Runners take over Gannon Golf Course

LYNN – Gannon Municipal Golf Course was a busy place Tuesday morning. But, it wasn?t a typical golf crowd the course was hosting.More than 270 young runners competed in the first annual Massachusetts Elementary School Cross-Country Invitational. Spofford Elementary School in Boxford won both the girls and boys team competition. The team course and the course for runners in all grades, 1-5, was 1.17 miles, while younger runners (grades 1-3) ran .66-mile course.?It was a good course. It was all roped off. The kids were tickled pink and the parents were tickled pink,” said race organizer Joe Abelon.Abelon said there were people at the race who had never been to Gannon. “They were quite impressed by the golf course and Lynn Parks and Recreation for doing it,” he said. “There was no entry fee. It?s a very healthy activity and an inexpensive activity. Anyone can get involved.”The girls? individual winner (grades 1-5) was Ella Wozek of the Fitzgerald School in Waltham, who ran a 7:53 race . Lynn’s Serena Caira (Harrington School) was the top local finisher, taking fifth place with a time of 8:15. Katie Dunner of Lynn (Shoemaker) finished eighth (8:37) and Molly Mannion of Lynn took 12th (9:23). There were 72 girls in the race.The boys individual winner (grades 1-5) was Myles Kirby from the Chenery School in Belmont. He ran a 7:17 course. Max Collins of Rockport finished second (7:40). The top local finisher was was Steven Galatis of Our Lady of the Assumption School in Lynnfield, who finished 11th (8:01). Liam Powell from the Hadley School in Swampscott finished 20th (8:42). The top finisher from Lynn was Max Wozek from Cobbet, who finished 41st (9:37). There were 104 boys in the race.In the shorter race for youngsters in grades 1-3, Swampscott’s Victoria Quagrello of the Stanley School was the top finisher with a time of 4:47. Fellow Stanley School runner Kate Twomey took second (4:49) and Cierra Johnson, who attends Immaculate Conception in Revere, took third (4:56).In the boys short race (grades 1-3), Jacob Daly from the Cunningham School in Milton won with a time of 4:37. Lynn’s Angel Castro, who attends Cobbet, was impressive with a fourth-place finish (4:42). Swampscott’s Stanley School runners took fourth, fifth and sixth with Jack Fredrickson, Ryan Ward and Carson Palmer, respectively.The Spofford boys? team that won included Michael Bertinato, James Toleos, Nate Collins, Steven Ralph, Michael Rossi, Matthew Jones, and Charles Dolan. The Cobbet boys from Lynn finished fourth with the team of Jason Meono, Kevin Lopez, Brenner Mendez, Nelson Carnon, Angel Cabrera, Michael Escobar, and Andy Lopez.The Spofford girls? teams included Sarah McVey, Allie Hoag, Alexandra Hill, Samantha Cahill, Katherine Faddis, Jessica Cahill, and Kate Mackeen.Abelon thanked Chris Carter and Steve Murphy — whose company, Golf Facilities Management, operates Gannon — for allowing the use of the course. He also thanked the Lynn English High ROTC, under the direction of Sgt. Major Kenneth Oswald, whose members assisted at the race, working at the finish line, and monitoring the parking.