MetroWest boys cross-country runners to watch in 2023
After strong campaigns last season, keep an eye on these runners on the trails this fall. They should be at the head of the pack at dual meets and once championship season rolls around.
Get used to these names. Eleven Daily News All-Stars return from last season. Seven of the runners to watch are still just juniors. Watch these runners while they're still in your view, as they'll be gone down the course quickly.
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Jack Almeda, Jr., Dover-Sherborn
The Tri-Valley League All-Star took seventh at the TVL championship meet in a personal-best 16 minutes, 21 seconds. He also landed eighth at the divisional meet and 29th at the Division 2 state championships as a sophomore. Almeda also plays basketball and runs outdoor track.
Nicholas Bianchi, Sr., Natick
He won the team's Most Improved Award over each of the past two seasons. He took 17th at the Bay State conference championships , 28th at the Twilight Invitational and 31st at divisionals in a season-best 16:15. Bianchi qualified for the Division 1 state meet
William Child, Jr., Ashland
Showing some fully grown speed, Child won two dual meets last season and never placed worse than third. He took 12th at the Tri-Valley League championships in a season-best 16:40. Child finished 17th at the divisional meet and 42nd at the state meet.
Luke Chisum, Jr., Wayland
He raced to a spot on the All-Dual County league team with a sixth-place finish at the league championships. Chisum took fifth at the divisional meet, which boosted the Warriors to third. They finished ninth at the Division 2 state meet with Chisum in 17th. His quickest 5K time is 16:29.
Andrew Fletcher, Jr., Milford
He was named a Hockomock league all-star last season after taking 11th at the league championships in a season-best 17:01.7. Fletcher took 75th at the divisional meet after placing 22nd at the Catholic Memorial Invitational.
Stephen Goehringer, Sr., Wellesley
He ran a personal-best 16:05 at the Twilight Invitational, good enough for 12th place. Goehringer took 11th at the divisional meet and finished just outside the top 25 at the state championships. He also runs track outdoors and is a cross country skier.
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Luke Henson, Sr., Holliston
He was named the team's MVP last season despite never running cross country before. Henson took 12th at the divisional meet, leading the Panthers to a second-place finish. He was a Tri-Valley League All-Star. They were 18th at the state meet, and he took 47th.
Jackson Hunt, Sr., Hopedale
He won the Wachusett Invitational a season ago and took second at the Dual Valley Conference championships and third at Central Mass. districts. Hunt finished fifth at the divisional meet and 13th at the Division 3 state championships, leading the Blue Raiders to 13th. Hopedale honored him with its team MVP award each of the past two seasons.
Andrew Klinedinst, Jr., Hudson
He placed 11th at the divisional meet in a personal-best 17:05.1 and followed that up with a 58th-place showing at the Division 2 state race. Klinedinst improved from running in the high 19s at the Baystate Invitational in early October to the mid-18s at the district championships and even lower as the championship meets progressed.
Joseph Lamburn, Sr., Algonquin
Lamburn proved himself even beyond the borders of the commonwealth, competing at the Nike Cross Country Regional race in Wappinger Falls, New York. He placed second at the Central Mass. district race leading Algonquin to the team title. Lamburn finished third at the Mid-Wach championships and was a member of the all-league team.
Ben McCarthy, Sr., Millis
He holds the school record over five kilometers in 16:25. McCarthy took 26th at the state meet and 11th at divisionals. The Tri-Valley League All-Star took ninth in the championship meet.
Eli Merritt, Sr., Wellesley
The Raiders' MVP placed 17th at the state meet. He was seventeenth at the divisional championships and ran a personal best 15:41 at the Twilight Invitational. Merritt never took lower than third at a league meet.
Ben Scott, Sr., Hopkinton
After the Hillers graduated their top two runners from a state qualifier a season ago, Scott can move to the front of the pack. He placed inside the top 100 at Division 1 states and was 23rd at the Divisional meet, finishing in 16:35.
Ethan Sholk, Jr., Lincoln-Sudbury
He qualified for the Division 1 state meet as a sophomore, placing 77th in 16:57.75. Sholk took 13th at the divisional meet and placed 20th at the DCL Championships. He finished second in the large school boys sophomore race at the Frank Mooney Invitational.
Owen Williams, Jr., Wayland
As a sophomore, Williams notched top-10 finishes at both the Dual County League championships (seventh) and the divisional meet (sixth). He paced Wayland at the state meet in ninth, as the Warriors were ninth. His personal best is a 16:25.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: metrowest boys cross country runners to watch fall 2023
