Somers Runner Qualifies for New England Championships

A girl from Somers and an Ellington boy competed in Friday’s State Open cross country meet at Wickham Park in Manchester, but just one will have their season extended.

Ava Roche, a junior at Somers, placed 22nd in a field of 181 competitors to earn a medal and a spot in the New England Championships next weekend.

Roche covered the hilly 3.1 mile terrain in 19:51, seven seconds quicker than the time she ran last week in placing fourth at the Class S meet on the same course.

Roche will compete in the New England Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Thetford Academy, just outside of White River Junction, VT.

The top six teams and first 25 individuals at the State Open qualify for the New Englands.

David Clavet of Ellington just missed a chance to travel north as well, placing 29th in the field of 188 boys. He was nine seconds shy of qualifying for New Englands.

Photo credits: Tim Jensen