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**Andrew Erwin was the top runner for MANSFIELD as the Hornets finished in sixth place during the Division 1
All-State Meet in Gardner.
Brookline won the Division 1 state title with an outstanding total of 25 points. Whitman-Hanson was second with 101
points and Nashoba was third with 161. Newton South finished in fourth place with a total of 179 points and Xaverian
was fifth with 188. Mansfield and Ludlow finished tied for sixth with the Hornets' sixth runner providing the
difference in the local team placing sixth.
"Finishing in the top six was phenomenal for our team," said Mansfield coach Julie Collins, whose Hornets entered
the meet ranked sixth in Division 2 by the MSTCA. "The course and the conditions were tough, but the guys really
came through. It was a real good finish to the cross country season for us."
Erwin finished in 28th place overall for the Hornets, covering the 2.9-mile course in a time of 15:16. Kevin Meagher
placed 45th with a time of 15:26, while Patrick McGowan was 65th in 15:39 and Shayne Collins finished 72nd with a
time of 15:45.
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Hornets nab second place
By Christopher Tremblay
Thu Nov 15, 2007, 03:31 PM EST
Mansfield - It wasn’t exactly the way that Mansfield coach Julie Collins would have scripted the Eastern
Massachusetts Division 2 Cross Country Championship Meet at Franklin Park in Boston, but she’ll take the end
results just the same.
The Mansfield boys were able to capture second place with a 140 points in the 30-team tournament. Whitman-
Hanson scored an incredibly low 66 to finally wrestle away the title the Hornets have held onto for the past two
years. Gloucester finished third only 12 points below Mansfield.
“This was a phenomenal accomplishment for us after graduating three of our top five runners from a year ago,” said
Collins. “This was a completely different team and we were still able to compete. It was remarkable that we were
able to reload and grab second.”
The Hornets top four runners finished the race with times under 17 minutes, a feat that the team was even able to
accomplish last fall when they won the event. Leading Mansfield across the finish line was senior co-captain
Andrew Erwin (1oth place, 16:32). Rounding out the top four behind Erwin was junior Kevin Meagher (15th, 16:36),
sophomore Patrick McGowan (21st, 16:50) and freshman Shayne Collins (23rd, 16:51).
Other Hornet finishers were freshman Joe Cole (17:49), sophomore Matt Hernon (17:55) and senior Jake Doyle (18:
05).
While his teammates were running around the Franklin Park course, senior co-captain Mike Bolea was standing on
the sidelines with his coach only able to watch due to an injury.
“Mike was with them in spirit, but he would have much rather been on the course with them instead,” said the
coach. “Even if he was healthy enough to run, I don’t think that it would have helped – Whitman-Hanson was just too
strong. I know that he wanted to be out there, but I wasn’t going to jeopardize the rest of his year.”
With their top five finish, Mansfield’s season continues this weekend at the All States in Gardner, but unlike the past
Collins is not looking for the win this time around.
“I’d be happy with a top 10 finish. The gap between our fourth and fifth runners will hurt us more in this situation,”
Collins said. “”On a really good day we would need one of the lower runners to pop off a really good race in order to
come close. This is a really young team and they’re working extremely hard together for the future.”
Unlike the boys, the Mansfield girls will not be extending their season as they scored 456 points en route to a 17th
place finish in the Eastern Mass. Division 2 Championship Meet. Katelyn Schepis crossed the line first for Mansfield
finishing 53rd with a time of 20:51.
The rest of the Hornets to finish were Katherine Burnham (21:47), Erika Jacobs (21:57), Katherine Bailey (22:12),
Elaina Dominesey (22:18), Jessica Morse (22:23) and Lauren Anderson (22:45).
The finish impressed Coach Derek Ellis, who had not only lost his fourth and fifth runners this past week, but also
had a handful of newbie’s running in the tournament.
“This was the first time that our first two finishers (Schepis and Burnham) have ever run in a state meet and they
both posted personal bests,” said the coach. “The team worked hard and this keeps their confidence up.”
Schepis has taken over a minute and a half off her time from opening day, while Burnham is running cross
country for the first time either career.
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Harriers hope to be class of Class Meet
By David AUguste
Thu Nov 08, 2007, 04:18 PM EST
Mansfield - Tomorrow, hundreds of runners from all over the state will compete in the Division Championships at
Franklin Park. For some like the Mansfield boys and the Oliver Ames girls squads, the meet will serve as a test of
their season-long dominance. While the Mansfield girls, Oliver Ames boys, and both Norton squads will look to make
a name for themselves among the division’s elite.
