GNAC Cross Country Report: Week 1

(FOR THE OPENING WEEKEND OF AUG. 30-SEPT. 1)

	MEN'S RUNNER OF THE WEEK Matyas Csiki-Fejer, Suffolk (So. - Manchester, MO.) Csiki-Fejer picked up right where he left off a year ago as the sophomore sprinted to a first-place finish at Keene State's Early Bird Invitational and help the Rams capture fourth place. The sophomore captain topped the 124-runner field thanks to a 5K total time of 15.49.2, which was 26 seconds faster than the second-place finisher.
	WOMEN'S RUNNER OF THE WEEK Emily Manfra, Suffolk (SR. - Stoneham, Mass.) Manfra set the pace for the 2019 Suffolk women's cross country season as the senior cruised to individual victory at Keene State's Early Bird Invitational Saturday afternoon, helping the Rams take fourth as a team. She finished the two-mile run in 11:03.2, breaking the tape 31 seconds ahead of runner-up to top the 110-runner field.
	MEN'S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Cole Bolduc, Suffolk (Fr. - Blackstone, Mass.) Cole Bolduc made his name known in his collegiate debut as the rookie Ram clocked a 5K time of 17:16.3, good for 21st overall out of 124 competitors at Keene State's Early Bird Invitational.
	WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Marin Stamer, Suffolk (Fr. - Big Bear City, Calif.) Marin Stamer put together a top-10 performance at Keene State's Early Bird Invitational 2-mile run as the freshman clocked in at 12:29.4 in her collegiate debut to take 10th overall out of 110 participants.

WEEK 1 HONOR ROLL
Zoe Utton, Colby-Sawyer (Fr., Charlestown, N.H.) - Utton set a course record with a 5k time of 20:12.51 to take the individual title at Saturday's 2nd Annual Charger Invitational that featured 56 runners. Her first-place finish also helped Colby-Sawyer win the meet in the team standings.

Caitlin Cullen, Emmanuel (Fr., Foxboro, Mass.) - Cullen enjoyed a top-10 finish in her collegiate debut, placing ninth overall at the 9th Annual Fens Classic to help Emmanuel to a second-place team finish on the two-mile course. Cullen kicked off her collegiate career with a 13:35 two-mile time for the Saints.

Hannah Fitzpatrick, Emmanuel (So., Revere, Mass.) - Fitzpatrick finished fifth overall to help power Emmanuel to a second-place team finish at the 9th Annual Fens Classic on the 2-mile women's course. The sophomore clocked a 13:12 two mile time in her 2019 season debut. 

Kyle Hajj, Emmanuel (Jr., Methuen, Mass.) - In his Emmanuel debut, Hajj finished in fourth place overall with a time of 17:29 to help the Saints to a second-place team finish at the 9th Annual Fens Classic on the 5k course in the Back Bay Fens. Hajj transferred to Emmanuel following two All-Conference seasons at Colby-Sawyer.

Ashleigh Kelley, Regis (Mass.) (So., Stoneham, Mass.) - Kelley led the Regis women at the season-opening Wellesley Invitational Friday evening, crossing the finish line in 11th place with a time of 20:20.4. She completed the five-kilometer course over 38 seconds faster than she did in this event last year. It is also the first time she has been Regis' top finisher in a cross country race,

JJ Pedersen, Regis (Mass.) (Sr., Milford, Conn.) - Pedersen led the Pride in the season-opening Wellesley Invitational, setting two new school records in the process. He finished fourth with a five-kilometer time of 17:11.2, over 35 seconds faster than the previous best time posted by a Regis runner on the Wellesley course. He also posted the overall fastest five-kilometer time by a Pride competitor, completing the event over 15 seconds quicker than Stephen McCall's mark of 17:27 at the 2015 Roger Williams Invitational at Colt State Park in Bristol, R.I.

Troy Hendricks, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (So., Hiram, Maine) - Hendricks finished second with a 16:51 performance in the 5K Colby-Sawyer Invitational on Saturday.

Liam Fleming, Colby-Sawyer  (Sr, Orford, N.H.) - Fleming was the top finisher in a field of 60 runners at Saturday's 2nd Annual Charger Invitational. He crossed the finish line in 16:37.53 to beat the second place finisher by 14 seconds. The Chargers finished second in the team standings.