Big Fourth 5K
July 4th, 2001.  Springfield, MA.

Record Bid Falls Short:

     The course record was threatened, a new name emerged in the women's field, and there was a huge turnout, particularly among high school runners.

     All things considered, yesterday's Greater Springfield Harriers Fourth of July Road Race was one of the best since the 5K race began 24 years ago.

     Eric Lavigne's bid for the course record fell short by 15 seconds, and Yolanda Flamino cruised to a victory on the women's side.

     Lavigne finished in 15 minutes, 16 seconds. Flamino, meanwhile, won by over a minute in 17:18.

     The race drew more than 350 runners, with 346 finishing. It was the largest turnout since 1984.

     Lavigne gave Brent Coon's and Dennis Cullinan's 1992 record of 15:00 a great run, especially since he ran more than half of the race alone.

     "I was pretty confident (I could break the record)," said Lavigne, 25, who lives in West Springfield. "Even at 2½ when my legs got tired, I thought I could pull it off. But my legs were slowing down, and there was nothing I could do."

     Lavigne, Neal Graves and Dave Cisewski blasted out at the start. Cisewski intentionally dropped back three-quarters of a mile into the race. Lavigne had a one step lead on Graves when the two crossed the first mile in 4:51   —   putting the course record in jeopardy.

     Lavigne slowly started to pull away from Graves as the runners approached Columbus Avenue. Soon thereafter, Graves suddenly stopped due to discomfort in his stomach, leaving Lavigne all alone and chasing nine years of history.

     The former All-New England runner at Trinity College continued to hammer out a strong pace. He reached the second mile marker in 9:42, as the record continued to be within reach.

     But the hard pace finally caught up to Lavigne in the final half-mile. Despite his screams, grunts and grimaces on Gridiron Street and Main Street, Lavigne started to slow down, and the record slipped away.

     "I'll be back next year and take another crack at it," said Lavigne, who is trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon.

     In a mad dash for second, Owen Washburn (16:03), David Burnham (16:04) and Tom Bousquet (16:05) came in bang, bang, bang. Chris Gould was fifth in 16:14.

     Sandu Rebenciuc, last year's winner, jogged the course and finished eighth in 16:37.

     Nine of the top 21 runners were 18-years-old or younger, led by the 17-year-old Washburn.

     Flamino does most of her racing in the Boston area with her Greater Lowell team. The Northampton resident completed her graduate studies in May at Smith College, where she was the assistant track & field and cross country coach.

     "I've wanted to get back into running," said Flamino, 24. "But with so much going on I had to back off. Now I'm back. I hope to do some cross country races in the fall at Franklin Park (in Boston)."

     Flamino covered the first mile in 5:26, and hit the second marker in 11:02. The Ellington, Conn., native was only four seconds off her personal-best."

     "My best 5K time is 17:12, and I ran a 17:16 today, which is good since I'm not in top shape," said Flamino, who graduated from Trinity College in 1999.

      Natalie Shea was second in 18:32, followed by Heather Wenninger (18:39), Dana Hachigian (18:40) and Sidney Letendre (19:05).
 
