by Larry Eder
The NorthEast regional had two fantastic races, with some of the top preps in the East, all fighting to make the top ten and go to California in two weeks! The weather was the warmes of all three regionals held on November 30, and add Franklin Field to the mix, and you had a historic cross country race!
Virginia Kraus and Jack Graffeo Capture First Place Titles in the
45th Annual Foot Locker Cross Country Championships Northeast Regional;
Top 10 Boys and Girls Qualify for National Finals
RACE HIGHLIGHTS:
Virginia Kraus of Bethlehem, PA, and Jack Graffeo of Westford, MA, won the Foot Locker Cross
Country Championships Northeast Regional today. The race was held for the second year at
Boston’s historic Franklin Park. Kraus, a junior at Moravian Academy, claimed the title in the
girls’ championship race in 17:34.4. Zariel Macchia, a senior from Shirley, NY, finished second
in 17:39.8 and Brooke Strauss, a senior from Glastonbury, CT, placed third in 17:41.5. The top
two finishers in today’s race along with seventh-place finisher Liliah Gordon of Chesterfield, NJ,
participated in last year’s national championship event in San Diego, CA.
Jack Graffeo, a senior from Westford Academy High School in Westford, MA, took the title in the
boys’ championship race in a time of 14:59.8. Tamrat Gavenas, a senior from Andover, MA,
finished second in 15:15.1 and Soheib Dissa, a senior from Newtown, CT finished third in
15:23.7. The top three finishers in today’s race competed at the national championships last
year in San Diego, CA.
WHEN/WHERE:
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024
Franklin Park, Boston, MA
COURSE/WEATHER:
5,000-meter course; good course conditions; 38 degrees; slight winds; sunny skies
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
The top 10 boys and the top 10 girls in the championship races qualify to compete against
runners from the South, Midwest and West Regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross Country
Championships National Finals, on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Morley Field, Balboa Park in
San Diego, CA.
2024 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships – Northeast Regional Results
Franklin Park, Boston, MA
Girls
Place Name Hometown High School (Year) Time
1) Virginia Kraus Bethlehem, PA Moravian Academy (11) 17:34.4
2) Zariel Macchia Shirley, NY William Floyd High School (12) 17:39.8
3) Brooke Strauss Glastonbury, CT Glastonbury High School (12)17:41.5
4) Liv Sherry West Hartford, CT Conard High School (12) 17:49.3
5) Chase Gilbert Old Lyme, CT Old Lyme High School 11) 17:56.9
6) Allison Lee Princeton, NJ West Windsor-Plainsboro North High School (11) 17:58.3
7) Liliah Gordon Chesterfield, NJ Northern Burlington Reg. High School (12) 18:00.7
8) Dylan McElhinney New York, NY Hunter College Campus Schools (12) 18:01.9
9) Lillian DiCola Horsham, PA Hatboro-Horsham High School (12) 18:04.8
10) Tess Sherry West Hartford, CT Conard High School (12) 18:18.8
Boys
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Jack Graffeo Westford, MA Westford Academy (12) 14:59.8
2) Tamrat Gavenas Andover, MA Phillips Academy Andover (12) 15:15.1
3) Soheib Dissa Newtown, CT Newtown High School (12) 15:23.7
4) Matthew Giardina Tyngsboro, MA Bishop Guertin (NH) High School (12) 15:26.1
5) Matt Gosling Newtown, PA Council Rock North High School (11) 15:28.8
6) Van Furman Grahamsville, NY Tri-Valley Secondary School (12) 15:29.2
7) Nathan Lee Greenwich, CT Brunswick School (11) 15:30.3
8) Vinay Raman Hummelstown, PA Hershey High School (12) 15:30.8
9) Rowan Carr Media, PA Penncrest High School (10) 15:31.5
10) Silas Gartner East Falmouth, MA Falmouth High School (11) 15:35.1
