Hill of a victory for Kalil
LAKEVILLE — With Marshfield fielding a strong squad in the junior/senior race, Milford’s Jack Kalil expected company up front at yesterday’s Big Wave Cross Country Invitational.
The speedy senior, though, had every intention of running solo the final halfmile as he surged shortly before the steep ladder hill to draw away from Marshfield’s Chris Bunker.
Kalil never stopped pushing the pace the final half-mile as he crossed the final line of the 2.5-mile course on the rural grounds of Apponequet High School in 13 minutes, 4.51 seconds in hot, muggy conditions. Bunker led five Marshfield runners in the top 10 as Dennis Sheppard’s crew ran away with the team title with 24 points. Behind Bunker (13:12.81), the Rams’ James Condon was third in 13:33.67, Joe Joyce clocked 13:37.44, Mike Maglio took sixth in 13:40.19 and Liam Hipwell nailed down eighth with a 13:47.75.
Experience played a big part in the junior/senior race. Kalil was ninth last year after winning the freshman/sophomore competition in 2015 and put together a game plan to attack the challenging layout.
“I remembered (the hill) from last year and I knew I was going to make my move there,” Kalil said. “I knew Marshfield would be super strong and be up front. The crowd was there and they were really egging you on. I didn’t know how much of a kick I had left (the last half-mile), but I’ve lost races that way.”
The girls’ junior/senior race was never in doubt as Madaket Nobili ran at a controlled effort and blew away the field by more than 26 seconds in 15:00.50. Plymouth South’s Jillian Callahan ran well to place a distant second in 15:26.84 while Nobili’s teammate, Tara Ellard, finished a solid third in 15:59.82.
Nobili made it a point to head into the wooded section of the layout in the top three to avoid getting bogged down on the narrow trails.
“If it had been a half-mile longer I think I’d have felt more pressured,” said Nobili. “It’s hot but I felt really good.”
Barnstable’s Leanne Guimong (fourth, 16:07.72) led her squad to the team title with 54 points, just ahead of Sandwich’s 56.