Harwood's Welter still out in front
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Harwood senior Eamon Welter outkicks Milton senior Sean Ross to win the Division II race at the Harwood Invitational cross country meet last season. Jeb Wallace-Brodeur/Times Argus File |
Toolbox
By Anna Grearson Times Argus Staff - Published: November 28, 2008
On the boys side of the Vermont high school cross country world is yet another Harwood-U-32 battle between the Highlanders' Eamon Welter and the Raiders' Dylan Hatch.
"Eamon is a track runner and he relies on his kick," Harwood coach John Kerrigan said. "He can run a 1:58 half mile, and that's one of the reasons the kid from Milton, Sean Ross, ran so fast at the state championships. He knew in the back of his mind that, if it came down to a sprint finsih, Eamon would get him."
Welter finished 2nd in the Division II State Championship (18:16), was 5th at the Burlington Invitational (17:20), won the Essex Invitational by :12 (17:46) and finished in 111th at the New England meet (17:11).
"I would say Eamon Welter is argably the best combnined runner in the state, when you think of cross country and track," Kerrigan said. "He's got the motor for distance and he's close to the school record in the 800 … I don't know if Matt Belfield, the coach of UVM, will pick him up or not. But they could stand to."
A senior, Welter finished second in the state individually this year while 29-member Harwood won the team title. Last season he finished third as an individual and the team won the championship, and both Welter and the team finished second in the state meet his sophomore year.
"He leads quitley," Kerrigan said. "He lead by his own determination and his very fierce competivieness. He likes to win, but he really hates to lose. And our team helped push him the last couple of years – having kids right behind him. If he slacked at all, he could drop from first to second or third easily. We only had 30 seconds between our first man and our fifth man.
"His older sisters, Bethany and Caitlin, also ran and his dad was a competive runner in New Jeersy," Kerrigan continued. "He ran a sub-50 400, so Eamon has come from a very athletic family. His sister, Caitlin, was also a competive alpine skier for UVM, so athletics have been a big part of his life."
Dylan Hatch, U-32
“He’s an outstanding runner,” Chaplin said of Hatch. “He made New Englands as a sophomore, and looking at the Vermont state results, he may be the top sophomore in state. That’s pretty outstanding to be that level of runner.”
Hatch finished 4th in the Division II State Championship in 18:20, 11th at the Burlington Invitational (17:49), 4th at the U-32 Invitational (17:50) and was 130th at the New England meet (17:21).
Tim Shepard, Harwood
Finished 5th at the Division II State Championship (18:33).
Nick Wisniewski, Harwood
Finished 8th at the Division II State Championship (18:57).
He is the team’s hill specialist and has a personal record of 17:08
“He just gets more competitive every year and keeps improving. He was one of the few kids that trained during the summer and he just missed qualifying for New Englands as an indivual.”
Sam McCausland, Harwood
Finished 9th at the Division II State Championship (19:04),12th at the Burlington Invitational (17:52), and 8th at the Essex Invitational (18:42).
Caleb Kernan, Harwood
Finished 14th at the Division II State Championship (19:23), 17th at the Burlington Invitational (17:57) and 5th at the Essex Invitational (18:23).
Colton Crowley, Harwood
Finished 22nd in the Division II State Championship (19:52), 16th at the U-32 Invitational (18:55), 56th at the Burlington Invitational and 31st at the Essex Invitational (20:38).
David Sinclair, GMVS
Won the U-32 Invitational (17:11) as an independent on Sept. 27 and finished fourth at the Burlington Invitational (17:16).
Amos Page, U-32
Finished 13th at the Division II State Championship (19:15).
“Overall in the state I think he was the second freshman,” Chaplin said. “I think he was only :2 behind first one, and that’s tremendous.”
Sam Brigham, Montpelier
Finished 6th at the Division II State Championship (18:47), 16th at the Burlington Invitational, 4th at the Essex Invitational and 135th at the New England meet (17:22).
Liam McSweeney, Montpelier
Finished 9th at the Essex Invitational and 11th at the U-32 Invitational.
Zach Baldwin, Spaulding
Finished 33rd at the Division I State Championship (19:25), 17th at the Essex Invitational and was 5th at the NVAC meet.
Sam Hutchins, Stowe
Won the Division III State Championship by :03 (18:57) and was 10th at the Essex Invitational (18:49).
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