LEAGUE CHAMPS and now D2A silver medalists. Pictured top l-r Maizie Frakt, Addy Lawlor, Jillian Bakey, Darby Thompson, Isabel Vogel, Rachel Brooks, Sophia Weissman, Charlotte Tysall, Elaine Albuja. Front: Juliet Moore, Kate Sikkema, Tobey Russell, Lily Kavanaugh. (courtesy photo)
Melrose advances to D2 State Finals
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High girls’ cross country team are MIAA Division 2A silver medalists after a fantastic second place finish at the Div. 2A finals at Gardner Golf Course on Saturday Nov. 13. With their result, Melrose has advanced to the Div. 2 Finals that will be held at the Wrentham Development Center this Saturday.
Melrose took home two medals behind the work of juniors Jillian Bakey (7th) and Lily Kavanaugh (14th) and will be advancing a field of hundreds. Winner Wakefield is the only team who edged Melrose—just like they had in the dual meet season.
Advancing this weekend will be the two medalists (Bakey and Kavanaugh) along with Charlotte Tysail, Maizie Frakt, Elaine Albuja, Juliet Moore and Kate Sikkema. They will compete in a large field of combined Div. B and C teams who battled their races last weekend.
This team has been on an upward trajectory since mid-October as they finished dual meet season and embarked on a series of invitationals. Each day that goes by sees a stronger, faster and more competitive Melrose, so there’s no telling what they can accomplish this weekend.
According to Melrose head coach Nick Tuccinardi, Melrose is running their best races at the right time. “We definitely started an trajectory upward and now we’re accomplishing PR after PR. It’s been an incredible effort and last weekend was no exception.”
He also noted the strong efforts from two of his top finishers. “Jillian Bakey is going to one of the best runners in the state next year. And Lily Kavanaugh has really come through for us, medaling at invitational and rising to the occasion.”
Notably, three other players cracked the top 25: Charlotte Tysail, Juliet Moore and Maizie Frakt who placed 21, 22 and 25, respectively. Says Tuccinardi, “Charlotte has had an amazing journey as a runner since she was a freshman and had to reinvent herself as a runner. She competed great. And Juliet is a runner who is just climbing and climbing. Maizie is just killing it her freshman year.” Also looking sharp were runners Isabel Vogel and Katie Sikkema, who efforts Tuccinardi noted were “incredible.”
Melrose will compete with the best of the state this Saturday in Wrentham. Melrose will battle with teams such as Northampton, Newburyport, a loaded Holliston, and of course, Wakefield.
Tuccinardi notes that Melrose’s best finish at this event to date was a 6th place finish two years ago. They’d like to do even better. “It would be nice to move up and even leapfrog over Wakefield,” he quips.
Stay tuned.
