Martha's Vineyard Boys Cross Country Team Wins First State Title

GARDNER, MA – A very long trip was worth everything for the Martha's Vineyard boys cross country team on Saturday. MV made the trek all the way from the island to the campus of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner where it won the first boys cross country title in program history at the Division 2 State Championships.

Martha's Vineyard finished first in the Division 2 race Saturday with 148 points ahead of second-place Parker School, third-place Hopedale, fourth-place Wilmington and fifth-place Newburyport.

MV coach Joe Schroeder said senior captain Vito Aiello's third-place finish as the team's typical No. 5 runner was a big example of guys rising to the occasion on the biggest stage.

"He pushed all the way up and just ran his best race," the coach said. "He was the key last week (at the Eastern Mass. Championships) too. The past two weeks he’s come up big."

MV senior Peter Burke was sixth overall in 16:30 to lead MV with sophomore Zach Utz in 37th in 17:37, Aiello in 52nd in 17:46, junior Isaac Richards in 56th in 17:49, sophomore Borja Tolay in 80th in 18:02, junior Nathaniel Porterie in 106th in 18:25 and senior Kieran Karabees in 126th in 18:52.

"The guys were just super set on, first of all the Eastern (Mass.) Division (title)," the coach said. "They really wanted to win that. They were a wild card last year. They watched our girls win it. So they said: 'Hey, let's do this.' So why not?"