Lady Rockets Finish 3rd in State Championships.

Saturday November 17th, Needham cross country traveled west to Northfield to compete in the MIAA All-State Championships and placed third in the highly competitive field.  After a tough runner-up finish at the divisional meet a week prior, the Rockets were set to face the top four teams from divisions 1, 2 and 3 on the storied Northfield Mountain course.  Included in the field were 2012 division 3 champions and 2011 state champions Whitman-Hanson as well as 2012 division 1 and 2 champions Lowell and Lincoln-Sudbury.  But in the end, it was Peabody who stole the show scoring 110 points and led by individual winner Catarina Rocha.  Rocha ran the first 1,000 meters up the challenging Northfield course sitting comfortably in the front group before pulling away to the second fastest time ever recorded at Northfield 18:06.12 and winning by a massive 45 seconds. 

But behind the wake of Rocha unfolded a hotly contested battle for second place in the team scoring between Lincoln-Sudbury and Needham yet again.  And just like at divisionals it was Needham who set the tone with Margie Cullen racing to an outstanding 8th place finish overall in 19:26 followed closely by Lincoln-Sudbury's Sydney Clary in 9th.  Needham continued their dominance with Julianna Donovan and Sarah Armstrong running stride for stride as they've done all season long finishing 19th (19:52) and 25th (20:02) respectively.  Next across the line were Morgane Butler and Katie LaScaleia from Lincoln-Sudbury finishing in 28th and 32nd.  Caroline Turner rebounded from a tough divisional meet by outkicking her L-S counterpart Sam Cook by one place finishing in 20:28.  With four runners in, the Rockets clearly held the advantage over the Warriors but it was Daniela Hargus who stepped up for her team by placing 76th overall to give Lincoln-Sudbury the edge they needed.  Hallie Armstrong was the fifth runner in for Needham finishing in 93rd place in 21:07.  When all runners were in, Needham and Lincon-Sudbury were separated by one point with the Warriors scoring 117 to the Rockets' 118.  Whitman-Hanson finished 4th (124) and Amherst 5th (135) closing out what had to be one of the closest team finishes in championship history with just 25 points separating the top five.

Full results can be found at: http://www.mstca.org/Fall_Season/Fall%202012/Results%20div%201%20girls%2011.17.12.htm

Saturday November 24th, Needham Girls' XC will close out their season by competing in the prestigious Nike Cross Country Regional Championships at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, NY.