(Tolland's Hayley Collins and Mercy's Mackenzie Pias battling it out in the Varsity 1 race.)
Photos by LISA ROMANCHICK
Glastonbury High senior Randy Neish and Mercy junior Mackenzie Pias posted the fastest times of the day at the 37th annual Haddad Windham Invitational on Saturday.
Competing in the boys' Varsity 1 race, Neish edged second-place finisher Brendan Murphy by two seconds, taking individual honors with a time of 15:39 for the three-mile course. Michael Stoker of South Windsor was third in 16:03. Neish, who finished fourth at the State Open last year, led the Tomahawks to the team title. Glastonbury defeated runner-up Simsbury, 61-96.
In another tight race, Pias was victorious over Tolland's Hayley Collins in the girls' Varsity 1 race with a time of 18:22, a mere second ahead of Collins. Wilbur Cross senior Danae Rivers was third at 19:21. Tolland captured the team crown with a 66-104 decision over second-place Simsbury.
The boys' Varsity 2 race was won by E.O. Smith's Patrick Briody in 16:07. E.O. Smith also was the team victor, beating Avon, 56-77. Berlin senior Jody Dicicco was more than 150 meters ahead of her closest pursuer to win the girls' Varsity 2 event at 19:45. McKenna Spalding of E.O. Smith was second at 20:26. Avon just squeaked by E.O. Smith, 49-53, to earn the team prize.
Gavin Woodward of Northwestern Regional and Parish Hill's Sabrina Chesters were the respective boys' and girls' winners in the Varsity 3 races. Woodward out-distanced teammate Peter Baker with a time of 16:37 to Baker's 17:08 effort. Chesters was timed in 20:08. Hanna Gregory of Nonnewaug was second at 20:15. Gregory led her teammates to the team title, a 51-93 victory over Bolton.
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