Champlain Valley Union sweeps Division 1

By Mary Albl for DyeStat

THETFORD, Vt,. – Familiar names reigned Saturday at the Vermont State Cross Country Championships at Thetford Academy.

The Champlain Valley Union High School girls scored an impressive 26 points, led by runner-up Sophia Gorman (19:35.7) to win their eighth straight Division I title. Standout Green Mountain Valley junior Rena Schwartz clocked the fastest time of the day for any female, winning in 19:05.9.

Mount Mansfield finished second as a team (89).

For the boys, Champlain Valley also won for the second straight year as senior Tyler Marshall won the race in 16:13.9 – the fastest time of the day. Champlain Valley finished with 47 points and secured the crown as South Burlington was second (84).

The Division II race saw the Harwood girls put on a dominant performance, scoring 21 points to win its eighth consecutive title. Junior Erin Magill (20:40.6) led a strong showing, as Harwood placed all five runners in the top 10 and claimed the first three spots.

Montpelier senior Matt Hynes won the DII boys title in 16:40.1, as U-32 edged out Harwood 40-51 for the team title.

In the DIII race, the Rice Memorial boys won its first state title since 1964, but barely. Rice held off Bellows Falls, 60-62. Rice's Richard McClintock and Daniel Wagner both placed in the top 10 to help secure the victory.

The overall winner was junior Riley Fenoff of Danville (16:50.7), who was more than a minute faster than anyone.

The Rice girls almost made it a sweep as Oxbow held on, 28-32 to win the DIII title. Delaney Bullock of Putney School won in 19:32.9.