Results ||
  
  1  15:16  Eric Lavigne        25M  GSH
  2  16:03  Owen Washburn       17M  ---
  3  16:04  David Burnham       17M  ---
  4  16:05  Tom Bousquet        19M  GSH
  5  16:14  Christopher Gould   35M  SMAC
  6  16:20  Matt Lacey          17M  ---
  7  16:29  Paul Fratini        36M  GSH
  8  16:37  Sandu Rebenciuc     32M  ARMY
  9  16:38  Ron Lombardi        37M  GSH
 10  16:44  Ryan Corbett        17M  ---
 11  16:47  Chris Rigali        16M  ---
 12  16:48  Carlos Rivera       27M  GSH
 13  16:48  Andrew Pitts        15M  ---
 14  16:54  John Cullinan       23M  GSH
 15  17:09  Darius Deak         30M  ---
 16  17:13  William Benedick    24M  ---
 17  17:13  Jon Buell           18M  ---
 18  17:17  Mike DeFilippi      16M  GSH
 19  17:18  Yolanda Flamino     24F  GLRR
 20  17:20  Christopher Rowley  17M  ---
 21  17:22  Nick Juravich       17M  ---
 22  17:28  Steve Page          35M  SMAC
 23  17:35  Angus McCusker      20M  ---
 24  17:44  Steve Byrne         34M  GSH
 25  17:51  James Dietz II      15M  GSH
 26  17:52  Frank Rucki         51M  CMS
 27  17:53  Chris Buell         19M   ---
 28  17:55  Jason Farber        17M   ---
 29  18:01  Steve O'Neil        49M  CMS
 30  18:02  George Mrus         41M  HTC
 31  18:03  Mike McCusker       52M  SMAC
 32  18:04  John Bigos          47M  GSH
 33  18:09  Richard Clark       47M  SMAC
 34  18:13  Bob Mellberg        43M  SS
 35  18:17  Andrew Condron      37M   ---
 36  18:17  Celio Hernandez     48M  GSH
 37  18:19  Dave Daggett        35M   ---
 38  18:22  Eliot Brown         18M   ---
 39  18:24  Ramon Alicea        49M  GSH
 40  18:29  Dan Laroche         33M  SMAC
 41  18:32  Natalie Shea        35F  GSH
 42  18:34  David Stoddard      40M  SMAC
 43  18:38  Melvin Figueroa     42M   ---
 44  18:39  David Estabrook Jr. 15M  GSH
 45  18:39  Heather Wenninger   17F  GSH
 46  18:40  Dana Hachigian      41F  GSH
 47  18:40  Dan Labrecque       45M   ---
 48  18:44  Jesse Regnier       14M  FFTC
 49  18:45  Jeff Hansen         31M   ---
 50  18:50  Seth Roberts        49M  GSH
 51  18:58  Joe Klejna          39M  GSH
 52  18:59  Dave Belcher        40M  SMAC
 53  18:59  Jim Sullivan        36M  GSH
 54  19:01  Wayne Stocker       47M  GSH
 55  19:02  Paul Bazanchuk      46M   ---
 56  19:05  Sidney Letendre     46F  CMS
 57  19:14  Amber Sayer         14F  GSH
 58  19:17  Nelson Lacey        45M   ---
 59  19:18  John Hunter         49M  EORC
 60  19:26  Seth Rethcin        16M   ---
 61  19:29  David Soule         26M  GSH
 62  19:30  Doug Theroux        40M  EORC
 63  19:33  Kelly Anne McKeown  25F  GSH
 64  19:34  Kimberly Raboin     20F  GSH
 65  19:35  Michael Ciarcia     27M   ---
 66  19:38  Ralph Blanchard     44M  HTC
 67  19:39  Mike Sheldon        52M  EORC
 68  19:40  Keith Fecteau       41M  GSH
 69  19:40  Thomas O'Connor     46M   ---
 70  19:47  Tim Kenney          40M   ---
 71  19:49  Kari Vigerstol      24F   ---
 72  19:49  Joseph Piepul       54M  NJM
 73  19:57  Bruce LeMay         40M   ---
 74  19:58  Dawn Roberts        29F  GSH
 75  20:01  Jim Halton          53M  GSH
 76  20:02  Mike Butler         28M   ---
 77  20:02  Colin Richardson    17M   ---
 78  20:03  Thomas Kissel       48M   ---
 79  20:05  Barry Keppard       27M   ---
 80  20:05  Doug Falconer       44M   ---
 81  20:06  R.J. Spalding       38M  MCRRC
 82  20:09  Carol L'Esperance   51F  GSH
 83  20:11  Tom Houle           46M   ---
 84  20:12  Tavis Whalen        35M   ---
 85  20:14  Kurt Mailman        34M   ---
 86  20:14  Paul Shea           45M  ---
