AC Cross-Country Team Splits Season Opener

– Allison Goldsberry

On Tuesday the Arlington Catholic cross-country team opened up the season with the girls defeating both of their opponents and the boys earning one win and one loss.

The three-time defending Catholic Central League Champion Lady Cougars continued their winning ways in the first meet of the season, held in Chelmsford, by soundly defeating arch rival Bishop Fenwick 24 to 35 and host Lowell Catholic 15 to 49 (low score wins).

Senior captain Janelle Solviletti (Billerica) finished first for AC and second overall on the 5K course with a time of 20 minutes and 2 seconds. A pack of Cougar runners rounded out the scoring for AC’s double victory, with junior Kaitlin McCauley (Watertown) in fourth place, sophomore Kathleen McLaughlin (Waltham) in fifth, junior Hannah Kirby (Arlington) finishing sixth, senior captain Lauren O’Neil (Stoneham) in seventh, and Junior Olivia Stewart (Medford) in eighth place, according to Head Coach Jack Dempsey.

The Cougar boys split with their opponents, defeating Lowell Catholic by a score of 23 to 35 and falling to the Bishops 32 to 23. The highlight of the race was the outstanding performance of AC senior captain Kevin Connors (Belmont), who completed the rugged 3.1 mile course in first place in 16:58, a time that was over a minute faster than the second place finisher from Bishop Fenwick.

Junior Conor Noonan (Burlington) finished sixth overall for AC, followed by junior Allen Judd (Burlington) in seventh, senior Bryan Daly (Woburn) in eighth, freshman Mike Venditti (Lexington) in ninth, junior Nick Canniff (Arlington) in tenth place, senior captain Matt Woods (Arlington) in eleventh, and junior Sebastian Bisserett (Somerville) in fourteenth place.

The Cougars’ next meet is on their home course at Menotomy Rocks Park in Arlington against Marian and Austin Prep on Tuesday.