Photo: (from left) Belmont juniors William Olmsted (5th), Noah Geiger (4th) and sophomore Ishaan Kanagaraj (6th)

Belmont High juniors Noah Geiger and William Olmsted, and sophomore Ishaan Kanagaraj ran the 4-5-6 straight [note: a poker term] to lock down one of the top performances for nearly a quarter century from a Marauders squad at this year’s Middlesex League Cross Country finals held Monday, Oct. 26 in Woburn.

And the trio came up with their best when it counted the most with Geiger in 4th producing a season’s finest (15 minutes, 57.4 seconds) over 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) while Olmsted (15:59.6) and Kanagaraj (16:02.3) set personal bests over the distance. The times left Belmont biting on the heals of the top three Minutemen with Geiger finishing just 21 seconds behind the winning time of Lexington’s Patrick Noonan of 15:36.

“That was awesome!” said Belmont’s Coach Paul McDonald. “I knew we could put three in the top ten but I didn’t know where. It was great seeing those guys working together over the last couple loops.”

“And our fourth through seventh guys ending up not too far away from each other over the last mile. It was a real team effort today,” he said.

On a cloudless and warm afternoon at Woburn Country Club, Belmont varsity boys was seeking to continue an outstanding season – 4-2 in dual meets – as they lined up against nine other teams. There was little debate on the day’s favorite as powerhouse Lexington ranked 6th in the Boston Globe top 20, while Belmont came into the race ranked 12th.

After a mass start with 69 participants on the club’s first hole, Geiger took a step lead over Noonan coming up to the first mile with Olmsted and Kanagaraj running a controled steady pace in the back of the second group of runners. The race began settling into the expected control by Lexington’s top runners the first time up a short but steep hill adjacent the final run-in with Geiger in third as Olmsted and Kanagarai pushing the other.

By the final time through the fairway ‘bowl’ just before the second mile, Lexington’s top three split awaywith Belmont’s trio running in single file: Geiger, Kanagaraj and Olmsted. By the second time over the hill, the Marauders were bunched up and far ahead of the next tide of runners.

Down the home straight away, Noonan would secure the victory with Geiger strong kick trimming the margin between first and fourth to a handful of seconds.

“I went into the race just trying to think: ‘Don’t think’,” said Geiger. “Just one foot after the other, stick with the top two, and I executed that plan from the start.”

“And it was awesome for (Olmsted and Kanagaraj) to come up to me. I think it’s a lot different when you’re running with a rival team versus your teammates. When it’s the three of us coming together, it just drives me to run faster.”

Belmont missed out on a team podium placement finishing 4th with 79 points, only 15 points from second Arlington. McDonald said a little more depth could see Belmont challenge Lexington, Arlington, and Reading as the top dog for next season’s championship.

“If you know any all-conference runners out there, have them call me,” he said.

With Lexington’s top three racers seniors, Belmont will return the quickest harriers next season, a fact not lost to McDonald.

Belmont will enter the divisional meet in three weeks to improve its seventh place finish from last year with an opportunity to head to states where the Marauders took 17th. “So maybe move up a couple of places this year and keep it rolling,” said McDonald.

Fourth was where most of Belmont’s teams were destined to end up as Boys’ JV, Girls’ JV and Girls’ First Years joined Boys’ Varsity.

The girls’ varsity came across the line in 6th with senior Daphne Lee striding home in 22nd followed by junior Reece Bundy in 27th.

Four Belmont JV Girls secured silverware – given out to the top 30 finishers – led by Vera Harrell (15th), Mary Wilkinson (23), Arundhati Chakrabarty (28th) and Lila Son grabbing the final medal by crossing the line in 30th.

The top placement for Belmont girls came in the First-Year (9th grade) race with Josephine Conway crossing 12th in the 3 kilometer (1.86 mile) race.

Three Marauders took home JV Boys’ medals with senior Bruno Bitner finishing 18th followed by junior Yihua Liu (24th) and senior Samuel Engler (29th). First-year Yoon Shin was Belmont’s lead in the Boys’ First Year race.

“Our kids always run well here because it you have to step up when you’re running against so many people,” said Girls’ Coach Melissa Tkacs.

Complete results can be found on the MileSplitMA webpage