Published: 11/26/2022 9:22:49 PM
Modified: 11/26/2022 9:20:24 PM
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — Birhanu Harriman’s quest to reach the high school cross country national championships came up less than 10 seconds short Saturday.
Harriman, a Lebanon High senior, was seventh out of 249 runners, finishing in 16 minutes, 4 seconds on the 5K layout, just eight seconds out of fifth place at the Nike Northeast Regionals. The race’s top five finishers on a hilly, difficult course advanced to the national championships in Portland, Ore.
“He ran a good race and followed his normal tactic of going out conservative,” said Lebanon coach Kevin Lozeau, noting Harriman was 25th midway through the competition. “He just ran out of room at the end.”
Harriman’s archrival, University of Virginia-bound Aidan Cox of Coe-Brown Academy in Northwood, N.H., was third in 15:38.
Lebanon finished 17th out of 31 teams. Harriman was followed by Tommy Wolfe in 77th place (17:19), Carson Jones in 150th (18:14), Griffin Urnezis in 173rd (18:25), Angus Hall in 175th (18:26), Nick Engert in 204th (18:56) and Sam Nichols in 228th (19:25).
— Tris Wykes