Staggered start provides late kick, but BC High takes Catholic Conference cross country crown

DOVER — The Catholic Memorial cross country team has run separately from opponents this fall as an added layer of safety. It also added an extra layer of suspense to Tuesday’s Catholic Conference Classic.

BC High junior Gemsley Cajuste was the individual leader in the clubhouse, so to speak, after the league’s other five squads had completed their runs at Powisset Farm in Dover, going off in four seeded waves staggered a minute apart.

But after CM took its turn on the 5K course, Knights sophomore C.J. Sullivan had eclipsed Cajuste by 17 seconds, posting a winning time of 16:31.

The format made for a mixed bag as far as competitive advantages were concerned as Sullivan caught a break starting about an hour and 15 minutes later than Cajuste in considerably cooler temperatures, but conversely did not have any other runners to push him as his nearest teammate finished almost three minutes behind.

“A couple weeks ago I ran here and ran a 17-minute flat and felt good, so today I really wanted to break 17,” said Sullivan, a recent transfer from Milton High. “I just tried to kick up the hill so I had a good downhill, and then a really good kick to finish hard.”

Cajuste had some consolation as his Eagles claimed the team title with ease, taking five of the top eight spots for a combined placement score of 27, well ahead of runner-up Xaverian with 77. That result also had some COVID-related circumstances, however, as St. John’s Prep, the reigning All-State champs and winners of the last three CC Classics, did not bring its top seven runners due to contact tracing.

“We have had a good season,” said BC High coach Seth Kirby. “They trained hard over the summer and they are a really good training group. It’s one of the tighter packs I’ve had as far as the top group of five or seven. They work really well as a whole team.

“Obviously, without St. John’s Prep’s top guys here today, that changes the complexion of race a little bit,” continued Kirby. “Really, St. John’s in my mind is probably the best team in Massachusetts.”

Cajuste held off Malden Catholic junior Neil Harrington to cross the line first by eight seconds in the main race, coming in at 16:48.

“It was an intense level of competition with Harrington for the first mile, and after that I just wanted to take it and I went for it,” said Cajuste.

Joe Chase was fourth overall for BC High in 16:59, while the Eagles took the 6-7-8 spots behind Myles Kirby, Stephen Crowley and Aidan Kirby.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3eQD6XR