Ernst, Patterson shine in state cross country meet

The state?s best cross-country runners got together on Saturday at a frigid Franklin Park in Boston for the MIAA All-State Championships and for a couple of local teams, the day brought some solid results.All season long, the Marblehead boys have been among the best of the best in the Northeastern Conference and Eastern Mass. On Saturday, the Magicians turned in another outstanding performance in the Division 2 race.The Magicians finished third as a team, just seven points behind Hopedale and Newburyport, who tied for first place at 125. Hopedale took the state title in a tiebreaker that saw the sixth runner who crossed the finish line for each team determine the outcome.The Magicians had a solid race, as they put four of their runners in the top 50 and took four of the top 35 places that scored points. But they couldn?t match Hopedale and Newburyport, who each put all but one of their 10 scoring runners inside the top 50.The individual race turned into a battle between Newburyport?s Nick Carleo and Marblehead?s A.J. Ernst as the two led the pack most of the way.Down the stretch, Carleo had a little better kick and he pipped Ernst (15:57) by six seconds on the line to win the indivudual crown.Gloucester?s Everest Crawford had another great race against the state?s top runners as he finished sixth (16:11). Marblehead?s Jared Kokinos came home 19th (16:42) with teammate Adam Linsky in 32nd (16:54) and Elrik Larson in 50th (17:08).The Marblehead girls finished seventh as a team in the D2 girls race, led by a 25th place finish (19:42) from Sarah Oliver. Teammates Grace Maguire (20:16) and Jillian King (20:56) were 54th and 83rd.The highest local finisher in the girls race was Lynnfield?s Tia Patterson, who completed a standout senior season with a 23rd place finish (19:40). St. Mary?s Tia Foglietta was 87th (20:59).In the Division 1 boys competition, Peabody finished fourth with 138 points but were no match for Lowell, who took the team title at 98. Cambridge was second and Methuen took third.The Tanners were led by super sophomore Marcelo Rocha?s eighth place (16:04). Teammate Riley Dowd was 26th (16:24) with Jason Karakaedos in 27th (16:26) and Alex Greco, 41st (16:40).No local teams competed in the D1 girls race but Peabody did have a 66th place finish from Lauren Barrett (20:11) while Beverly?s spectacular freshman, Julia Curtin, led the way with a 31st place (19:36).