From the Worcester Telegram and Gazette | Nov. 16, 2024 – https://www.telegram.com/story/sports/high-school/2024/11/16/wcs-flagg-oxfords-davis-dominate-while-capturing-state-cross-country-titles/76360945007/
By Rich Garven
DEVENS — Oxford High’s Cameron Davis and Whitinsville Christian’s Emily Flagg have been dusting the competition and amassing gold medals all season long.
It was more of the same for the swift and sensational sophomores on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon at the state cross-country championships at the sun-splashed Willard Athletic Complex.
Flagg posted a resounding, wire-to-wire victory in Division 2, and Davis followed suit two races later in Division 3.
“I was so excited to be here,” Flagg said. “I feel like we’ve been working for this all season, and I was just really excited to be back on this course with my teammates and (Holliston senior) Maggie (Kuchman).
“I was feeling really, really good going into it. I was feeling calm mentally and my body was feeling strong, so I was ready to go.”
Flagg was never challenged while covering the demanding, 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 16.66 seconds. That placed her nearly 23 seconds ahead of Kuchman, who was runner-up.
The Grafton resident’s time ranked third overall among the 544 competitors spanned across three divisions, trailing only Needham junior Greta Hammer (18:02.48) and Billerica sophomore Gianna McGowan (18:16.44).
Flagg, who was third here a year ago, finished the high school season undefeated.
“I think a lot of it is knowing and trusting that I can do it,” Flagg said. “It’s trusting my training and not freaking out when it feels hard.
“Just expecting that it’s going to hurt, and that it’s going to be difficult really helps me to go faster.”