The Thetford boys got the cross country season off to a strong start by winning a four-team meet on Tuesday at Bellows Falls High School.
The Panthers’ Peter Horan won the 5,000-meter race in a time of 16:40, with teammate Zac Amber taking second (16:56). Also in the top ten for Thetford in a field of 60 runners were Ollie Emery, fifth, Micah Mahood, eighth, and Kai Slayton, 10th.
“Coach Silver and I expected that the boys would be competitive, but we didn’t necessarily expect our top three to do so well, and our 4th and 5th runners (Micah and Kai) came up huge for the team,” wrote Joe Deffner, Thetford Academy co-head coach, in a score submission to the Valley News.
The Woodstock Union girls squad finished second among five teams, with the Wasps’ Mary Sluka finishing second in the 5,000-meter race. Meredith Sloop was fifth, the top finisher for Thetford. Also in the top ten from a field of 45 was Woodstock’s Aven Westbrook, who finished in ninth place.
Lola Squire (14th) and Maddie Piecuch (15th) also competed for the Panthers. “Meredith Sloop ran a really smart race today, especially the second half of the race. We should continue to improve as the season progresses and everyone is able to contribute — we had four out today,” Deffner wrote.
Results: Boys – Thetford Academy 26. Burr and Burton Academy 46, Brattleboro Union 49, Green Mountain Union 120. Girls – Burr and Burton Academy 30, Woodstock Union 68, Brattleboro Union 76, Thetford Academy 85, Green Mountain Union 95. Boys