WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore Amy O'Sullivan (Greenfield, Mass.) was the top collegiate runner to cross the line at the 2019 James Earley Invitational cross country meet at Stanley Park on Saturday.
O'Sullivan stopped the clock in 18:01.97 on the 5,000-meter course. O'Sullivan was nearly a full minute faster than her time from last season on the Owls' home course.
Westfield's women's team placed third overall, with a team score of 120. Trinity (Conn.) College won the meet with 78 points, followed by Worcester State with 106.
O'Sullivan broke with the lead pack, and came out of the woods for the final 1k just behind Westfield State alumna Jessie Cardin '18, one of several unattached runners and one of many Westfield State alumni who participate in the annual meet. Cardin held off O'Sullivan by four seconds to finish in 17:57.41. Worcester's Elizabeth Olson came in third in 18:04, followed by Trinity's Samantha Feenstra in 18:14.
Westfield State freshman Grace Phair (Stockbridge/Monument Mountain) placed fifth among scoring runners in 18:26. Andrea Noland (Kingston, Mass./Silver Lake) (14th, 19:14), Kait Pajer (Leicester, Mass.) (47th, 20:08), Abigail Wager (Middleboro, mass.) (53rd, 20:15) and Mia McDonald (Westfield, Mass.) (62, 20:30) rounded out the Owls five scoring runners. In total 223 individuals and 28 teams competed in the varsity race.
In the women's JV race, Springfield College's Sophia Andrew topped the field with a time of 20:24.62, leading the Pride to the top spot in the team competition as well.
Westfield's women placed fourth among the 10 scoring teams. Rachel Farley (Paxton, Mass./Wachussett) led the Owls in fifth place in 20:46, followed by Jackie Caffarelli (Uxbridge, Mass.) (11th, 21:10 and Sarah Tormey (Pembroke, Mass.) (14th, 21:17).
103 runners contested the JV race. Katie Leahy (58th, 23:33) was tops among the Westfield State alumni competing in the race.
The 24th annual race is named in memory of Westfield State runner James Earley, who lost his life in a motorcycle accident in 1995 just weeks before his senior year at Westfield State. This year, the Owls held a moment of silence prior to the cross country races and the Owls football game in memory of retired cross country and track and field coach Jerry Gravel, who passed away earlier in the week. Many runners, staff and officials also wore light blue ribbons with the initals "JG" in memory of coach Gravel, who started the Westfield State 50 years ago in 1969.
