Runners from Hopkinton and Ashland take off at the start of a recent meet at Hopkinton State Park. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

After a season that saw the Hopkinton High School girls cross country team compete for a league title, the Hillers are aiming to score a high finish in the state divisional meet at a course that is unfamiliar to all except their coach.

“Our goal is to qualify for all-states,” said coach Jean Cann. “The top seven qualify, so we will be looking for one of those slots.”

Cann said a spot in the top seven, or even the top five, is within reach for a team that is deep and talented. Hopkinton will have to tackle a new course at Northfield.

“I have run that course in high school and in college,” Cann said. “It’s a challenging course, and some people get intimidated by the hills, but I think I have run it enough that I can give them some good tactics.”

If the Hillers are going to place high in the state divisional meet, Elyse Srodawa figures to lead the way after posting an undefeated mark in the dual meet season.

Fellow seniors Bridgid Cavanaugh and Malia Grant frequently have battled it out for the second and third spots in the Hopkinton rotation.

The Hillers also have Avery Sawyer, Chloe Tumbleton and Meagan Burdulis, who often run in a pack and switch off as to who ends up pulling it out.

“It’s nice to have the three of them working together,” Cann said. “Whoever has the strongest kick at the end wins.”

Cann said she expected her team to have a strong season, and the Hillers scored a measure of revenge by beating Holliston during the dual meet season for the first time since 2019. The Panthers were a bit shorthanded for the meet, but Hopkinton swept the top three spots and won easily, and Cann said the Hillers likely would have taken the meet even if Holliston was at full strength. Norwood and Ashland were stronger teams this fall compared to past years, but the Hillers handled them as well as a Dedham team that is new to the Tri-Valley League Large School Division. In addition to the strong dual meet campaign, Hopkinton placed second in the TVL Showcase meet.

“It’s been a good season, I have a lot of great leadership on the team,” Cann said. “We also have a lot of freshmen, which is nice because we did not have as many last year.”

In addition to trying to secure a top finish in the divisional meet and a spot at all-states, Cann is hoping the team will be able to crack the top 20 or even the top 15 if it gets to the final meet of the year. No matter how the season comes to an end, the coach has been pleased with how things have gone.

“The regular season has been awesome,” Cann said.