PITTSFIELD -- Kalyn Alibozek didn't have time to look back for her competition. Her goal -- a county cross country championship -- never changed.
When Pittsfield sophomore Lauren Farry pulled out during the girls race due to illness, no one could catch Hoosac Valley's Alibozek. She covered the Berkshire Community College course in 19 minutes, 56.33 seconds on a cold, windy Saturday afternoon.
"I didn't know she stopped until I was more toward the finish, and everyone said, ‘She's not even behind you,' " Alibozek said. "I just finished the race as strong as I could."
Lenox's Scott Carpenter continued his unbeaten season, coasting to victory in the boys race in 16:02.97. Pittsfield's Dan Brien took second place in 16:58.24.
Farry led by approximately 6 seconds a third of the way through the race, but Alibozek began to catch her and eventually drew even as the two leaders headed toward the woods. Some time after that, Farry decided she couldn't go on.
Pittsfield girls coach Theresa Apple said Farry, the Generals' top runner this season, wasn't feeling well all day before the race.
"When she came by me the first time, she seemed a little stressed, but still collected," Apple said. "The second time, a definite difference. She was just white. Then it was a good half-mile before I could see her again, and by then, she had already [pulled out].
"She said she stopped, bent over and felt sick to her stomach,
Apple said her first concern was for Farry's health, and then for her availability next weekend.
Alibozek said she passed Farry near the woods, and then focused on finishing strong.
"I was thinking before running that the hills were going to be really hard, but when you're in it, you don't really think about it," Alibozek said. "You just go."
Lenox's Hannah McClusky took second place in 20:48.87, on a course that is much easier than Northfield Recreation Center, the site of Saturday's Western Massachusetts meets.
"I realized halfway through that I was with a pack of girls and I didn't want to be stuck with them, so I just surged to get away," McClusky said. "I decided to keep it up. I got back in my own pace."
Monument Mountain's Heather Hassett (20:52.08), Lenox's Emily Tibbetts (21:06.01) and Monument's Maeve Wilber (21:06.35) rounded out the girls' top five. Lenox's girls won the team championship, ahead of Monument. Pittsfield was third; Mount Greylock did not field a varsity squad for Saturday's race.
Carpenter took an early lead and ran away from the rest of the field. Approximately two-thirds the way through the course, the Lenox senior led Brien by 43 seconds.
Carpenter wasn't worried about time, though. Saturday's race was more about preparation for Western Mass. next weekend.
"I haven't changed anything [in practice] yet," he said. "This week, I might do the same thing again, then taper for states and Foot Locker [Regionals] after that.
"Every race is still important, and I want to help my team as far as the regular season and this race as well. I can't really overlook anything."
Brien, Lenox's Tucker McNinch (17:07.68), Greylock's Carter Stripp (17:10.93) and Hoosac's Travis Ciempa (17:15.27) rounded out the top five individuals.
Brien -- whose Generals won the team championship Saturday, beating North Division champion Lenox and Greylock -- said the cold weather affected his knees and ankles, but he fought through it to finish.
"It was an average course," Brien said. "Some have bigger or more hills, but it's not bad."
Font Resize
