On Tuesday, September 23rd the Hingham Cross Country team set off to Duxbury High School for their first away meet of the season. Hingham and Duxbury had not competed in over a year, and both teams were anxious to see how the other would compete. As the Hingham runners walked the course before the race, they noted the sharp uphills and narrow paths that they would soon be racing on. Junior Abbey George commented, “The Duxbury course is very difficult because of the steep hills in the woods.” This particular course is 2.95 miles, and it is unique because runners begin on the track before making their way into the woods. Although a considerable amount of the course is in the shade of the trees, the majority of the race is on grassy fields. Temperatures on race day hovered at 79° despite the autumnal season, making for arduous conditions.
Both Duxbury and Hingham started out fast and remained at a steady pace throughout the race. Despite the grit and determination that Hingham went in with, Duxbury beat both the girls and boys team with respective scores of 26-29 and 24-35.
Although Hingham was not victorious, their performance was commendable. Many runners accomplished significant achievements on the winding terrain. Sophomore Casey Gately took her first win, with the fastest time out of the girls Duxbury and Hingham runners. She noted, “This past race showed us what teamwork was all about. Despite the heat and difficult course, everyone dug deep and pushed through.” Other standout runners include Addie Slimbaugh from Duxbury, who took second place in the girls race, and Duxbury runner Riley Earle, who took third. Hingham runners Sophia McDougall and Ally Mildrum also finished among the top five. For the boys, senior Gavin Anderson showed his grit and determination by taking the first place spot for the boys with an impressive time of 17:10. Duxbury runners James Dillon and Connor Earle took second and third place, with Hingham runner Will Watts following closely behind.
Hingham made note of Duxbury’s positive and encouraging spirit on race day. The opposing teams cheered for each other as racers crossed the finish line. At the end of the meet, the two teams took a picture together. The uplifting environment on race day reflects the essence of cross country. It may be a challenging sport where athletes compete against one another, but the community makes the running bearable.
Regardless of the loss, Hingham remains hopeful and determined to continue to improve as the season progresses, and are looking forward to a chance at redemption at their next meet against Silver Lake.