 87  20:15  Tom Regnier         41M  GSH
 88  20:18  Madeline Nagy       34F  SMAC
 89  20:19  David Street        36M  ---
 90  20:22  Steve Marion        18M  ---
 91  20:22  Clark de los Reyes  15M  ---
 92  20:28  Jack Ball           36M  ---
 93  20:32  Tom Deluca          45M  GSH
 94  20:33  Randy Welner        40M  EORC
 95  20:38  Jennifer Bhalla     26F  ---
 96  20:41  Colleen Cummings    35F  ---
 97  20:41  Doug LeClair        31M  ---
 98  20:43  Jonathan Fitt       49M  NMC
 99  20:48  Erik Salstead       17M  ---
100  20:52  David Aronson       46M  SMAC
101  20:55  Neal Noonan         24M  ---
102  20:45  Winston Nunes       52M  ---
103  20:56  Jin Lawless         37M  ---
104  20:57  Mark Laudati        42M  ---
105  21:00  Israel Schepps      43M  ---
106  21:12  Michael Scialo      34M  EORC
107  21:18  Clive Woakes        53M  ---
108  21:18  Ryan Salone         16M  FFTC
109  21:18  Eileen Mallesch     45F  HTC
110  21:23  John Chistolini     41M  ---
111  21:24  Jim Gastone         16M  ---
112  21:25  Matthew Rowley      15M  ---
113  21:26  Bruce Rockwell      58M  ---
114  21:28  Bob Ostrander       37M  ---
115  21:30  Chris Rogers        39F  ---
116  21:30  Jason Denbin        24M  ---
117  21:31  Mark Burnham        14M  ---
118  21:33  Matthew Veale       17M  ---
119  21:34  Aidan Van Cleef     15F  GSH
120  21:41  Karin George        36F  ---
121  21:50  Jim Garcia          40M  EORC
122  21:51  Sharon Mikaelian    35F  GSH
123  21:51  Kaitlyn McElroy     16F  SMAC
124  21:58  Albert Wurzberger II38M  ---
125  22:00  Scott Whitney       46M  ---
126  22:03  Alan Cabot          46M  GSH
127  22:04  Kevin Morin         40M  GSH
128  22:07  Kevin Mulligan      50M  ---
129  22:08  Anne Ryan           44F  CMS
130  22:08  David Mello         30M  ---
131  22:12  Jeffrey Senez       15M  ---
132  22:19  Dan McCoy           41M  ---
133  22:22  Michael Lapan       47M  ---
134  22:24  Debra Bercovici     34F  GSH
135  22:25  Tim Metoxen         55M  ---
136  22:27  John Yahres         54M  ---
137  22:29  Dennis Hogan        45M  GSH
138  22:30  Bob Kolb            39M  GSH
139  22:31  Debbie Garcia       40F  ---
140  22:31  Anna Shamey         15F  GSH
141  22:31  Andrew Cohn         40M  ---
142  22:34  Kevin Young         48M  GSH
143  22:37  Paul Duval          50M  ---
144  22:41  Joe Winslow         36M  ---
145  22:41  Ron Proux           31M  ---
146  22:42  Betty Quinn         50F  ---
147  22:43  Chris Reavey        47M  ---
148  22:45  Mark Gaspari        42M  ---
149  22:46  Dick Barker         60M  GSH
150  22:50  Rosemarie Romito    40F  GSH
151  22:51  Kim Wunat           41F  ---
152  22:52  Michael Warren      34M  ---
153  22:54  Bill Frodyma        54M  GSH
154  22:59  Jennifer Marion     24F  ---
155  23:00  Phil Giammarino     25M  ---
156  23:03  Steve Lang          46M  ---
157  23:07  Louis Raboin        53M  ---
158  23:10  Liz McGrath         45F  EORC
159  23:12  Natalie Quiterio    43F  EORC
160  23:13  Cindy Roy           41F  EORC
161  23:14  Bob Massaro         57M  EORC
162  23:21  Kate Royko          24F  ---
163  23:22  Sam Fay             52M  ---
164  23:22  Mark Winslow        43M  ---
165  23:24  Rich Martin         51M  ---
166  23:28  Julia Conway        14F  ---
167  23:29  Dennis Childs       47M  GSH
168  23:30  Charles Cooley      32M  ---
169  23:31  Jill Vincent        29F  ---
170  23:34  Fran Cameron        39F  ---
171  23:35  Bill Murphy         42M  ---
172  23:35  Ed Culver           27M  ---
173  23:39  James Dietz         52M  ---
