Photo by Andy Paisley
For the second year in a row, a private school girl pulled off a major invitational win at Octoberfest. Defending Octoberfest and private school state champion Megan Fitzpatrick returned and helped lead her team to a significant team victory in the varsity A division, but it was another private school runner in Anneka Wilson of The Potomac School who was the individual champion this year. The junior Wilson ran a big personal best performance of 18:06 to lead a race which saw quick times with 13 girls breaking 19 minutes for 5K. Another race champion happened to be of the private school ranks as well as Trinity's Barbara Strehler won the varsity B division with ease in a time of 18:34.
The Bishop O'Connell girls capped off a huge day by holding off close challenges from Ocean Lakes and Osbourn Park for the varsity A girls team title as the private school girls ran away from the public school girls on the same venue for the public school's high school state championships.
Sherwood's Solomon Haile dominated another Virginia invitational after winning Oatlands two weeks ago. The Maryland high school runner blitzed a time of 15:10 at Great Meadow to finish well ahead of the next finisher Leoule Degfae of Thomas Edison (15:42). Third place finisher Jared Berman led the Robinson boys (104 pts) to a team title with 49 points to spare on the runner-up squad Walter Johnson (153 pts).
More to come Sunday afternoon on Octoberfest!
Octoberfest Invitational Results: Varsity A Boys - Varsity A Girls - Varsity B Boys - Varsity B Girls
Octoberfest Photo Gallery by Andy Paisley
Race videos to come!