(4-minute read)
Resident Tom Grant, a parent of a student-athlete, wrote this article.
Reading’s harriers are well into the postseason, having competed in the Middlesex League Championships and the Coaches’ Invitational over the past two weeks. Now comes their next big test - the Divisional Championships. Last year, the boys finished second by a mere four points, while the girls were 11th. This year, the teams come into the race ranked in similar spots - the boys are ranked one spot higher in first place, and the girls are ranked 11th.
“I am excited for the D1C [Division 1 Championships] this weekend,” said Coach Mike Connelly. “The teams have worked hard, and we are hoping for our best day as a team on Saturday. The competition will be really strong. We will need to be focused and prepared to compete hard and perform to our potential on Saturday.”
The MIAA Cross-Country Division 1 Championship races take place on Saturday, November 14th at Willard Park in Devens, MA. Six races are scheduled, the first beginning at 11:00 am. The six races are split across three divisions - 1A, 1B, and 1C - with a boys’ race and a girls’ race in each. A trophy will be presented to both the winning team and the runner-up in each division, and medals will be awarded to the first 15 finishers in each race. Only each team’s top seven runners are entered.
Girls Preview
The girls’ team had a strong showing at the Coaches’ Invitational last weekend, with multiple medalists and a top-three performance by sophomore Eva Kirkwood. The team’s goal from the start of the year has been to finish seventh or better at D1C, to qualify them for the Meet of Champions.
Eva Kirkwood is the top runner on the team with a season best of 20:02, and is currently seeded 31st in D1C. The top 30 individuals make the Meet of Champions, so Kirkwood is well-placed to automatically qualify even if the team does not reach its goal. Ninth-grader Emilly Nicholls has been the team’s second runner all season and enters the D1C with a season best of 20:31 after a top-ten finish in last week’s Coaches’ Invitational freshman race. Senior Bridget Branson missed time with an injury earlier this season, but is clearly back to full strength as she just set a season-best time of 21:44 at the Coaches’ Invitational. The fourth runner for the Rockets is another ninth-grader, Julia Connelly. Connelly’s season-best time is 22:10 at 5k, and she is coming off a strong top 30 finish in the freshman race at the Coaches’ Invitational. After Connelly come three seniors who have season’s best times all within 30 seconds of each other - Allie Juffre (22:37), Stella Harrington (22:38), and Grace Hayes (23:06).
Reading 2026 Top Ten Girls’ 5k Times
Eva Kirkwood - 20:02
Emilly Nicholls - 20:31
Bridget Branson - 21:44
Julia Connelly - 22:10
Allie Juffre - 22:37
Stella Harrington - 22:38
Grace Hayes - 23:06
Jordan Lee - 23:07
Delaney Sousa - 23:31
Gia Centrella - 23:34
Boys Preview
The Reading boys have set their sights on winning this year’s D1C meet ever since their close loss to Oliver Ames last year. While members of the team have battled various ailments this year, the team comes into this meet with its top seven ready to go.
Reading’s top runner, Finn Johnson-Houlihan, has a season-best 5k of 15:54 and is seeded sixth overall in D1C. He leads the top six runners, who all have a good shot at medaling. Declan Grant is the next runner for Reading. Grant is seeded 11th in D1C with a season best of 16:10, which he achieved at the Middlesex League Championships in his last race two weeks ago. The next three Rockets - Max King (16:20), Colin Herlihy (16:23), and Colin Carroll (16:25) - are seeded 16th, 17th, and 18th in D1C, respectively. All three ran well at the Coaches’ Invitational last week and look primed for a strong run. Close behind them is Curran Healy (16:29), seeded 22nd, who could break into the Rockets’ top five on any given day. Look for all four of those runners to make a push for a top-15 finish and a medal. The seventh man for Reading is Ben Kaberle (17:20), who is seeded 65th.
Using each team’s top seven 5k times for the season, Reading is projected to win D1C by 22 points over Oliver Ames. However, projections will not matter once the gun goes off and the race begins. Expect a close and exciting race on Saturday. Good luck to all the competitors!
Reading 2026 Top Ten Boys’ 5k Times
Finn Johnson-Houlihan - 15:54
Declan Grant - 16:10
Max King - 16:20
Colin Herlihy - 16:23
Colin Carroll - 16:25
Curran Healy - 16:29
Ben Kaberle - 17:20
Dimitri Speros - 18:03
Ryan Cintolo - 18:20
(tie) Wesley McCarty and Aaron Walker - 18:24
Interested in seeing more high school sports coverage in The Reading Observer? We’re looking to expand our coverage with the help of parents, coaches, and community members who want to contribute. If you’re interested in collaborating, reach out to Taylor Gregory at TGregory@TheReadingObserver.com.