174  23:45  Sean Contant        12M  ---
175  23:45  Joan McGowan        37F  ---
176  23:45  Joelle Michigan     41F  WC
177  23:46  Nancy Murphy        48F  EORC
178  23:46  Katie Compton       16F  ---
179  23:47  Al Compton          48M  ---
180  23:47  Michael Thomes      47M  ---
181  23:49  Melissa Lacey       14F  ---
182  23:49  Don Buckley         49M  EORC
183  23:50  Brian Geraghty      44M  ---
184  23:56  Kelly Didato        35F  MRTC
185  24:01  Mary Gubala         35F  GSH
186  24:03  Thomas McGowan      45M  ---
187  24:05  Brian Fitzerald     30M  ---
188  24:05  Lan Huynh           31F  ---
189  24:06  Danielle McElhiney  13F  ---
190  24:07  Jeffrey Schucker    30M  ---
191  24:08  John Somers         49M  ---
192  24:09  Hugh Moriarty       59M  GSH
193  24:13  Charlie Contant     47M  GSH
194  24:15  Allen Ochrymowicz   45M  ---
195  24:17  John Beaulieu       47M  ---
196  24:21  Mark Lane           40M  ---
197  24:22  Deana Daggett       30F  ---
198  24:26  Mike Ruggeri        49M  ---
199  24:29  Mike Paske          24M  ---
200  24:31  Karen Stone         37F  EORC
202  24:31  Andrew Ede          52M  ---
203  24:32  Lawrence Adona      37M  ---
204  24:34  Donna Schedinger    35F  ---
205  24:35  Kate Queeney        31F  ---
206  24:38  Dave Bainor         58M  ---
207  24:39  Mary Lou White      45F  ---
208  24:41  Amy Parent          26F  ---
209  24:41  Tom Cleland         57M  ---
210  24:43  Susan Keleher       32F  ---
211  24:44  Ed Skwirz           41M  ---
212  24:47  Barry Solomon       44M  ---
213  24:48  Emily Baecher       14F  ---
214  24:49  Lisa Francesca      27F  ---
215  24:52  Daniel Muldoon      41M  ---
216  24:52  Gary Nader          53M  ---
217  24:54  Kevin McCarthy      42M  ---
218  24:55  Sarah Elliott       30F  ---
219  24:59  Phil Lubas          49M  ---
220  25:01  Janice Partyka      63F  ---
221  25:03  Rich Hutchison      26M  ---
222  25:09  Jeffrey Burgess     54M  ---
223  25:10  Irv Morse           40M  ---
224  25:13  Adrienne MacLeod    31F  ---
225  25:14  Debbie Girouard     38F  EORC
226  25:18  Edward Sayer        51M  SMAC
227  25:25  Vearle  Sayer       49F  SMAC
228  25:28  Tom Beaudry         39M  ---
229  25:28  Lynn Roberts        37F  ---
230  29:30  Brian Kane          45M  ---
231  29:31  Al Sorensen         58M  ---
232  29:33  Dave LaFrennie      41M  ---
233  29:36  Nancy Caron         38F  ---
234  25:38  Tom Rowland         57M  GSH
235  25:39  Betty Matthews      49F  GSH
236  25:40  Derek Harrison      37M  ---
237  25:41  Leah Schmidt        19F  ---
238  25:42  Marvin Howard       64M  ---
239  25:44  George Spear        51M  ---
240  25:45  Kelly Sullivan      35F  GSH
241  25:50  Mary Bazanchuk      14F  ---
242  25:56  Ann Franczyk        48F  GSH
243  26:04  Michael Hutchison   32M  ---
244  26:07  Greg Roberts        44M  ---
245  26:09  Tara Hughes         29F  ---
246  26:10  Drew Piemonte       30M  ---
247  26:11  Jeffrey Stream      43M  ---
248  26:13  Nora Driscoll       22F  ---
249  26:13  John Driscoll       48M  ---
250  26:17  Joanne Morales      30F  ---
251  26:18  Raymond Wenninger   52M  SMAC
252  26:19  Kevin Lang          15M  ---
253  26:24  Cathleen Huthchinson27F  ---
254  26:25  Bill Lewis          44M  ---
255  26:28  Michele Margeson    36F  ---
256  26:29  Lance Ulrick        33M  ---
257  26:33  Bill Milkiewicz     46M  GSH
258  26:36  Roland Gagnier      49M  ---
259  26:36  Richard Curran      51M  ---
260  26:40  Sue McCaffrey       37F  ---
261  26:42  Richard Knurek      53M  ---
