The Bromfield cross-country teams competed in their final race of the season, the Midland-Wachusett Pod 5 Championship Wednesday, Nov. 11. The race was held at Harvard Park, the home course of the Bromfield Trojans.
A lot was at stake. The girls were undefeated and the boys had lost only one race. But both teams performed well, the girls taking first place with a score of 31 points, and the boys earning a solid second-place finish with 56 points.
Each of the six teams in Pod 5 raced at different times during the week to avoid contact with runners from opposing towns. Hudson raced Monday, Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA) on Tuesday, and Marlborough, Maynard, Nashoba Regional, and Bromfield ran at designated times throughout the day Wednesday. Nashoba placed first among the boys. Among the girls, Nashoba placed second and Hudson was third.
The Bromfield boys race began at noon, followed two minutes later by the Bromfield girls.
Sprinting off the starting line, juniors Julian Iverson and Nick Russo led their team through the 3.1-mile course. Iverson and Russo have been setting the pace together for the boys throughout this season, always duking it out at the finish line. After the race, Iverson said, “Even though it was an unusual last race of the season (we raced against the clock and not another team), I think that all the runners made the best of the situation and had a good race.”
Both the boys and girls teams consist of a core group of underclassmen, but despite the inexperience of many key runners, both teams delivered on Wednesday. For the boys, freshman Jack Stahl, eighth-grader Ethan Russo, and seventh-grader Harrison Binnick all contributed to the well-fought second place. For the girls, seventh-grader Cate Corbett, freshman Marissa Flynn, and eighth-graders Isabel Jackson and Emma Squire were all crucial to the team’s success.
As usual, senior Kasia Ostrowski went out leading the girls team. One of Ostrowski’s goals was to “catch up to as many boys as possible.” Following her were Corbett and eighth-grader Camille Bradley. Unfortunately, Bradley dropped out halfway through the race, but Corbett stood her ground all the way to the finish line.
Packs offer a competitive advantage
Throughout the season, the girls formed packs while practicing and racing, which was a tactic that other teams didn’t use. Corbett said, “We had multiple strong groups that stuck together to pace. I think that really helped us.”
Behind Corbett came a pack of six girls, working together throughout the race. This pack consisted of teammates of all grades and ages. Senior Hannah Beckman noted after the race, “Seeing the pack of Molly, Emma, and Marissa right in front of me gave me motivation to catch up and stick with them. From then on it was just [a matter of] pacing with that group and sticking with their cadence.”
Runners on both the boys and girls teams were motivated to end the season with a strong performance, evident in the battles between teammates in their final sprints to the finish line. Crossing the line first for the boys was Iverson, with a time of 18 minutes, 37 seconds, placing sixth overall. Moments later, Nick Russo finished with a time of 18:46, placing seventh overall. “We ran hard. No one gave up, from the first man in to the last one in. I think we are the closest team out there, which helps us push each other and led to our good performance,” said Russo after the race.
Next came Stahl, placing third for the team and ninth overall, with a time of 19:03. In fourth, senior Dallas Briggs-Adams (19:47) placed 16th overall, and in fifth for the team came eighth-grader Ethan Russo (19:50), placing 18th overall.
Finishing first for the Bromfield girls and third overall, Ostrowski ran a time of 21:11. Ostrowski was pleased with her race and said: “I’m so proud of my team and all we’ve accomplished this season. These girls are the most motivated and dedicated runners, but most importantly they are all amazing people that make each practice fun for everyone.” Corbett (21:43) placed second for Bromfield and fourth overall.
In seventh place came Beckman (22:39), in eighth, sophomore Molly Squire (22:43), and in ninth, freshman Marissa Flynn (22:45). The team placed five runners in the top 10, guaranteeing them the title of pod champions.
To round out the top 15, eighth-graders Isabel Jackson and Emma Squire finished 11th and 12th. Senior Helena Justicz finished in 15th place.
Ostrowski reflected on the season by saying, “With so much determination at their young ages, I know this is just the start of many undefeated seasons, and I’m just happy I got to be a part of their beginnings.”
The official cross-country season concluded with this race, but both teams will continue to practice together throughout the fall and winter to maintain endurance for the upcoming outdoor track season.
Molly Squire is a Bromfield sophomore and a member of the girls cross-country team.
