finished nearly six seconds ahead of her nearest competitor at the Meet of Champions held yesterday at Mine Falls Park in Nashua.

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Milford’s Courtney Hawkins was a champion among champions Saturday, winning the girls race of the Meet of Champions at Mine Falls in Nashua. The Spartan junior won somewhat comfortably in a time of 18:34.1, beating second-place Elizabeth Conway, of Manchester Central, by 6 seconds.

Mia Eisenhandler, of Nashua South, was third, just 3 seconds behind Conway.

On the boys side, the top local finisher was Bishop Guertin’s Chris Cogliano, who finished second, a little under 7 seconds behind winner Dylan Lafond, of Manchester Central, who won in 15:41.9.

As no team awards are given (the top 25 individual boys and girls each receive awards) the team competition doesn’t have the same significance as at the Division meets, but the Bishop Guertin boys did win the meet with 110 points, besting Pinkerton by five. Souhegan (178) was sixth, bolstered by their depth and having no top finisher, but five that placed between 25th and 45th. Nashua North, led by Devin Motivala’s fifth-place finish, finished in eighth place, with Merrimack, led by John Conlin (12th) finishing in eleventh.

Brandon Latham finished 10th for the Cardinal boys, while Alvirne’s Aaron Bellomo (16) and Merrimack’s Chris Busby (23) also finished in the top 25, qualifying them for New Englands, along with the Guertin and Souhegan teams.

For the girls teams, Bishop Guertin finished third, Hollis/Brookline finished seventh, Souhegan 12th, and Nashua South 14th.

The Cardinals had a good day, placing Sarah Burke (ninth), Molly McCabe (18th) and Sarah Murphy (20th) all in the top 25. Joining them were Hollis/Brookline’s Meghan Philpot and Emma Newton, who finished 10th and 14th.

By virtue of their finishes, the Cardinals, as well as Hawkins, Eisenhandler, Burke, McCabe, Murphy, Philpot, and Newton all qualify for New Englands.