HENNIKER, N.H. - The first race for the New England College cross country team under new head coach Zach Emerson was a success as the women's team took first place in the two-mile run that began and ended at the campus' historic covered bridge early Friday evening.

The women got the day started with 13 runners from three schools, NEC, Lesley University, and York County Community College, departing from the covered bridge towards the athletic fields around the Laurie Cox Memorial field. In her first career race, freshman Althea LeBlanc (Derry, N.H.) crossed the finish line first; LeBlanc completed the two-mile race in 13:12, good for a 6:36 per mile pace. 

Making their team-debuts, both junior Amanda Ducharme (Bedford, N.H.) and freshman Skylar Simpson (Prospect, Conn.) finished in the top five on the women's side: Ducharme finished in 14:43 while Simpson came through in 17:54.  Sophomore Sophia Lapointe (Salem, N.H.) earned a sixth-place finish with a final time of 18:25. 

Senior Aleesa Jordan (Casco, Maine) was the fifth 'Grim to cross the finish line within the covered bridge, rounding out the team's total score with an eighth overall finish in 18:25. The team's total score of 20, made up of the accumulative finishes of the five runners, was good for first place – 15 points ahead of Lesley.    

The men's race followed shortly after the women's race, in which NEC had two male runners compete. Sophomore Ryan Weidman (Weare, N.H.) ran the two-mile course in 14:01 – putting together a mile pace of 7:00 flat while finishing in sixth. Junior Anthony Dibattista (Merrimack, N.H.) concluded the day in eighth place with an overall time of 18:18.  

The team now has three weeks off from scheduled competition, setting their eyes on the annual Codfish Bowl on September 20th at Franklin Park in Boston, Massachusetts. 

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