Berlin Runners Have Great Showings at Middle School Invitational

BERLIN, CT — Nearly 550 runners from 19 middle schools and Berlin's three elementary schools competed Saturday in the 27th annual cross country invitational, hosted by McGee Middle School at Sage Park.

In the first race of the day, the James Keefe Elementary 1K, 26 fourth and fifth graders from Willard, Griswold and Hubbard elementary schools in Berlin competed. The top 10 girls and boys earned medals for their efforts. Finishing in first place for the boys was Willard’s Alex Fisher. Griswold School’s Gavin Bennet finished second followed by Michael DeNardo and Landon Ede from Willard. On the girls side, McKayla DeJesus from Willard placed first. She was followed by Jessica Vale da Serra, Emmy Walski, both representing Willard, Fiona Smith from Griswold and Willard’s Ava Gombatz finished in fifth place.

Of special note, Bella Gavallas from Hubbard finished in eighth place and is only in 2nd grade.

McGee was well represented in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade races as 14 came in the top 20 to earn trophies or medals. In the accompanying photo, front row from left to right: Alessandro D’Arena first place boy’s sixth grade race, Freddie Martin 5th place in the boy’s sixth grade race, Adam Vale da Serra, 4th place in the boy’s eighth grade race. Center row, Haley Campanelli 14th seventh grade girls, Claudia Jankovich 11th eighth grade girl’s, Olivia Cleland 11th in the sixth grade girl’s, Jack Baclaski 8th in the seventh grade boy’s and Daniel Akier 14th in the sixth grade boy’s race. In the back row, Elizabeth Fitzsimmons came in 10th for the 6th grade girl’s, Elijah Burgos placed 14th for the 7th grade boy’s, Sean Colello 16th for the boy’s eighth grade Aidan DeJesus finished 16th for the 6th grade boy’s, Ryan Brown 10th for the seventh grade boy’s and William Weber placed 13th in the sixth grade boy’s race.

Story and photo courtesy of Paul Griswold

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