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Emberlin, Grace lead Housatonic at Berkshire League championships

Emberlin, Grace lead Housatonic at Berkshire League championships

Tanner Spear, HVRHS’ lone entrant in the boys JV race, finished in 29:32

Riley Klein

WATERTOWN ­— Varsity distance runners of the Northwest Corner met at Black Rock State Park Thursday, Oct. 22, for the Berkshire League cross country championships.

There were nine high schools represented at the event, including Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

The four races were split into girls varsity, girls JV, boys varsity and boys JV.

Thomaston High School emerged victorious in both the girls and boys varsity races. Thomaston also swept the boys JV podium and Shepaug Valley High School won the girls JV race.

The runners embarked on a five-kilometer course.

Ahead of her final meet, HVRHS senior Grace Graney described the feelingas “bittersweet.”

“We have such a great coach and a great team,” Graney said. “I’m going to remember most how supportive our team is towards each other. We’re a very close.”

The Mountaineer boys had a season record of 4-4 and the girls went 5-3. Below are results from the Berkshire League championships.

Girls

Briana Belanger of Thomaston won the girls varsity race with a time of 19 minutes 37 seconds. The second place finisher was Lily Casini of Shepaug (20:20) and third place went to Lilyana Markavich of LakeviewHigh School (20:33).

HVRHS’s top finisher was freshman Ella Emberlin who placed 19th with a personal-best time of 25:16. Emberlin was named to the Berkshire League all-star second team.

Also representing the Mountaineers in the girls varsity race were Celestia Galvin (27:53), Edith Losh (29:01), Kaitlyn Holst-Grubbe (31:18), Zaira Celso-Cristobal (36:02), Grace Graney (37:14) and Yamina Smithey (41:53).

In the girls JV race, Shepaug’s Laci Donovan won with a time of 25:52. Second place went to Maylin Worhunsky of Terryville (26:31) and third place went to Victoria Bargellini of Shepaug (26:42).

HVRHS had no runners in the girls JV race.

Boys

Beau Kociszewski of Thomaston won the boys varsity race with a time of 17:19. Second place went to Liam Riendau of Shepaug (17:33) and third place went to Braden Walker of Thomaston (17:35). HVRHS’s top finisher was sophomore Elden Grace who placed 15th with a personal-best time of 19:01. Grace was named to the Berkshire League all-star second team.

Also representing the Mountaineers in the boys varsity race were Owen Schnepf (19:35.3), Alastair Schnepf (21:13.0), Jaxon Visockis (21:38.8), Ishaan Tantri (22:45.3), Jackson Holst-Grubbe (22:57.2) and Silas Popadic (28:42.6).

Thomaston swept the podium of the boys JV race.

HVRHS had one runner enter in the boys JV race: Tanner Spear (29:32).

Riley Klein

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