Rupp, Hamdani wrap up stellar cross-country careers at D-2A State Meet
Seniors Olivia Rupp and Rania Hamdani wrapped up their outstanding Revere High cross country careers with strong performances at Saturday’s Division 2A State Meet at Northfield Mountain.
“The 5K course is tough – a first mile that is majority uphill, rocky footing, and not many places for spectator support,” said RHS head coach Katie Sinnott. “This was definitely not a course to be setting a personal record. Most runners were about two minutes slower than their times at the State Coaches meet the previous Saturday.
“Despite that, the day was beautiful – a perfect fall day for Olivia and Rania to be running the last race of their high school careers,” Sinnott said, “so for both girls, it was a bittersweet moment.
“Coaching them has been an absolute pleasure – these two girls are strong runners and led us to winning records for the past few seasons,” Sinnott continued. “Rania joined cross country last year, and I wish she had been with me for four years. She brought a quiet determination to the team and an amazing finishing kick that allowed her to pass runners in the final 250 meters of most races.
“I have coached Olivia since her freshman year, and the four years have been fantastic,” Sinnott said of her team captain. “She is a runner every coach wishes to have. She always gave her best, never complained about how difficult a workout or race might be, never let a setback break her spirit, and always rooted for her teammates. I will miss both of them very much.”
Rupp just missed qualifying for the State Championship meet, which includes the runners from the top seven teams, plus the top 10 individual runners from each division.
“Olivia finished just outside of the individual advancers,” Sinnott said. “While she may have been disappointed, I definitely am not. She and Rania gave everything they had to the race on Saturday – the most perfect way to finish out the season and their high school careers.”
Individual Results:
Olivia Rupp – 51st overall – 23:04
Rania Hamdani – 98th overall – 25:01
RHS boys soccer falls in tourney, 4-1
The Revere High boys soccer team’s season ended last Wednesday with a 4-1 loss to top-seeded Oliver Ames in the Round of 32 of the MIAA Division 2 state soccer tournament.
The Patriots, who were seeded at #32 in the tourney, had defeated #33 Southeast Regional Vocational, 3-2, in a preliminary round contest last Monday, thereby earning the right to advance to meet #1 seed Oliver Ames (Easton) High. Coach Gerardo Rodriguez’s squad concluded its season with an overall record of 10-4-5 and finished in second place in the Greater Boston League behind Chelsea.
