Warriors defeat Wilmington in first meet at Beasley in nearly a month
THE WARRIOR boys’ cross country team returned home to the Beasley Track and Field Course and easily prevailed against Wilmington, 15-49. Wakefield placed 16 finishers in the top 20. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
WAKEFIELD — After being on the road for three straight meets, no one could’ve faulted the Warrior runners on the boyas’ cross country team if they didn’t recognize their surroundings at the Beasley Track and Field course.
Wakefield was truly glad to be back at home in more ways than one as it also ran past Wilmington, 15-49, yesterday afternoon to increase their record to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Middlesex League Freedom division.
The Warriors ran from the front early as a pack of 12 Wakefield runners came in ahead of Wilmington’s first runner at the mile mark. Six of those runners were able to fend off the Wildcats top man once the race was over and the rest were able to hold off Wilmington’s fifth man as the Warriors placed 16 finishers in the top 20.
Junior Alec Rodgers led from wire to wire as he ran a time of 16:53 followed in second place by junior Richie Custodio in a time of 17:21.
Senior Jackson Gallagher was third in 17:44, followed by junior Chris Skeldon (fourth at 17:48), sophomore Ryan Sullivan (fifth at 17:52) and freshman Matt Greatorex (sixth at 18:02).
Wilmington’s top runner stopped the bleeding with a seventh place finish.
Then Wakefield secured eighth and ninth places behind the efforts of sophomore Jackson Kehoe (18:06) and Robert Shaw (18:19).
After Wilmington took 10th, sophomore Jack Stevens finished in 11th place at 18:26.
Junior Tyler Whipple, sophomore John Stanfield, senior Nick Hill, junior Joe Boudreau, sophomore Ty Collins and senior Jared Matos captured 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th places with times of 19:00, 19:00, 19:04, 19:21, 19:39 and 19:42.
Wilmington’s fourth runner completed the race before sophomore Michael Frezza came in before the Wildcats’ fifth man. Frezza secured 20th place at 19:46.
“The boys stuck together through the first half of the race. It was great to see them come out and compete from the gun,” said Coach Perry Pappas. “They ran some good times and (we) got some big improvements from Greatorex, Kehoe, Shaw, Stanfield and Frezza. Every week new members of the team step up and perform. I’m excited about the future of this program.”
Also running for the Warriors were: Shahnawaz Anwar (20:40), James Connors (20:43), Justin McGonagle (21:33), Brian Lomasney (22:03), Nolan Collins (22:17), Riley Brackett (22:19), Sam Morey (22:31), David Lee (24:43) and Cal Sylvia (24:52).
The Warriors will face Melrose (5-0 overall, 3-0 in the M.L. Freedom division) in a showdown for first place next Tuesday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. at Beasley.
