'Rabbit' No More, Darafshi Leads Way for Greylock Girls
WOODFORD, Vt. -- Sometimes, you should put your money on the hare.
Mount Greylock senior Niku Darafshi was happy taking a supporting role to Mounties’ star Grace Smith last winter, but with Smith graduated, Darafshi stepped up Saturday morning to capture the individual title in the season opening race at Prospect Mountain.
Darafshi went off in the first wave of racers and came home in first place to lead Mount Greylock to a team title.
“Being at the beginning, I don't know where anyone behind me is,” she said. “People behind me can get splits. I have no one to chase. I don't know if I have a second off or on someone. It was just sort of me pushing myself.”
Last year, Darafshi was being pushed -- and caught -- by Smith, who chased everyone down en route to winning the state individual title and leading the Mounties to a team championship.
“I was originally the bait, so I would be caught by my teammates,” Darafshi said. “I don't remember the exact order, but Grace was never first. She would be second or third. She had people to chase.
“I was the rabbit.”
Darafshi covered the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 40 seconds, 11 seconds ahead of Lenox’s Alice Huth (18:51).
The next two girls across the finish line came from Mount Greylock: Brandi Gill (18:53) and Margo Smith (18:56). Lenox’s Emma Jourdain finished fifth in 19:20.
Mount Greylock and Lenox finished one-two in the team standings on the girls side, with Mount Greylock compiling 16 points to the Millionaires’ 35.
In the boys team race, Mount Greylock won going away with nine points to Lenox’s 38 in second place.
Mount Greylock placed six racers in the top 10, led by winner Ric Donati (16:08). The Mounties’ Jakin Miller placed second in 16:30, and Jacob Adams and Evan Arthur were part of a third-place tie at 16:37 along with Lenox’s Miles Marshall.
Mount Greylock’s Cameron Castonguay (16:46) was sixth, and Ethan Schoorlemmer (18:14) ws eighth).
Wahconah’s Sam Pyser cracked the top 10, tying Schoorlemmer for eighth place. Taconic’s Noah Shepardson (18:24) led his team with an 11th-place finish; Hoosac Valley was led by Mitch Barnes (18:52) in 15th.
The fastest Hoosac Valley girl was Jamie Barthe (21:27) in 11th place. Wahconah’s Gabby Orlando (21:39) was 13th, and Taconic’s Rachel Tynan (27:55) was 36th.
Although Darafshi said she was pushing herself through the snow that began to fall during the girls race, she also was pushed by Lenox’s Huth.
“I had a race strategy going out there, but you really just have to gauge it as you're going,” Darafshi said. “I was with Alice from Lenox, and she went really hard from the beginning, so I just sort of stuck with her. She's really good at uphills, and the whole second half is a hill, so I said, 'I need to get out there.'
“I think at the 2-k mark, I just went for it, and pretty much at the end, it was just pushing and making sure no one caught up to me.”
Next week, the Berkshire Nordic League stays south of the state line as the racers take on the course at Wahconah Regional on Saturday morning.
BOYS TEAM SCORES
1. Mount Greylock, 9 points
2. Lenox, 38
3. Amherst, 64
4. Wahconah, 73
5. Taconic, 97
6. Hoosac Valley, 106
GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. Mount Greylock, 16 points
2. Lenox, 35
3. Mohawk Trail, 39
4. Amherst, 82
5. Hoosac Valley, 83
6. Wahconah, 93
7. Simsbury, 147
8. Taconic, 155