THE WMHS boys’ cross country team took 4th in the championship race, 1st in the sophomore race and 6th in the freshman race among other strong finishes at the Frank Kelley Invitational on Saturday in Wrentham. (File Photo)
WRENTHAM — The Wakefield boys’ cross country team delivered an impressive performance at the Frank Kelley Invitational held at the Wrentham Development Center on Saturday, securing a solid 4th-place finish among a competitive field including top three finishing teams, Concord Carlisle, Cambridge and Hamilton-Wenham. There were 23 teams competing in the championship race from large and small schools across the state.
Leading the charge for Wakefield was Brandon Nett, who clocked an outstanding personal best time of 16:08, earning him a 21st place medal. His strong start set the tone for the team’s performance.
Following closely was Ethan Mezikofsky, finishing with a personal best of 16:20, placing 29th. Andrew Nett also put forth a remarkable effort, crossing the finish line at 16:24 in 32nd place and a personal best. The trio’s strong times were pivotal in keeping the team in contention throughout the race.
Max Viselli and Devin DeBeradinis contributed significantly as well, finishing in 61st and 68th places to round out the top 5 scorers, with times of 16:56 and 16:59, both major personal bests.
The depth of the team shone through as George Palmer, Marcello Caruso, Ty Galante, Aidan Burd and Ryan Paige each demonstrated determination, finishing in 80th, 96th, 119th, 137th, and 150th places with times of 17:12, 17:25, 17:48, 18:04, and 18:26, respectively. Each runner pushed through the challenges of the course, showcasing their commitment to the team.
“I’m incredibly proud of how our athletes executed their race strategies today,” said head coach Perry Pappas. “Each member played a crucial role in our overall success.”
The Warriors now look forward to building on this momentum as they prepare for upcoming meets. As they continue their training, the focus remains on improvement and maintaining their competitive edge.
The sophomores put on a stellar performance at the invitational, finishing 1st as a team. Alec Buonopane-Cohen led the charge, finishing 7th overall with a time of 10:09. Alec’s brother, Evan Buonopane-Cohen followed closely, earning 22nd place in 10:57. Each earned a medal for their performances.
Zach Richardson (33rd, 11:17), Sean Marra (42nd, 11:36) and Taylor Miller (45th, 11:39) rounded out the scoring for the team.
The depth continued with Jackson Conley (11:56), Brendan Prichard (12:04), Zach Davidson (12:05), Eddie Palmer (12:37) and Alex Riggs (14:09) also contributing strong finishes with personal best times.
“The sophomores really stepped up to win their race and every runner showed tremendous effort and determination,” said Pappas. “This meet is a great indicator of our potential for the season.”
In the senior 3000-meter race, Jacob Ciriello led the way for Wakefield, finishing in 7th place with a time of 10:05, earning a well-deserved medal. Brody Wyatt followed, clocking in at 11:00 for 30th place, while Aidan Martin finished in 56th with a time of 11:40. Adam Levy completed the senior lineup with a time of 13:27.
The junior 3000-meter race saw Ethan Caldo and William Iudice finishing 72nd and 76th, with times of 12:15 and 12:21, respectively. AJ Kretas and Jonathan Zhang rounded out the junior squad, finishing 110th and 120th with times of 14:00 and 14:39.
In the freshman 3000-meter race, Wakefield finished 6th as a team, demonstrating promise for the future. Max Levine led the way with a solid 38th place finish at 11:55, followed closely by Noah Morriseau in 40th with a time of 11:59. Elijah Beaton (58th, 12:26), Grant Jefferson (60th, 12:31) and Charlie Sloss (64th, 12:34) completed the top five for the freshmen, each pushing through a challenging course. Connor Moulton (12:51), Jack Ellis (13:20), Nathaniel Chines (13:35), Aaron Zhang (16:06) and Ryan Wollner (18:29) also competed in their first big invitational.
The Warriors travel to Watertown today at 4:15 p.m.
