Bedford Girls’ Team, Garraway Shine at X-C States

This is the start of Saturday’s Division 2 girls’ state cross country championship. Bedford finished sixth as team. Courtesy photo

Saturday turned out to be a landmark day in the annals of Bedford High School varsity cross country.

The girls’ team finished a historically successful season by capturing sixth place among the 23 teams that qualified for the MIAA Division 2 state championship.
Senior Jonny Garraway, competing as a qualifying individual, took seventh place out of 190 runners in the boys’ Division 2 all-states.

Samantha Sheahan on left with teammate Addison Poulter behind in the Division 2 state cross country championship. Sheahan led the Bucs with a 21st place finish in a field of 186 racers in 20 minutes, 21 seconds. Courtesy photo

The five-kilometer races took place in Devens, the former Army post that is a central destination for a statewide competition.

Bedford’s Elena Protasowicki and Grace Niu running in Saturday’s Division 2 state cross country championship. Courtesy photo

The BHS girls piled up some early points as three runners finished among the top 30. Senior Samantha Sheahan once again led the Bucs with a 21^stplace finish of 186 racers in 20 minutes, 21 seconds. Sophomore Addison Poulter was three places behind in 20:32. Junior Co-Captain Anna Massaro took 28^th place in 20:47.

Also, junior Grace Niu finished 117^th in 22:34, junior Vivian Liu was 120^th in 22:50, senior co-captain Elena Protasowicki was 135^th in 23:20, and junior Madeleine Ota was 147^th in 23:35. The team’s sixth place finish far exceeded their 12^th seeding coming into the race.