The Hornets boys lost several of their best runners but keeping with Mansfield tradition, the remaining stars led by
Kevin Meagher and Andrew Erwin were able to repeat as Hockomock Division Champions and will look to defend
their division title.
“We had a workout today and everyone looked good,” said head coach Julie Collins whose team has won three
straight class championships, the final two coming at the Class B level.
The Hornets will be at a slight disadvantage as Mike Bolea is battling injury and could possibly miss the meet.
“They are going to have to race tough,” Collins said. “It will be tough to repeat unless something happens to
Whitman-Hanson. Assuming they are at full strength it will be tough to beat them, but that is why you run the races.
We want to bring home at least the runner-up. We are as good as any team in the division.”
The team has received a boost from the younger members of the squad. Collins’ son Shane, Matt Cole, and Matt
Hernon, will be counted on to replace Bolea and provided valuable points with their finishes.
“We need Erwin and Meagher to have strong races, and the other guys have to be in the mix,” Collins said. “I told the
boys not to worry about their times and that they will not hear splits from me. I am throwing away the watches. It is
all about the placements. We don’t want them to be concerned with their times.”
While the boys could be without Bolea, the girls could go into the meet missing several key members of their team
“We will definitely need people to step up [in their absence]”, said head coach Derek Ellis.
The Hornets will be without the services of Ana Lutkevich (illness), and Kaitlyn McGowan (back), the team’s four and
five runners.
Mansfield’s hopes lie in the hands of Elaina Dominesey, Katelyn Schepis, and junior Jess Morse.
“I still don’t know who my top seven runners are,” Ellis said. “There are a lot of people who have been coming on
strong.” Among those are freshman Lauren Columbare and Erica Jacobs, who have had great races leading up the
Class Meet. The goal is to break into the top 10, team wise and to have as many runners qualify for the All-State
meet next weekend
“We need to focus as a team and run solid and get the girls to finish under 21 minutes,” Ellis said. “Five through
seven needs to have great races. We are lucky we had so many girls finish so close to each other.”
The Oliver Ames Tigers boast two of the favorites in Class C for an individual title in Jenna Davidner and Mike
Moverman, as well a top five ranking for each squad.
“Both teams are ranked identically, they are both third according to the MSTCA poll Nov. 2,” said head coach Neil
Levine. “The boys are ranked fourth in the state, while the girls are at number five.”
The boys will feature: Moverman, Jake Marcus, Joe Curreri, Brian Cohen, Kyle Roach, Kevin Clark, Steve Cohen, Mike
Grotz, Chris Merola, Logan Fitzgerald; while the girls squad will be comprised of: Davidner, Julie Binney, Jess Pickett,
Sarah Loftus, Kerry Pickett, Christina Annicelli, Sara Annicelli, Caroline Oates, Rachel Zussman.
Despite the plethora of talented runners, Levine knows that his teams’ chances begin at the top with Davidner and
Moverman.
“Mike is the star of the boys’ team,” he said. “Jenna and Mike could win it all. The rest of my guys are within
seconds of each other. Jake and Joe have similar abilities and Ryan and Kyle are right there with them.”
Davidner’s main competition in the division is Triton’s Keely Maguire, who is regarded as one of the top runners in
the country.
“Only two people have ever beaten Jenna – Keely and Emily Jones from Bromfield,” Levine said.
Several other runners including Julie Binney, Jess Pickett and Loftus could also assist the Tigers conquer the
division.
Some of the favorites in the Class C race along with OA are Bishop Feehan and Hingham on the boys side, and
Feehan and Hopkinton on the girls side of things. Despite the stiff opposition the runners will face, Levine has
prepped his squad and is confident in his team’s abilities.
“We are keeping the intensity very high and reiterating the team goals,” Levine said. “You don’t do well at the Class
Meet you don’t go onto the All States. Every mile ran, every pushup, every core exercise, was all toward Saturday.
They have to run the last mile of the race like an animal so when they cross the line they have no regrets.”
In Norton expectations are not as high as in Easton and Mansfield, but the Lancers are hoping to gain valuable
experience against improved competition.
“We are not even concerned about the other teams in the division,” proclaimed head coach Bob Rukstalis. “We are
going to get experience for our runners.”
One runner who has an opportunity to separate himself from the pack is junior and league all-star Andrew Swiderski
who placed ninth at the MSTCA race Saturday in Wrentham.
