When Reece Donahue was 9 years old, he had his sights set on being a gymnast and pursing the sport he’d loved for most of his young life. But a twist of fate led to a terrifying ordeal, and an opportunity to pursue a new sport, one that’s landed him at UMass Amherst...
Sports
Gogolin provides spark at UNH
Ivy Gogolin made quite an impression during her first season on the basketball team at the University of New Hampshire. Not only did she gain the respect of her coach, Maureen Magarity, she won over a key member of her coach’s family. “My 6-year-old, Charlotte, just...
HHS duo won’t soon forget BAA Japan trip
Two Hopkinton High School cross country athletes had the run of their life this February — a run that began close to 7,000 miles away from home. HHS senior Amanda Hansen and junior Kayla McCann were chosen to be representatives of the Boston Athletic Association at...
Sharon Timlin Memorial Event heads into 16th year
By Allison Fu, Contributing Writer One key part of the culture of Hopkinton is volunteerism and community efforts toward a worthy cause. Another important piece of Hopkinton is running. The annual Sharon Timlin Memorial Event, this year taking place on June 15 at...
Independent Thoughts: Excitement builds for 123rd Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon brings great excitement, pride and even some financial gain to Hopkinton every year. Here are some things you might not know about the the world’s most prestigious marathon. — The course only lasts 1.9 miles in Hopkinton, but of course participants...
‘I’m driven for this’: After cancer battles, Snyder determined to achieve goal
Hopkinton resident Todd Snyder started training for his first Boston Marathon six years ago, after being inspired by his 5-year-old daughter, Ella. Recalled Snyder: “She was on my shoulders and she bent over and said, ‘I want to run the marathon some day.’ I’m like,...
Baker-Brown, McConville, Champney among race starters
For more than 100 years, a member of the Brown family — Hopkinton and Boston’s iconic sports family — has started the Boston Marathon, and that tradition will continue with the 123rd edition of the race in 2019. The Boston Athletic Association selects starters for...
Local volunteers key to race-day success
It takes a great deal of planning and coordination to host more than 30,000 athletes who flock to the starting line of the Boston Marathon every April. Luckily the Hopkinton Marathon Committee has had a lot of practice. Established in 1979, the Hopkinton Marathon...
‘Inner voice’ pushes Hart to starting line
Having been inspired his whole life by the runners and the community’s enthusiasm around the Boston Marathon each April, Chris Hart decided this was the year he would run as well. “Patriots’ Day has found me watching from the starting line or cheering runners on at...
Philbrook heads home for another Boston run
When Lauren Philbrook was a little girl growing up in Hopkinton, she would watch the beginning of the Boston Marathon and saw it as a truly happy event. Now, as an adult and an accomplished marathon runner, she’s come to learn the smiles seen during the first few...
HHS grad Cornu prepares for first marathon
As any resident of Hopkinton can tell you, Marathon Monday is a special day in town. Ella Cornu, a 2016 Hopkinton High School graduate, remembers selling lemonade to runners and spectators passing her house on Hayden Rowe Street as they made their way to the start...
Local Runners Notebook: Herr returns from injury for final Boston run
Brian Herr is going out his way. Two years ago, the longtime Hopkinton resident’s streak of 27 consecutive Bostons (29 if you include two unofficial finishes) ended following a major skiing injury, as Herr broke his leg and tore both his ACL and MCL. “The doctors said...
Palmer perseveres to fulfill dream
HHS grad’s health issues, autism can’t stop him from meeting challenge According to his mother, Mike Palmer is one of those kids “you don’t say ‘no’ to, because all that does is make him dig his heels in even harder.” He was born with low muscle tone due to a...
Hovagimian strides closer to quarter-century club
“Average.” That’s what 33-year-resident Mike Hovagimian uses to describe his athletic skills. It’s that same term that was the catalyst for his conversion from a spectator of the Boston Marathon to a runner. Hovagimian, a father of two, was born in Worcester and moved...
Hopkinton strengthens connection to Greece
“It all starts here.” It’s a familiar phrase in Hopkinton and the town’s claim to fame as the start of the Boston Marathon. But through the work of the 26.2 Foundation, Hopkinton also has ties to another marathon — Marathon, Greece, where in 490 B.C. the soldier...
Dick Hoyt aims for return at 2020 Boston Marathon
Son Rick a race-day decision for 2019 after bout with pneumonia Back surgery and some recent health scares will keep Dick Hoyt from pushing his son, Rick, at this year’s Boston Marathon, but the loving father, accomplished athlete and Hopkinton icon said he is hoping...
Sports Roundup: Girls track sends group to nationals
Girls track sends group to nationals A large contingent of Hillers participated in the New Balance Nationals Indoor girls track meet March 8-9 at The Armory in New York City. Olivia Jones competed in the emerging elite 2 mile race and ran her second-best time of the...
MacLean set to make his mark with HHS football
The early lead for the theme song for the Hopkinton High School football team next season? It has to be, “I fought the law (and the law won).” Not only is new head coach Dan MacLean a Mansfield police officer, at least two of his assistant coaches are members of law...
Hillers skate to second as underdog run ends at TD Garden
The genesis for the Hopkinton High School hockey team’s historic run to the Division 3 state championship game at TD Garden on March 17 — which culminated in a 3-2 loss to Wachusett — took place on an island off the coast of Massachusetts on a mid-February weekend....
2-mile tandem topple records: Brown, Jones capture divisional state titles
Hopkinton High School showed off its distance running prowess during the MIAA Division 3 state track and field meet at the Reggie Lewis Center on Feb. 16, with Hillers junior Alex Brown and sophomore Olivia Jones winning their respective 2-mile races and breaking...