Posted: Oct 27, 2018

Seahawks finish seventh in CCC Championship

Dan Donnelly racing in his final CCC Championship. (Photo by Jen McGuinness)

WENHAM, Mass. – Sophomore Aidan Lynch (Little Silver, N.J.) and freshman Greg Cran (Wrentham, Mass.) posted personal-best performances at 8,000 meters to lead Salve Regina to a seventh-place finish in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship on Saturday.

The Seahawks had to contend with high wind and heavy rain in addition to their conference foes. The men, racing second, faced the worst of the weather on a course that had already been softened by rain and further damaged during the women's race an hour earlier.

Lynch paid little mind to the battle with the elements, donning a visor to keep the rain out of his eyes and running to a 25-second personal best for 8K. Lynch crossed the finish line at 28:22 and was just two places away from the all-conference team.

Cran managed an equally fine performance with a 12-second personal best and a top-25 finish. He crossed the finish line at 28:46. Chandler Da Cruz (Middletown, R.I.) broke the 30-minute mark for the first time in his career, finishing at 29:57 and running in the No. 3 spot for the Seahawks.

Juniors Brett Jutras (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and Riley Rancourt (Warren, R.I.) completed the scoring for Salve Regina. The meet marked the first race in over a month for Jutras, who was injured in a fall on the same course during the regular season.

Salve Regina performances included:

17. Aidan Lynch – 28:22
24. Greg Cran – 28:46
41. Chandler Da Cruz – 29:57
46. Brett Jutras – 30:28
57. Riley Rancourt – 31:16
71. Richard Stanley – 33:07
73. Brendan Clancey – 33:16
77. Dan Donnelly – 33:27
83. Brendan Kelly – 34:18

There were 96 runners in the race.

University of New England sophomore Jacob Hickey led the Nor'easters to their first CCC championship with a commanding victory in the men's race. Hickey crossed the finish line at 25:33, 64 seconds ahead of teammate Ben Wright, who placed second. UNE, with four scorers in the top 10, claimed the crown with a score of 31.

Roger Williams University had three scorers in the top 15 en route to a runner-up finish with 72 points. The Wentworth Institute of Technology finished third with 81.

Salve Regina returns to action in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship at Bowdoin College on Nov. 10.