“He did very well,” Rukstalis said of Swiderski who had a time of 17:23.
Swiderski was one of a handful of Norton runners that were able to make the race as several were forced to skip
the event after it was postponed to Saturday.
“Andrew has an opportunity there,” Rukstalis said. “He is our best shot. Junior Gil O’Neil and Cam Parker will be
vying for spots too.”
On the girls side, a trip to the All-State’s meet is not expected but Amanda Sargent and company can go a long way
to improving the Lancers’ program with a positive showing.
“In a realistic sense, we are running to have experience in the race and have some fun, Rukstalis said. “We are not
going to place in top five as a team but there is a remote chance.”
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Friday, February 23, 2007
The Hockomock League hockey all-star game will be staged in Canton on Saturday with Mansfield High's Ed O'Brien,
the Hockomock's Boston Bruins Sportsmanship Award winner, goalie Ryan Kershaw.
"If you had to guess two kids who would be at the states early in the season, it definitely would be them," marveled
Mansfield High wrestling coach Bryan Fraser of the tremendous improvement during the season from senior Joe
Elich, a fifth-place finisher at the MIAA Division 2 Meet at 171 pounds and junior Jim Simons, a sixth-place finishers
at 189 pounds. "Joe has really turned it on and Jimmy moved up from the jayvees midway through the season." ...
Another feather in the cap of Mansfield High assistant track coach Steve Cameron, the weight event guru, who not
only had three boys among the top seven shot putters, but Hornet senior captain Kate Johnston logged a
personal-best (by 17 inches) toss of 34-3 for second place at the Division 2 Meet, after sneaking into the finals with a
32-11 throw in the preliminaries ...
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Mansfield's Lutkevich feels right
BY PETER GOBIS / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Friday, February 23, 2007 12:24 AM EST
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DIVISION 2 STATE TRACK
By Mike Lipka, Globe Correspondent | February 18, 2007
There was also a repeat champion on the boys' side -- Mansfield won its second straight title, 59-49, over Woburn,
despite racing the entire season without junior Powell Simpson. Simpson earned 20 points in last year's meet by
winning the 300 and the long jump, but was shelved this year with a severe bone bruise in his knee.
Illness was also a factor for the Hornets, who were still heavy favorites, but had three point-getters fighting various
ailments during the meet. Shot put winner Dan Glavin (52-9) was at the end of a stomach bug; 55 hurdles champ Matt
Callanan (7.64 seconds) had a sinus infection; and the third-place finisher in the 1,000, John Lutkevich, may have
won the race if not for pneumonia.
"I think it affected me more than them," said coach Julie Collins. "I was very concerned with their health."
But the most impressive performance may have come from Collins's son, Ryan, a senior who won the All-State title
in cross-country last fall. On a kick of confidence from the fall season, he's shaved about 15 seconds off his
personal best in the 2 mile over the past two weeks, and yesterday he put up the third-best time nationally this
indoor season (9:15.58) en route to victory.
Catholic Memorial's Paul Corcoran, who has the fourth-best time in the country (9:16.09), was with him every step of
the way.
"He was a huge part of it," said Ryan Collins, who was seeded 20 seconds above the next-best time. "I tried to drop
people as soon as I could, but he stuck on me."
Woburn stuck with Mansfield as long as it could, led by high jump champ Matt Pereira, who was also part of the
Tanners' 4x200 relay team that set a meet record by three- 100ths of a second (1:31.91).
Two other relay teams shot down records in the 4x800 -- Gloucester's boys (8:12.33) and the Marlboro girls (9:49.23).
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Boys Track Team wins
MIAA Division 2 Indoor Track & Field Championships!!!
Saturday, February 17, 2007 11:57 PM EST The Sun Chronicle
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GOBIS: Collins' run one for the books
BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Friday, February 16, 2007 12:11 AM EST
Track afficianados are still buzzing about the record-shattering, two-mile run by Mansfield High senior Ryan Collins
in winning the Hockomock League Championship Meet with a 9:18.53 clocking, currently the fifth-best time
nationally. The feat ranks up there with Seekonk High's Jeff Chakouian putting the shot 60-feet and Attleboro High's
Hafiz Greigre blistering the sprints among recent vintage performances.
"It's pretty unbelievable," said Hornet coach Julie Collins (Ryan's mother). Collins will, however, be opposed at the
MIAA Division 3 Meet Saturday by Brockton High's Kevin Gill, a miler (4:14 in the spring) who is moving up to the
challenge ...
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