Massachusetts High Schools Claim 14 Cross Country Titles

Lexington graduate Sal Frelick and Newton South graduate Veronica Burton claimed professional national titles within four days of each other in late October. Frelick won with the Brewers, while Burton secured the Golden State Valkyries' first WNBA championship. Burton recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Dream.

Fourteen cross country leagues held championships on Saturday across the state. Andover senior Landon Zoss finished second in the Merrimack Valley championship at Dracut High. He ran the 5K course in 15 minutes, 28 seconds to break his own school record. Other individual winners included Ibrahim Abdel-Dayem of Brookline, who won the Bay State race in 15:23.9, and North Attleborough's Anthony Malakidis, who won the Hockomock boys' race in 15:17.7.

Team points determined the league winners in most divisions. Billerica girls earned the Merrimack Valley title with a team score of 19 points. North Andover took the boys' title in the same league with 48 points. In the Hockomock League, Oliver Ames boys won with 45 points, while Canton girls captured the title with 46 points. Boston International won its third consecutive boys' soccer title in the Boston City League. The O'Bryant girls' soccer team defeated Latin Academy 1-0 to end a four-year title run.

Two Division 1 college commitments were announced on Saturday. Dexter Southfield junior Max Lamonica committed to play baseball at UConn. The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound right-handed pitcher reached 91 miles per hour and posted a 5-1 record with a 0.60 ERA last spring. Brewster senior Reece Ayala committed to play men's basketball at Quinnipiac. The 6-4 guard previously attended Milton Academy and currently plays for Expressions Elite.

Other athletic milestones included Chelmsford's win in the Merrimack Valley girls' fall swimming championship. The team scored 429 points to defeat Andover, which totaled 410 points. Nora Williamson won the 50 and 100 freestyles for Chelmsford. In football, St. Mark's senior Sam Surgento caught a pass in the end zone with seconds left in the fourth quarter. The reception gave the Lions a 41-35 victory over Thayer in the NEPSAC League.

Sidney Heavey of Medfield led all scorers in girls' soccer with five goals in a 7-1 win over Hopkinton. The victory extended Medfield's undefeated season record to 18-0-0. In boys' soccer, Simon Ramos of Swampscott scored three goals in a 5-0 win over Lynn Tech. David Guillen-Taveras of Nantucket rushed for five touchdowns in a 56-7 Island Cup victory over Martha's Vineyard.