Moran, Miller Victorious for McCann Tech at Greylock Glen
ADAMS, Mass. – Two first-place finishers and two narrow losses in the team competition on Tuesday showed that the McCann Tech cross country teams are off to a good start this fall.
Brandon Miller won the boys race in 19 minutes, 37 seconds, and Camryn Moran took first for the girls in 24:07 against Pope Francis at Greylock Glen.
The Cardinals ended up on top in both team races, beating McCann Tech’s boys, 20-35, and the girls, 26-31.
Moran and the girls slipped to 3-1 this fall after a five-point loss to a Pope Francis program that placed 11th at last fall’s PVIAC Western Massachusetts Division 2 meet.
“This year, we had a lot more girls come in,” Moran said of the Hornets’ progress this fall. “I think that it’s really been helpful for our team that we’re able to have so many finishers.
“And each year, we all just push each other to go faster and faster. And when we train together a lot, I think it really helps us kind of grow together as a team. So we grow closer and closer.”
Miller is equally optimistic about the McCann Tech boys (2-2), who also have had an infusion of new blood.
“We’re in a pretty good place right now,” Miller said. “We have a bunch of new runners in this year, and they’re doing great so far. We’re getting the ropes down. And we’re doing really good as a team right now.”
Miller won in dominant fashion on Tuesday, crossing the finish line more than a minute and a half ahead of runner-up Matthew Streck of Pope Francis (21:23).
The Cardinals then took the next five places before the Hornets’ Joshua McGrory, who placed seventh in 26:34.
Miller, who took command early, said the race played out as he expected.
“It was a little hot today, but, besides that, I executed my plan perfectly,” he said.
“If you’re looking to jump out on the lead, this is the course to do it. So I had the feeling that I had cement myself in there first just to make sure I can keep control of the race and not lose focus. … Holding a hard pace will definitely start dropping runners immediately.”
In the girls race, Moran posted a similar wide margin of victory over Pope Francis’ Tara Resist, who crossed the line in 25:49.
The Hornets’ Kamilia Kondel was a close third in 25:58, and Rebecca Vallieres (27:34) placed sixth to help keep McCann Tech close in the team race.
Like Miller, Moran jumped in front early and never looked back … not that she was worried about her position in the field.
“I just really wanted to beat the time I did last week,” Moran said. “It didn’t really matter what place I came in. I just really wanted to push myself to go faster and faster.”
In a four-team meet last week to open the season, Moran covered the Greylock Glen course in 24:40, 37 seconds slower than Tuesday’s time.
Next Tuesday, McCann Tech’s harriers get their first look at a different course when they travel to the Pioneer Valley to take on Hopkins Academy and Frontier Regional.