262  26:45  Lisa Beauvais       38F  ---
263  26:50  David St. George    12M  ---
264  26:51  Amber Barry-Laudati 21F  ---
265  26:52  Chris Laudati       10M  ---
266  26:58  George Depina       54M  ---
267  27:03  Kathy Hunter        47F  EORC
268  27:05  Chris Collins       13M  ---
269  27:06  John Collins        40M  ---
270  27:07  Lynelle Russell     47F  ---
271  27:07  Ilene Lacey         44F  ---
272  27:09  David Wright        31M  ---
273  27:12  Thomas Fitzgerald   33M  ---
274  27:16  Pauline Craven      30F  ---
275  27:19  Erin Lamoureux      44F  ---
276  27:25  Gary Martin         32M  ---
277  27:28  Stacy Stewart       26F  ---
278  27:31  Jim Ryan            47M  ---
279  27:33  Ben Motyka          23M  ---
280  27:35  Diane Pirro         35F  ---
281  27:37  Donald Roy          36M  EORC
282  27:40  Christine Sanford   31F  ---
283  27:40  Jim Willemain       50M  ---
284  27:45  Lynn Wright         41F  ---
285  27:51  Edwin Cushing       70M  ---
286  27:52  Lauren Rusczek      11F  ---
287  27:53  Bob Rusczek         45M  ---
288  27:59  Joseph Labrie       32M  ---
289  28:04  Michele Mellberg    41F  ---
290  28:06  Sonja Kokoszka      49F  ---
291  28:11  Kristine Valentini  30F  ---
292  28:14  Christine Merkel    38F  ---
293  28:21  Daniela Kohen       34F  ---
294  28:24  Timothy Stocker      6M  ---
295  28:29  Richard Pellard     46M  ---
296  28:36  Richard Osgood      63M  GSH
297  28:44  Katherine Lee       35F  GSH
298  28:44  Lauren Stocker      11F  ---
299  28:50  Jennifer Stefaniak  29F  ---
300  28:57  Kim Stempert        36F  ---
301  28:59  Kathleen Fitzgerald 33F  ---
302  29:04  Lori Snyder         32F  ---
303  29:09  Roberta D'Arco      34F  ---
304  29:11  Jodi Ahern          30F  ---
305  29:12  Tony Lucia          63M  ---
306  29:13  Diane Garibean      40F  ---
307  29:13  Susan Percy         38F  ---
308  29:14  Jane Jarrow         50F  HTC
309  29:17  Michael Twarkins    51M  GTC
310  29:20  Madeline Yanford    29F  ---
311  29:30  Ann Tabb            32F  ---
312  29:36  Penelope Chatterton 61F  SMAC
313  29:37  Kathleen Martin     28F  ---
314  29:39  Michelle Shaddock   29F  ---
315  29:49  Christen Dinapoli   29F  ---
316  29:56  Matthew Ochrymowicz 13M  ---
317  29:59  Carolyn Stocker     8F   ---
318  30:04  Patty Scholtz       26F  ---
319  30:09  Jessica Laudati     11F  ---
320  30:16  Kathy Geraghty      34F  ---
321  30:21  Heather Roberts     24F  ---
322  30:29  Elizabeth Clark     17F  SMAC
323  30:41  Kevin Maloney       9M   ---
324  30:46  Maryanne Sullivan   52F  ---
325  30:49  Thomas Maloney      48M  ---
326  30:51  Richard Kokoszka    55M  ---
327  30:51  Jeanne Fontaine     33F  ---
328  30:52  Daniel Manseau      31M  ---
329  31:01  Michael Rappaport   56M  ---
330  31:05  Rachel Macknitosh   23F  ---
331  31:18  Abby Fisher         12F  ---
332  31:48  Shelly Warren       31F  ---
333  32:10  Tracy Righello      37F  ---
334  32:48  David Kashen        31M  ---
335  32:58  Jen Katalina        23F  ---
336  34:31  Roxanne Dardenne    48F  ---
337  35:01  Catherine Adora     37F  ---
338  35:02  Angie LaFrance      31F  ---
339  35:03  Robert LaFrance     36M  ---
340  35:33  Mimi Gleason        44F  PVWRC
341  36:08  Valerie Depina      49F  ---
342  37:15  Theresa Ryan        17F  ---
343  37:44  Anne Fisher         41F  ---
344  38:30  Connor Long         9M   ---
345  38:30  Brian Long          42M  ---
346  40:33  Cindy Rusczek       45F  ---
347  47:00  Debbie Askwith      46F  GSH
Wheels
  1  16:16  Brian Ede           13M  ---
 
