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Campbell’s Allen tops in Division III cross country meet

By Vince Rodemer - For The Telegraph | Oct 27, 2018

Photo by VINCE RODEMER Campbell's Jeff Allen captures the Boys Division III Cross country title in 16:23.5 on Saturday at Derryfield Park in Manchester.

MANCHESTER – Campbell’s Jeff Allen wasn’t going to be denied his second title in as many years in his final trip to Derryfield Park.

Allen ran hard the whole race and finished the Division III Boys Cross country state championship race in 16:23.5 to hold off a quality challenger in runner up Landen Vaillancourt (16:28.4) on a treacherous course on Saturday morning in Manchester.

“It was difficult,” Allen said. “My breathing was tough. The weather wasn’t the best for racing. I had Landen Vaillancourt from Mascenic on me. He was in front of me most of the race and he really gave me a tough run at the end. He’s a sophomore, so he’s a really impressive runner. Honestly, what kept me going was that it’s my senior year and I’m a returning champion and I wanted to keep it that way.”

He was wearing a coat of mud, drenched with not just water but the respect he had for Vaillancourt and his other competitors having spent several minutes offering congratulations for them as they finished.

“I had Landen on me and toward the end I heard (his coach) Silvio yelling at Landen saying ‘Hey Campbell’s beating you guys,’. I was like, ‘Well any point counts’, so if I was getting two points, that would change the race. I really had to push it at the end.”

“I was really happy about it, because I guess I expected an easy race today,” Allen said. “I wasn’t really worrying about my time, but more my place, especially with the weather. Obviously, Landen tried to take the win, so I think I ran close to a PR, but I don’t think that was my fastest time.”

He was right about those points mattering.

It wasn’t enough though as Mascenic held off Campbell by two points for the team title.

Luke Gomes finished 11th for Campbell (17:49.7), Trevor Scopelites was 14th (17:56.5), Matthew Dion (17th, 18:03) and Tyler Scopelites (22nd, 18:12.9).

Nashua North was sixth in the Division I competition, Merrimack eighth, Bishop Guertin ninth, ALvirne 10th and Nashua South 15th.

Concord won the Siviion I crown.

Nashua North’s Joseph Curran was the a bright spot for the locals.

Curran finished fourth in the Division 1 race when he crossed the line in 16:26.6.

The Titan closed hard to surpass Eli Boesch Dining of Concord, who came in fifth (16:27.2).

“I’m very happy,” Curran said. “I knew a lot of those guys were good, so I just really wanted to prove myself. I could tell they were tired. I knew I was in shape and had the kick to get there.”

You could put Curran in the minority.

He favored the sloppy track and used it to his benefit.

“I kind of liked the weather,” Curran said. “I feel it gives me an advantage. I feel like I’m a tougher person than a lot of these runners. I wanted to try a different strategy to take it out easy and try snag them at the end.”

Forest MacKenzie successfully defended his title in Division I when he crossed the line in 15:52.2.

Andrew Peyton of Merrimack was 21st (17:00.4) in Division 1 and Nashua South’s Yassine Jakib was 22nd (17:02.6).

Caleb Kothals finished 10th in the Division II race when he crossed the line in 17:21.4.

Coe-Brown won Division II with Souhegan fourth and Hollis Brookline 10th.

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