Ocean State XC Invitational 2012

  Madeline Montague doesn’t consider herself too much of a speedster.  The senior from Greenwich Central High in New York feels her strength lies with her endurance for the longer races. That’s why at the start of Saturday’s 6th annual Ocean State Cross-Country Invitational in Warwick, R.I., Montague wasn’t in a panic stage while she was hovering near the rear of the field of 81 runners in the girls’ Championship Division race. “I always get caught at the beginning because it’s such a pile up, everyone’s freaked out,” she said.  “That usually happens because I am not particularly aggressive at the beginning. I am not a sprinter. It’s hard for me to get out there. But I knew there would be chances around corners and stuff to work my way up. I wasn’t too concerned about it.”

In what is almost certainly the biggest weekend of results so far this fall, three meets dominated the XC scene on Saturday. For those looking South, Bishop Feehan's boys and girls squads took to Cary, NC for the Great American XC Festival. A little less South, Rhode Island hosted the Ocean State XC Invitational. Those looking to stay closer to home, Wrentham was the site of the Frank Kelly Invitational. A word about Frank Kelly, the patriarch of the MSTCA meet at Wrentham today. Coaches know Frank as the wise-cracking gentleman who hands out the packets and pins at the table at many Mass. XC meets. If you're lucky, he might challenge you to an arm wrestling match, as he did John Monz today. If you're unlucky, you might take him up on it. Frank is a true gentleman of the sport, loves the kids involved, and has been involved in it since anyone can remember. Kudos to the MSTCA for giving Frank his due and naming this meet after him. Even more kudos to whoever designed the program, complete with a silhouette of Frank with his patented safari hat and walking stick. What a legend!

Coach "Z" Recaps the weekend in his Zany style. He "Z-Caps"  the entire weekend action including the Ocean State Invitational, Great American Cross-Country festival, and the Frank Kelley Invitational.