Sylven, Owl Men Win MASCAC XC Titles

WESTFIELD, Mass. -  Westfield State first-year Nathan Sylven (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip HS) won the individual title to lead the Owls men's cross country team to the 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title at Devens, Mass. on Friday afternoon.

Sylven covered the 8k course in 26:19.91 seconds, nearly a full minute clear of his closest foe.  Bridgewater's Kyle Ackroyd was second in 27:16.84.

Westfield placed five runners in the top 10.

"The men have been gunning for this title since last year" (when the team placed second at MASCAC's) said head coach Marlee Berg-Haryasz.  "They worked very hard to get to this place both mentally and physically. 

Our top 10 talked about where to be in the race, and ran very smart.  They have been working together in practice and this is the product of all the deposits they have put in this season."

For the Owls, it is the first men's team title since the fall of 2016.  The Owls have now won 26 of the 51 MASCAC men's cross country titles.

"I'm super stoked to see the MASCAC title back in Westfield," said Berg-Haryasz. "It feels real nice to have it back."

Senior John Nekitopoulos (West Springfield, Mass.) (27:45.42) was third, junior Will Buckley (Plymouth, Mass./North)  fifth (28:03.36), junior Abdi Nassir (New Braintree, Mass./Quabbin) seventh (28:19.76), and senior Scott Porter (Boylston, Mass./Tahanto)10^th (28:31.27) to round out the Owls scoring five runners.

"If you think about the fact that Scott Porter was playing soccer a year ago, and now is all conference in cross country it's a little bit nuts.  It's cool see what the support of teammates, belief and dedication can do," said Berg.

Porter played two years of soccer for the Owls in 2021 and 2022, playing in 30 games with 10 starts and a goal as a midfielder.

Sylven is the tenth Owl runner to win the men's individual title but the first since Mike Skelly in 2015.

"He had a game plan – he's a smart racer – and he executed it as planned," said Berg.   "In the MASCAC you often end up running in small groups or on your own, and he ran a very mature race.   He's had a great first year."

Sylven has bookend wins for the season, winning the season opening Keene Alumni Invitational on a short 2k course, and now the MASCAC championship at the 8k distance.

Westfield finished with 26 points, Bridgewater was second with 47, and Fitchburg third with 66.

The top five runners score, with the top seven displacing opponents in the scoring.

Westfield will take next weekend off from racing while prepping for the NCAA Division III Regional Championship at Stanley Park on November 11.