Williston NH and Westover dominate 6-school invitational

Nearly 80 runners and a fast course made for a terrific race at Suffield Academy yesterday.  Anna Oeser of Canterbury again dominated the field, clocking in at 18:34, nearly two minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. After that, the race was closely fought at every point, with sprint battles in the final 500 meters for the top ten finishers as well as for the 30th - 60th place runners.  The pack of Kerry Carr, Ella Horn, and Anna Wilson was again effective.  This time, Wilson went out fastest in 6:45, with Horn and Carr about 10 and 15 seconds behind.  By mile two, Wilson began to surge further ahead, and she finished first for Millbrook in 23rd place, in 23:37.  Carr had a very strong final mile and finished in a virtual heat with a Williston Northhampton runner for 30th place, while Horn was about 25 seconds back in 32nd.  Cindy He was without her usual Millbrook racing partner, so she ran alone and achieved a PR for the season in 25;17. Next was Millbrook's second pack of Claire Kissane, Clare Carty, and Dorothy Walker, who stayed close for the first mile, before Kissane made her move to pass a pack of racers around her, and never looked back.  Kissane finished 48th in 26:18, her best race of the season.  Carty was 58th, passing several runners in the final stretch, and Walker was 62nd in her strongest race as well.  Sam Besca continues to shave minutes off her race times, and this race was also her best yet.  The day was brought to a great close by cheering Kazuki to a fantastic first place finish in the boys race, and then trying some spectacular new flavors at Grassroots. (goat chesse with sweet plum was a fan favorite).  Next week is the division 3 New England championships at Rivers School!