October 31st, 2009

Blue 18, White 38

It’s a blowout! Well not quite . The Top 5-6 guys needed a rest this weekend so we had them take part as advisors to either team (Mike Rankin and Brian Walter to 2008’s victorious White team and Tom Hoban, Nick Lamberto, and Rich McKean to the Blue squad searching for their first win). At mile one, it was clear the Blue team meant business. Nick Vadino, Paul Catrino, Joe Nuccio, Chris Booth, and Tim Smith were all packed up within 5 seconds of each other with the White team’s Adam Verna right in the mix along with Pete Gallagher. The course was extremely muddy – equipped nicely with a 100m long shin deep “lake” that the guys clamored to keep as part of the course. Regardless, the times were a bit slower than last year but the race was just as entertaining. Junior Paul Catrino pulled away mostly in the last half-mile with soph Joe Nuccio in tow. Frosh Adam Verna stuck his neck in there for the White team’s sake – missing race favorite Stefano Mastrando who was out with sickness – and challenged the whole race. Soph Pete Gallagher at an unfortunate “slip” in the first 200 meters which put him a couple seconds behind the . He fought admirably but the Blue pack proved significant. Since it was Halloween, we threw out the optional inclusion of a costume. Of course it was the race winner – Catrino – who decided to dress in nothing but running shorts and blue body paint and a black wig (Jaguar Paw from Apocalypto of course or William Wallace from Braveheart in my opinion) to grab a $10 WaWa gift card and piece of Blue & White history (the win). MVP went to soph Chris Booth who had the greatest step-up in performance to finish right in the thick of things at 12:07. White team’s Adam Verna grabbed Most Improved honors for being a freshman in the upperclassmen’s world and going for the win. Overall, it was a great showing by both sides and the parents all came through with food and drink galore post-race. Pictures to come along with full results too…

1. Catrino [B] 11:40 #6 All-Time
2. Nuccio [B] 11:51
3. Verna [W] 11:53
4. Smith [B] 12:01
5. Vadino [B] 12:05
6. Booth [B] 12:07
7. Gallagher [W] 12:14
8. Patterson [W] 12:26
9. Boldurian [W] 12:54
10. Marino [B] 12:55
11. Hubbs [W] 13:19
12. Bretschneider [B] 13:33
13. Munns [W] 15:41 (part of a failed strategy to lead the top guys on the wrong course!)

Team Scoring
Blue: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12 – 18
White: 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 – 38

DNR: Madden [B], Mastrando [W]
Advisors: Walter, Rankin [W], Lamberto, Hoban, McKean [B]

Yearly Results:

2009: Blue 18, White 38 (#1 Paul Catrino [B], 11:40)
2008: White 27, Blue 28 (#1 Michael Rankin [W], 10:42)