March 21, 2013 PDF Edition - The Sentinel

PAGE 22
THE SENTINEL • THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013
SPORTS
Cragg, Hastings take St. Pat’s top spots
By Gregory A. Scibelli
Turley Publications Sports Correspondent
HOLYOKE – The finish line told many
interesting tales as the 38th Annual St.
Patrick’s Day Road Race was run under
cold conditions but the same amount of
fun and enthusiasm as previous years.
Coming across the finish line to start
with for the 2013 contest was a pair of
runners that are boyfriend and girlfriend
from Providence, R.I.
Alistar Cragg and girlfriend Amy
Hastings were the top male and female
finishers in the race. Cragg finished with
a time of 29 minutes, 20 seconds, winning
the race with the best overall time. He was
wearing the number three for the race and
beat out a Kenyan runner and last year’s
winner.
“It was a very difficult course and
I knew that coming into the race,” said
Cragg.
Cragg said he knows last year’s winner,
Zach Hine of South Hadley, from other
races, and knew he was competing on
“Hine’s turf.”
“I know this is Zach’s course,” said
Cragg. “It was pretty fun coming out here.
I am pretty happy with the results.”
His girlfriend, Hastings, was the top finisher
for the females, winning with a time
of 33:31.
“I did not know what to expect,” said
Hastings, who donned a few layers for
the race. She enjoys being in the colder
weather to run and said the conditions
were just what she wanted. “I get really
hot when I am running so this weather was
perfect for me.”
She said the course was difficult with
some of the hills, but she is pleased to
come away with a victory.
Following Cragg at 29:25 was last year’s
runner-up Philemon Terer. The Kenyan
trailed Hine prior to the fourth mile before
Cragg took the lead and pulled away.
Hine, wearing number one after finishing
first overall last year, would place third
with a time of 29:28.
Hine’s finishing time was 9 seconds off
his pace from last year, but was not enough
to overcome Terer this year.
Turley Publications photo by Gregory A. Scibelli
Alistar Cragg and his girlfriend Amy Hastings pose after winning their
respective divisions in the 38th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Road Race.
Hine won the 2012 race, becoming one
of the first local competitors to win the
race in several years.
Cragg and Hastings are both Olympians.
Cragg rant the 1,500 and 5,000-meter
races in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Hastings ran the 10,000 motors at the 2012
Olympics in London.
Hastings said the hills hurt her during
the race and she failed to beat the women’s
record of 33:17, which was her goal going
into the race. Finishing a distant second
place in the women’s division was Colleen
Hogan of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
One other major note from the race was
Blake Croteau from Westfield. He would
break the high school runner record with a
time of 31:57.
St. Patrick’s Day Race Committee
Member Ray Feyre said the race was
another rousing success and there were
more than 6,500 racers in this year’s event.
The number of people who finished the
race went down this year, but the participation
overall could not have been higher.
There is room for everyone, he said.
“We have our serious runners that participate
in the race and are there to win
and that is great,” said Feyre. “Then we
have people who do it for fun and wear
costumes and play instruments, and the
crowd loves to see them, too. This is a
family event and there is room for everyone
as long as they are safe.”
Gregory A. Scibelli is a sports correspondent
for Turley Publications. He can
be reached at gscibelli@turley.com.
Belchertown Recreation Department programs
BELCHERTOWN - The following is
a list of sports programs offered by the
Belchertown Recreation Department.
Stingrays
Have fun improving your swimming
skills and learning new strokes. Our
team is part of the Pioneer Valley Swim
League. Swim Meets usually last three to
four hours. For children in kindergarten
through 12th grade (kindergarten and first
grade swimmers will be evaluated). The
season runs from April 22 through the
end of July. Practices are held on Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
Participants are requested to practice three
days per week. Cost is $175 per child,
three child same household $85.
Coach Pitch
This baseball coed league is for
Belchertown resident boys and girls currently
in first and second grade.
This fun and instructional league is
aimed at teaching the game, learning fundamentals
and developing overall skills in
batting, base running and fielding.
The season is approximately seven
weeks long and will begin in May. Cost is
$30. Registration deadline is April 11.
Cooking Craze:
Boys and girls, grades fifth and sixth
will cook a brunch to eat and a dinner to
take home. They will also learn to bake a
traditional dessert for their family. Some
recipes will be prepared, cooked and sampled,
while other recipes are prepared,
cooked and sent home ready to eat. This
Cougars set
to start new
campaign
Remy to catch,
play outfield
By Gregory A. Scibelli
Turley Publications Sports
Correspondent
HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community
College baseball is getting more local
this year as coach Terry Murphy
announced his roster for the upcoming
season with several talented players from
all over Western Massachusetts.
Freddy Andjuar, a former Holyoke
High School starting pitcher, will stay
in his home city and take the helm as
the number one starting pitcher. He will
be joined by Western Massachusetts
Division 1 winning pitcher Lee Albertson
from Westfield.
Murphy said the pair will likely be
pitching in HCC’s opening doubleheader
against Raritan Valley.
Following the top pair, Murphy said
Ryan Magni, Cam Beaulieu of Ludlow,
Greg Pobieglo from Pathfinder, and
Bryan Borges-Vega will see starts in the
opening week.
With 42 games in 42 days and several
doubleheaders in a rigorous community
college season, Murphy said the depth
for pitching and catching has to be great
in order for the team to be successful.
“If you have the pitching, you’re going
to have a chance here,” said Murphy. “If
you don’t, it can be a long season.”
Murphy does have catching depth, but
lost his projected starter Zach Cloutier to
a devastating injury.
“Zach tore his ACL a few weeks ago
so he is about six to nine months from
doing anything,” said Murphy. “It’s
unfortunately because he did a great job
last year for Granby and caught a bit for
the Blue Sox in the NECBL. He would
have been our four or five hitter.”
Backfilling Cloutier will be Magni
and Pobieglo. Murphy also has catchers
Zach Crowley from Chicopee Comp and
Dalton Remy of Granby. They have limited
experience, but are working hard to
step and can help provide some balance
cooking class is offered Monday, April 15
(April vacation) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Teen Center. The cost is $35. Registration
deadline is Thursday April 11. See COUGARS, Page 30
Athlete of the Week
Congratulations
goes out to the
two members of
the Falcons.
The duo helped the
team go undefeated in
the U12 Girls Division.
Gillian Duquette
& Katie Tauer
Belchertown
NOW ENROLLING INFANTS, TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS!!!
The Parent-Child Development Center has openings in our FREE Head Start
half-day preschool programs and in our FREE Early Head Start and Head Start
home-visiting programs in Franklin, Hampshire and Western Hampden Counties
for Fall 2013. We also have state-subsidized, sliding scale options for your
full-day childcare needs throughout our entire service area. PCDC’s high quality
educational environments are designed according to best practice and follow
EEC, NAEYC, and Head Start guidelines.
Limited transportation available.
Franklin County 413-475-1405 ◆ Hampshire County
413-387-1250 ◆ Western Hampden County 413-654-1770
Para servicios en Español, favor de llamar 413-387-1234
www.communityaction.us
To nominate someone for Athlete of the Week, contact
Sports Editor Dave Forbes at 413-283-8393 ext. 237 or
send an e-mail to dforbes@turley.com. ley.com. You need
not leave your name.
SPONSORED BY
JOIN NOW! ONLY
$10. PER MONTH
40 Turkey Hill Road
BELCHERTOWN
(413) 323-1003
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