Exeter Girls Win NH Meet of Champions Cross Country Title

Exeter High School girls claim New Hampshire Meet of Champions title

The Exeter High School girls cross country team secured a dominant victory at the New Hampshire Meet of Champions on Saturday, Nov. 7, marking a significant milestone in their current season. Competing at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds, the Blue Hawks captured the team title with 56 points, finishing well ahead of second-place Hanover, which recorded 81 points, according to reporting from seacoastonline.com.

Exeter’s victory was defined by depth and consistency across the pack. The team placed all five of its scoring runners within the top 26 individual finishers. This collective performance allowed them to distance themselves from the rest of the field, which included Lebanon in third (107 points), Oyster River in fourth (129 points), and Concord in fifth (199 points).

The Blue Hawks’ performance was anchored by seniors Lexi and Bri Paterna. Lexi Paterna finished second overall with a time of 17:15.2, narrowly trailing the race winner, Madeleine Lane of Hopkinton, who crossed the line in 16:48.2. Bri Paterna followed closely in third place, clocking in at 17:47.1.

“This was one of our best team races this year and in the last few years,” Exeter coach Jeff Moretti said. “To have all seven girls running for one another and finish within the top 30 really made a difference and helped Exeter secure the win.”

Oyster River secures advancement in both boys and girls divisions

While Exeter took the top spot in the girls’ division, Oyster River managed to navigate the qualifying threshold in both gender categories. In the girls’ race, Oyster River took fourth place with 129 points, earning one of the six coveted spots to advance to the New England Championship. Junior Olivia Kavanagh led the Bobcats with a sixth-place finish (18:28.9), supported by teammate Haley Bezanson in 15th (19:01.8).

The Oyster River boys’ team also successfully qualified for the New England championships, finishing fourth overall with 157 points. Their run was led by senior Oliver Lehman, who secured a top-10 individual finish with a time of 15:49.7. The Bobcats’ qualifying effort was bolstered by Levi Clapp (22nd, 16:15.2) and Brendan Banafato (23rd, 16:15.6).

Exeter’s boys’ team narrowly missed the qualifying cutoff. Despite a strong performance from junior Logen Poteet, who finished 19th overall in 16:11.4, the Blue Hawks finished seventh with 201 points, just short of the six-team advancement limit.

Seacoast regional results and upcoming New England Championship

Other Seacoast-area runners delivered notable individual performances throughout the day. In the girls’ race, Winnacunnet freshman Rowan Condon placed 32nd (19:58.3), while Dover’s Janelle Poulin finished 36th (20:07.4). St. Thomas Aquinas senior Claire Harris placed 51st (20:34.8), and Portsmouth Christian Academy freshman Elizabeth Stewart finished 93rd (21:38.9).

The boys’ results saw Dover finish 10th overall with 300 points, led by sophomore Zach LeFebvre in 41st place. Portsmouth took 12th with 326 points, paced by sophomore Gavin Leader in 39th. Portsmouth Christian Academy finished 16th with 387 points, with sophomore Zachery Mckeown placing 50th.

The focus now shifts to the New England Championship race, which will take place next weekend in Belfast, Maine. The competition will expand significantly, as the top six teams from New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont will all compete for the regional title.