The Jaffrey-Rindge Middle School cross country team joined Boynton, Hopkinton, South Meadow School and Great Brook School to run the challenging 3K (1.86 mile) cross-country course at Mascenic High School in New Ipswich on Monday.
Amarah Lapinsky continued to lead the lady Cardinals, placing seventh with a time of 13:28. Leah Ducharme (of Great Brook) was just one second ahead.
Neve Mormando ran an excellent race and finished 11th (14:02.) Mormando was shadowed by teammate Amber Gnoza (12th, 14:04).
Rounding out the scoring was (“the new and improved”) Maya Pressman (23rd, 15:28) and fast-finishing Kendra Wooster (27th, 16:54).
For the boys, JRMS was once again led by John Morrilly, who got swallowed into the back of the pack early in the race, but came on very strong to finish in ninth place, with a time of 12:10. In the final stretch, Morrilly held off runners from SMS, Boynton and Hopkinton.
Austen Richard, an 8th-grade JRMS team leader, ran a very solid race, finishing in 25th (13:07). Newcomers Kadin Rinaldi (38th, 14:13) and Trayton Chapman (64th, 14:44) ran very well. Mason Karpinski worked hard to finish 67th (15:28).
The team travels to Antrim on Wednesday to once again face Great Brook, along with Winchester.