Franklin Park, Boston, Mass. – Earlier today, champions were crowned at the 2022 Boston Middle School Cross Country Championships. Hosted by the Boston Athletic Association at Franklin Park, more than 300 middle school student-athletes from 15 City of Boston schools competed over a 1.1-mile course on a picture-perfect fall day for racing.
Since 1997, the B.A.A. has hosted the Boston Middle School Cross Country Championships in an effort to celebrate healthy lifestyles and promote physical fitness among Boston youths. Since its founding, more than 12,000 student-athletes have participated in the Boston Middle School Cross Country Championships.
Complete results are available here.
Watch race highlights and news segment from WCVB Channel 5 here.
In the Boys competition, John D. O’Bryant’s Bradon Spiess ran away with the overall victory, finishing in 5:51.2 as the only athlete to dip under 6 minutes for the challenging route. Behind him, Daniel Lee (Eliot), Josiah Bowen (Edison), Tyler Greene (Eliot), and Messiah Bowen (Edison) rounded out the top five. Spiess helped O’Bryant claim the team title as well, as his school tallied 31 points to top Eliot (52) and Edison (75). In total, 180 boys participated in the race.
For the girls, it was an Eliot sweep at the top of the podium, as Emery Deroeve (7:04.6), Gabrielle Dagdidgian (7:07.1), and Adele Shepherd (7:11.5) finished a close one-two-three ahead of the field. All three entered the final straight together, with Deroeve prevailing in a sprint finish. Fourth and fifth place went to O’Bryant’s Nya Long (7:45.7) and Eliot’s Daniella Munera (7:47.3). Eliot claimed the team victory with 26 points, ahead of O’Bryant (44) and Edison (76). 147 girls raced in today’s event.
In the final race of the day, Warren Prescott won the Co-Ed Relay in 1:33.5. Edison (1:34.0) and Young Achievers (1:34.8) were a close second and third.
Today’s races not only served as the City’s cross country championship meet, but also as a qualifier event for April’s B.A.A. Middle School 1K. The B.A.A. Middle School 1K is held as part of the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, where athletes from each of the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon route compete on Boylston Street.