Falcons Ready to Contend for League Crown

COURTESY OF MATT STEWART - SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE 

FITCHBURG, Mass. - With its biggest roster in history and the addition of at least three top-five performers, the Fitchburg State University men's cross country will likely be one of the favorites come MASCAC championship time.

The Falcons started practices last week and open the season Saturday when they host the revamped Jim Sheehan Memorial Alumni Invitational Meet at Doyle Community Park. At least a half-dozen teams will take part in the meet, which is the largest turnout for the event since moving to Leominster.

"We have 36 guys on the team, and it's probably the biggest team we've ever had," Fitchburg State head coach Jim Jellison said. "We have a very strong top 15 and any of those guys could be in the top seven.

"Every year our team goal is to win the MASCACs, but I think realistically this year I think we have a legitimate shot to win the conference. I don't know what other people think of us, or how things will turn out, but we'll be a good, strong team."

After sitting out last season as a redshirt, FSU senior and Oakmont Regional product Eric Ouellette returns to the squad for his final campaign. Ouellette duplicated the strategy that coach Chris Kibler took, sitting out his fourth college year in hopes that he can make a splash in his final season.

It worked out well for Kibler, who gained All-America status in indoor track his post-graduate year, and Ouellette is gunning for the same mark.

With Ouellette returning to the team, the Falcons picked up another No. 1 runner and true threat to win the individual conference title.

"Ouellette could potentially win the MASCAC and go big time," Jellison said. "He's running really well right now. He saw what Kibler did, taking a year off, and the benefits of running that extra semester. Having him redshirt and come back stronger is going to make the whole team stronger."

Brian Amaral was last year's top runner, and now he may become one of the best No. 2 runners in the conference. Amaral sat at the outdoor season with a lower-body injury, but is back in full force for the fall, entering 100 percent healthy.

"Amaral is a tough runner, and he's run a 32-minute 10,000 meters and high 25s in the five-mile," Jellison said. "Amaral and Ouellette should really pound it up front. Amaral made sure he took lots of time off and didn't come back from the injury too fast. We try to have the athletes walk before they run; it's a real progression, not just jumping back into it."

Monty Tech grad and Falcon sophomore Jake Hastings looks to be the most improved on the team after setting a strong benchmark as a freshman last year.

"Hastings is 100 percent improved," Jellison said. "His potential is unlimited and he is really coming into his own. He had a breakout year in track, but he's much better than last year."

It was a big adjustment for Hastings, going from moderate mileage to the high mileage of college. Not only is he hitting his stride, but he may solidify the third spot on the team.

"With all the extra mileage I've had a big improvement from last year," Hastings said. "It's nice to have teammates pushing me, and it's definitely a friendly competition."

Newcomers to Fitchburg State are brothers Anthony and Joseph Darrigo, who will make immediate impacts on the squad. Both ran 34-minute 10Ks this summer in the Greater Boston races.

"We have five guys who are going to push each other because they can do the same workouts," Jellison said. "Some days you go out and really don't feel like doing your high mileage, but if you have three or four other guys with you it becomes much easier. We should have five guys under 26:30 in our meets."

Matthew Cuomo has improved and could make a run at the scoring places, while Timothy Allen returns for his senior year, leading the team as one of the four captains. Allen has been in the top seven all three years of his career and Cuomo is a returning top-seven runner.

Allen might be the patriarch of team recruiting from the Merrimack Valley Conference, as three of his former competitors are now teammates. He helped recruit Amaral a few years back, who in turn helped pull in the Darrigos.

"Most of us were members of the MVC all-conference team," Allen said. "We were able to compete on a competitive level and we also got to know each other. I helped in the recruiting process."

Michael Martin (Gardner High), Salaheddin Barhoum, Liam Eble, Daniel Fournier, Brandon Hannon and Vincent Tevnan are seasoned runners who will be battling for the final couple of spots in the scoring.

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