MHS spring track teams go the distance with strong finishes at Bay State Running Invitational

As the calendar flips to May with the weather still feeling like April, it’s a good opportunity to check-in on the progress of the Marblehead High spring track teams. The girls have a 3-2 record, while the boys are 4-1. Members of each team then got a taste of what lies ahead down the road in the postseason.

Marblehead High boys spring track junior Will Cruikshank stays ahead of his Peabody counterpart, while teammate and classmate Zach Pike is catching up in the 800 during last year’s NEC Meet. Most recently as seniors, Will in the 800 and Zach in the mile competed in the Bay State Running Invitational late last month to help them get ready for the postseason in a few weeks. FILE PHOTO / ANGIE FISCHER

On Friday, April 24, a small contingent of distance runners took a break from the Northeastern Conference grind to compete in the Bay State Running Invitational at St. John’s Prep.

“Our distance squads are in the midst of the hardest stretch of training this season, which means tired legs. The plan was to race in this (Invitational) as if it was a championship meet, and believe that the legs would be there in the final stretches. They all executed this plan very well, and, despite the heavy legs from training, almost everyone put down a seasonal or personal best in their respective races,” said coach Nolan Raimo.

Marblehead High girls spring track sophomore Sarah Munroe leads in the 800 after the first lap during the annual NEC Meet in Danvers last spring. Turning the page to this spring, Munroe, now a junior, was among the leaders in the 800 during the Bay State Running Invitational late last month. FILE PHOTO / KATE WALSH

Girls 800

Sarah Munroe set the tone, running a 2:26.91 over the two-lap race to finish fourth overall among 17 other competitors. “Sarah was aggressive off the start line, and led throughout the first lap, keeping the field on their toes and the pace honest,” said Raimo. “Her time was only a couple of seconds off her personal best, which is exactly where you want to be at this point in the season. She also finished well under the qualifying (time) for the Division 4 state championship meet (next month).”

Boys 800

With 40 participating, Will Cruikshank was credited with a monster time of 2:04.70 to come in 12^th overall. He beat his previous best time by two seconds after completing “a brilliant tactical race,” said Raimo. “In his heat, Will let the leaders go in front early, and kept his position along the rail, before turning in a really strong second lap to move from sixth to third.”

Girls mile

With 41 competing, Marblehead had three runners in the second of three heats, and all three ran outstanding races that resulted in personal best performances. Courtney Hitscherich (5:47.10, 12-second personal best), a track novice, ended up 22^nd. Eleanor Morgan (5:36.99) and Norah Walsh (5:37.98) finished 14^th and 15^th overall to qualify for the state divisional meet.

In the third and final heat, senior captain Marri O’Connell fearlessly ran in front, bringing the field with her through the first 1,000 meters, according to Raimo. “When the moves started happening, Marri responded immediately, and stayed right with the top two runners throughout the final lap, ultimately finishing third in a crazy fast time of 5:12.69. It was a moment of pure joy for the senior captain, when she finished and saw her time. It was also a great moment for me as a coach seeing her teammates rush over to hug her,” the coach said. “Marri has been working tremendously hard since an injury sidelined her last winter and spring, and to see the results of that work show up on the track, it was a huge victory. Currently, her time ranks ninth in the entire state, and No. 1 in Division 4. Considering it is only April, Marri is showing all the right signs for a breakout season.”

Marblehead High boys track sophomore Filip Grubor is mugging for the camera, before completing the mile during a meet against Masco last spring. As a junior this year, Grubor continues to run well, most recently in the Bay State Running Invitational late last month. FILE PHOTO / COLIN HART

Boys mile

With 72 runners in this event, Zach Pike (4:46.99) had the unfortunate luck of ending up as the fastest seed in his heat. Generally, it’s best to be the slowest, because there’s nowhere to go but up. However, that did not dissuade the Marblehead miler from dominating the heat by as many as seven seconds to finish 18^th overall, just missing a personal best time by a couple of seconds.

Henrik Adams (4:48.06) and Filip Grubor (4:49.43) finished 19^th and 20^th overall after running in the fourth heat.

“For Henrik, it was a tough race,” said Raimo. “Sometimes it’s just not your day, but he has enough experience to bounce back quickly. Running a sub-4:50 on a tough day is still a great sign for what’s to come for this senior captain, while Filip Grubor matched his (personal) best in the mile from the indoor season, and officially went under five minutes for the first time on an outdoor track. Altogether, this group of milers will play a huge role in the NEC Championship Meet, and beyond later on this season.”