Trojan cross-country teams dominate Littleton in first meet of season, don costumes for relays

by John Osborn · Friday, September 20, 2024

The Bromfield boys and girls cross-country teams were the clear winners in their first league meets of the 2024 season, outpacing the Littleton Tigers on a sunny afternoon at Harvard Park Sept. 11.

The girls, reigning MIAA Division 3 state champions, won their race 15-47, their top five runners crossing the finish line well before the first for Littleton. Evelyn Wool was first for Bromfield with a time of 19 minutes, 44 seconds, followed by Rosie Bradley (20:30.3) and Abby Wool (23:48.5).

According to coach Marisa Steele, Evelyn Wool’s time is the third fastest for a girl running the team’s Harvard Park course. The first and second fastest times were recorded in 2019 by Tessa McClain.

Bromfield junior Liam Kemeza runs in the Mid-Wach XC Relays in Marlborough. His relay team dressed as French boys and ran with a baguette as a baton.(Photo by Kate Wool)

The boys won the top four slots in their race, beating their Littleton rivals 18-39. Ben McWaters was first with a time of 17:09.2. Christian Johannesen placed second with a time of 17:42.2, with Harrison Binnick on his heels in third place at 17:52.5.

McWaters’ time broke the school record for the course, Steele said in an email. The previous school record of 17:17 was set by Jack Stahl in 2022. The course opened in 2016 and the record remains 16:38.

Relays: Costumes vs. performance

Later in the week, Saturday, Sept. 14, both teams traveled to Ghiloni Park in Marlborough for the 2024 Mid-Wach cross-country relays, a meet with costumes and an emphasis on fun rather than results.

Each relay team consisted of three runners. Every team chose its own theme and an object to be used as a baton. “One of our boys teams dressed as French school kids and carried a baguette as their baton; one of the girls teams dressed as [seniors] complete with powdered gray hair,” Steele told the Press. There were awards for best costume and best baton. Bromfield’s “pirate” team (Cole Maddalone, Ralph Adams, and Duncan Charles) won for best costume.

Bromfield entered four boys and four girls teams, each a mixed triplet of varying ability and experience. A Nashoba Regional High School team took first place in the girls relay, but two Bromfield teams placed third and fourth. Results for the boys relay were not available in time for this edition of the paper.

“The teams have been training hard over the first few weeks of the season, so it was a nice break to have some fun in a race situation,” Steele said.

Top five: Bromfield vs. Littleton, Sept. 11

Girls