Boys XC outruns Stoughton for season’s first win

Aided by strong pack running, the Canton High boys cross country team earned its first win of the season as they raced past Stoughton on the road 16-46. The Bulldogs are now 1-3 overall through four dual meets.

Junior captain Luke Darling (Mike Tureski photo)

The key to the victory was Canton’s ability to sweep the first four spots, led by junior captain Luke Darling who was able to show off his speed and surge to the front of the pack in the first loop and never looked back, posting a new personal best of 18:54.

Darling was followed by fellow captains Sam Vail (19:52) and Austin DiBiasio (20:24), with Dom Gray coming in fourth for the squad (21:07). Head coach Brian Gotsell said the pack running strategy worked successfully and not only led to personal-best times but prevented any Stoughton runners from trying to take the lead.

Also running a solid race for Canton was Maks Alves (21:30), who also recorded a new personal best by running a smart and strategic race. He slowly picked up his pace throughout the 5k course, passing runner after runner to finish sixth overall.  Other CHS runners having strong performances were sophomores Justin Ngan and Max Mateo.

Commenting after the win, Darling said, “We knew it was going to be a close race, so we had to make sure that we got out hard. I took the lead about 1,000 meters into the race and got the rest of the boys to follow my lead. I’m proud of our team, especially the new guys like Max Mateo, Riley Swearingen, and Declan Monahan who stepped up big today. We may be young, but we have a lot of grit.”

Gotsell said the young Bulldogs team is finally hitting its stride and learning how to race.

“The work they have been putting in during practice with their long runs, mile repeats, and speed work is finally all coming together, and the team is poised to do some damage in the upcoming invitationals,” he said.

He added, “Our boys have been working hard these past few weeks, so it’s great to see them rewarded with a victory. Luke Darling, Sam Vail, and Austin DiBiasio have been great leaders for us, and they have done an excellent job helping build a culture of hard work and perseverance.”

Girls inch closer to first win

The Canton girls also battled against the Knights but lost a close one, 21-34. Leading the way for the Bulldogs was senior captain Johanna Bouwmeester, who had a season-best 24:18 and placed fourth overall.

She was followed by sophomore standout Tahlia Weaver (24:48) and captain Tema Mazonson (25:29), who finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Klara Redquest also had a great race, running a career best 25:51 over the 5k course.

While the girls are still looking for their first win of the season, Gotsell said they have shown poise and continue to gain confidence and improvement each week.

“I’m proud of the races our girls ran. From our captains Mazonson and Bouwmeester to rookies like Redquest and Emerson Martin, every harrier left it out there on the course and gave it their all,” he said. “We are turning a corner and I’m excited to see what we can do in the coming weeks.”

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=92731

Posted by Mike Berger on Oct 7 2022. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.