Mustang Cross-Country Splits Meet

Girls Win, Boys Take Loss

– Allison Goldsberry

The Medford High School boys and girls cross-country teams split a meet against Somerville on Thursday, with the girls pulling out a victory and the boys falling short.

The girls, led by senior captain and GBL All-Star Katherine Picarde, nabbed 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th for a total score of 25 (low score wins).  Picarde covered the flat, 2.5 mile course in McDonald Park in 17:28.

Sophomore Erika Silva took 4th, junior Leanne Bordonaro 5th, junior Nicole Martignetti 6th, and junior Heidi Walsh 7th to round out the Mustang’s top five scorers.

Freshman Bernice Galebach, sister of star senior runner Phil Galebach, nabbed the eighth spot.  She is one of several young runners on a team that is looking to build and get stronger, according to Head Coach Lou Ruggiero.

Twenty-nine girls have come out for the team this season, many of them young runners eager to get into the sport.

“We’re very pleased with that,” said Coach Ruggiero.

The boys faced off against Somerville, last year’s league champion, without Galebach, their top runner and one of the top runners in the state.  Eight of Somerville’s nine top runners from last season are back again this year and they took spots one through eight in yesterday’s race, beating Medford 15-50.

Medford’s top runner, freshman Larry Keating, crossed the line in 15:44 for 9th place, followed by Reagan McGovern, 11th, Steven Mortell, 14th, David Cataldo, 17th, and Chris McCarthy, 21st.

Thursday’s loss to Somerville was a disappointing one for the boys, as Somerville narrowly edged Medford last year by two points to win the Greater Boston League, and Medford responded by running a strong state meet last season and beating Somerville.

The boys and girls head to Malden on Tuesday, September 30 at 3:45PM for their next league meet.