The Walpole girls cross country team competed in their first tri-meet against Norwood and Brookline in Norwood. The girls had a strong start to the season by beating Norwood 43-15 and losing to Brookline 33-24. For the first article of the year we wanted to introduce you to the varsity team:
Junior Gina Conti came out for Cross Country for the first time. She has previously done Swimming the past years were she was a top swimmer for the Rebels. Conti had to make the tough decision of quitting Swimming for Cross Country. She decided to pursue her success in running by joining Cross Country and preparation for the upcoming seasons of track. Conti made the right decision since she was Walpole’s number one runner this week with a time of 20:15. In the indoor season, Conti had success in the 1000 meter race by holding first place not only for the Walpole but for the entire bay state league with a time of 3:01.22. Conti ran the mile as her event for last year’s outdoor season. She is number one for the rebels in the mile with her PR for the season 5:15.87. Conti was also in the 4×4 relay as the fourth leg.
Senior captain Megan Peterson enters her third season of Cross Country. Peterson started this season off strong with a PR in the 5K with a time of 20:23. She came in second for Walpole and 4th overall. Last year Peterson’s 5K PR was 21:16. Peterson is also successful on the track. For Indoor and outdoor this year she ran mostly the two mile with a PR of 12:21.74. In outdoor she also occasionally ran the 800 meter race with a PR of 2:30.30.
Junior captain Kristen Coyne begins her third season as three season runner. Coyne started off the season with a PR as well in the 5K with a time of 20:26. She is our third runner and came in fifth overall. Coyne like Peterson ran the two mile for both indoor and outdoor. Her PR last year was 12:24.87 in the outdoor season. Coyne also ran the mile for indoor occasionally. Her PR is 5:49.99.
Beginning her second season, Junior Mackenzie Wilson returns for a back injury. Wilson is Walpole’s fourth runner, she was 23 seconds off her PR with a time of 21:44. As a freshmen she was a sprinter but switched to distance as a sophomore. Wilson was out until mid-January last winter due to her back injury. Wilson returned from her injury, jumping right back into in the mile. She was back for the whole season in Outdoor going between the mile and the two mile. Her PR for the mile was 6:01 right on the verge of breaking 6. In the two mile, her PR was 13:08. Wilson shows promising growth for this season.
Coming out for the season for the first time, Junior Megan Jenkins had to make the decision between running and field hockey. Jenkins had made the decision last winter to quit basketball to run indoor track to continue her running career from freshmen year. Jenkins started the season off the season strong being Walpole’s fifth runner and coming in at 21:53. Last winter, she ran mostly ran the 600 meter race and the 1000 meter race. Jenkins PR in the 600 was 1:54.51 and in the 1000 meter race her PR was 3:26.47. In the outdoor season, in the mile and the 800 meter race running PRs of 5:52.20 and 2:37.
The youngest member of the Varsity girls, Sophomore Kathryn Lawton, a three season runner toke the last spot on the Varsity team. Lawton had a strong race this week running a PR of 23:17. During indoor track, Lawton ran the 1000 and the mile. In the thousand, her PR 3:41.59 but she also ran the mile in the outdoor season were she performed her best PR 6:03.
Two Junior Varsity members who have the potential of moving up to Varsity are Junior Jackie Applin and Freshmen Alyssa Murphy. Murphy led Applin for the majority of the race to help each other finish as the first and third runners to finish for the JV girls. Murphy finished with a final time of 10:43 with Applin behind her at a time of 11:07.
The girls will take on Dedham and Wellesley for their first home meet next Thursday.
