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Globe West Sports | Running the Course

Young Lions get feet wet in CMI

By Sapna Pathak
Globe Correspondent / October 25, 2009

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(A weekly series chronicling the journey of the Newton South girls’ cross-country team, culminating with the All-State meet on Nov. 21 at Northfield Mountain).

To provide a training ground for the team’s younger runners, South sent a contingent of three sophomores and four freshman to compete in the 50th Catholic Memorial Invitational Oct. 17. Sophomore Anna Laurence, who received the squad’s most aggressive training plan, placed 17th overall in the Division 1 girls’ race with a clocking of 20:11.6. Sophomore Abby Pressberg (66th) finished her second varsity race in 22:01.5, just a couple seconds ahead of Hannah Friedman (67th) at 22:03.7.

“I always put a late-season invitational on the schedule and decide how to approach it based on how the team’s progressed,’’ said head coach Steve McChesney. “We used the CMI to give our younger runners a chance to get a race in at Franklin Park and gain a bit more experience on the course.’’

South wrapped up the regular season, sweeping a tri-meet Wednesday with Tyngsborough (16-39) and Westford (15-48). South (9-1) suffered its only regular-season loss to nationally ranked Lincoln-Sudbury.

Looking ahead
The Lions head back to Franklin Park Friday for the DCL championship, facing three squads that are ranked among the state’s top 10. McChesney called the upcoming race “our biggest test, even bigger than all-state.’’

Madeleine Reed, Melanie Fineman, and Kathy O’Keefe should pace the top three runners at Lincoln-Sudbury. Laurence might be the difference-maker, running in the fourth spot while Jenny Epstein, Elizabeth May, and Kayla Burton provide the depth needed for South to bring home another DCL title.

“This year, the DCL is even deeper up front,’’ said McChesney. “L-S and us are very strong, along with two Acton-Boxborough girls who’ve been huge for them. Plus there’s some real talent from schools like Concord-Carlisle and Weston. The depth in the DCL is amazing this year, and I’m happy we ran a schedule where we saw so many of these teams.’’

Stepping forward
Katie Sandson is considered one of the state’s top sprinters. A member of South’s 4x200-meter relay team outdoors, Sandson helped the Lions place 12th at the nationals last spring.

In the tri-meet against Tyngsborough and Westford, she set a personal best, beating Tyngsborough’s No.2 runner and Westford’s No. 5 runner, in a time of 21:00.

“Katie solidified her place on our state-team roster of 10 girls, of which we can run seven,’’ said McChesney. “She’s going to the postseason, which says a lot about her progress this season.’’

Laurence also set a personal record at Westford, finishing the race in 19:10 and shaving off 28 seconds off her former best.

© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.