Acquaviva warms up to victory
FRANK KELLY INVITATIONAL
WRENTHAM — Maybe it was the warm temperatures coupled with a burning desire to bury his competition this season. Whatever the reason, defending Division 2 All-State champion Sam Acquaviva left no doubt who the best male harrier was at yesterday’s Frank Kelley Invitational.
Racing over the slightly soggy and sunsplashed 3.1-mile Wrentham Developmental Center course, Newburyport’s Acquaviva countered Marshfield’s Nick Valianti’s surge at 2 miles and bulled his way to a decisive win in 15 minutes, 53.45 seconds.
Valianti, who was superb two weeks ago when he shattered the course record at the Big Wave Invitational, was passed by Gabriel Medina of West Springfield (16:05.84) in the final half-mile and finished a solid third in 16:08.89. Peabody’s Claudio Rocha was three seconds back in 16:11.21 and Lincoln-Sudbury’s John Carter rounded out the top five with his 16:20.36.
Acquaviva, who captured his second Frank Kelley title, was prepared to run with the huge pack farther than the first mile (4:59), but knew he couldn’t lose contact with the aggressive Valianti.
“I was trying to stay conservative the first mile or mile and a half,” he said. “I really started to go when he took the lead at 2 miles and I was forced to go with him. I was able to go by him when he slowed down after his surge. It was warmer than I thought it was going to be.”
St. John’s Prep’s George Nikolakopoulos finished 10th in 16:39.49 and the Eagles’ top five crossed the finish line in a span of 42 seconds to take the team title with 81 points to easily outdistance Wakefield (108) and Newburyport (141).
The girls championship race mirrored the boys, as defending Frank Kelley and Div. 2 All-State champion Sarah Roffman of Littleton made a move with 300 yards remaining to put a gap between herself and Westwood’s Sarah Conant to clinch the win in 18:30.33. Conant was 20 yards back in 18:34.54 and Ursuline’s Lauren Grela was three clicks back in 18:37.02.
Roffman was among a small cluster at the mile (5:52) with Conant, Grela, Makayla Paige of Tewksbury (fourth, 19:00.26) and Boston Latin’s Annie Jackson (fifth, 19:08.75). And though the pack broke up shortly after, the top five runners were all in the hunt late in the race. After Roffman crossed the finish line, she went directly to the water table and dumped several cups over her head.
“I won last year and definitely wanted to win again,” said Roffman. “It was harder this year. I was going for an 18:29 or 18:30 so I achieved that goal. This year I didn’t have the lead until one or two tenths left. I knew (early) that the rest of the girls were good so I had to stay up there. I took a better angle (than Conant) on a turn and was able to sprint it home. I knew at that point that she was breathing harder than me.”
Littleton (76) easily defeated Wellesley (103) for the team title. Boston Latin (106) was third.