 
Division Winners Male
 
14 & under
1  18:44  Jesse Regnier	       14  FFTC
2  21:31  Mark Burnham	       14  ---
3  23:45  Sean Contant	       12  ---
15 to 18
1  16:03  Owen Washburn        17  --- 
2  16:04  David Burnham        17  ---
3  16:20  Matt Lacey           17  ---
19 to 29
1  15:16  Eric Lavigne         25  GSH
2  16:05  Tom Bousquet         19  GSH
3  16:48  Carlos Rivera        27  GSH
30 to 39
1  16:14  Christopher Gould    35  SMAC
2  16:29  Paul Fratini         36  GSH
3  16:37  Sandu Rebenciuc      32  ARMY
40 to 49
1  18:01  Steve O'Neil         49  CMS
2  18:02  George Mrus          41  HTC
3  18:04  John Bigos           47  GSH
50 to 59
1  17:52  Frank Rucki          51  CMS
2  18:03  Mike McCus           52  SMAC
3  19:39  Mike Sheldon         52  EORC
60 to 69
1  22:46  Dick Barker          60  GSH
2  25:42  Marvin Howard        64  ---
3  28:36  Richard Osgood       63  GSH
70 & over
1  27:51  Edwin Cushing        70  ---
2  none  
Division Winners Female
14 & under
1  19:14  Amber Sayer	       14  GSH
2  23:28  Julia Conway	       14  ---
3  23:49  Melissa Lacey	       14  ---
15 to 18
1  18:39  Heather Wenninger    17  GSH  
2  21:34  Aidan Van Cleef      15  GSH
3  21:51  Kaitlyn McElroy      16  SMAC
19 to 29
1  17:18  Yolanda Flamino      24  GLRR
2  19:33  Kelly Anne McKeown   25  GSH
3  19:34  Kimberly Raboin      20  GSH
30 to 39
1  18:32  Natalie Shea         35  GSH
2  20:18  Madeline Nagy        34  SMAC
3  20:41  Colleen Cummings     35  ---
40 to 49
1  18:40  Dana Hachigian       41  GSH
2  19:05  Sidney Letendre      46  CMS
3  21:18  Eileen Mallesch      45  HTC
50 to 59
1  20:09  Carol L'Esperance    51  GSH
2  22:42  Betty Quinn          50  ---
3  29:14  Jane Jarrow          50  HTC
60 to 69
1  25:01  Janice Partyka       63  ---
2  29:36  Penelope Chatterton  61  SMAC
3  none
70 & over
1  none 
Teams
Women's Teams
1  Greater Springfield Harriers      1:34:38
2  Empire One Running Club           1:57:52
3  Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club  2:07:38
Men's Teams
1  Greater Springfield Harriers      1:21:16
2  Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club  1:28:23
3  Empire One Running Club           1:40:12
Masters Teams
1  Greater Springfield Harriers      1:32:15
2  Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club  1:34:37
3  Empire One Running Club           1:40:50