“Small town” by John Cougar Mellencamp was blaring over the sound of cheers, while runners chugged along Barstow Street toward the finish line. Moments later, cheers deafened the finish line as Bill Foley, 68, of Mattapoisett, carried an American flag before he crossed.
“This is how Mattapoisett celebrates July 4,” said one onlooker.
As this small-town tradition celebrated its 51st year on Tuesday, Mattapoisett Road Race Director Bill Tilden said that for the first time, the race route was cut from 5 to 4 miles. “It would be a much easier course to manage and much easier for our runners,” Tilden said, just as the first few runners crossed the finish line.
The decision seemed to be a good one. The “4 on the 4th” edition of the race attracted 1,055 runners and people of all ages. Humidity and heat were factors, and the intermittent rain showers on Tuesday morning did little to relieve any humidity.
Spirits were not dampened, however.
Some runners even pushed carriages with a young child in tow as they bolted through the course, ending near Shipyard Park.
Due to the changes in the course, records were necessarily set, albeit without fanfare. Nonetheless, Fairhaven’s Will Benoit, 20, impressed onlookers and fellow runners by winning the race at an impressive 19:54.
Shortly after the race, Benoit said he has been running since he was around 8 years old, but this is the first time he has participated in his neighboring town’s signature running event.
“It was fun. I’m in summer training now,” said Benoit, who runs competitively for UMass Lowell.
Margot Appleton, 20, of Mattapoisett, was the first women’s finisher at 23:31, placing 16th overall. A runner to the core, Appleton conducted a “cool down” run after the race, according to Tilden, and was not available for an interview.
Adam Sylvia, 23, of Mattapoisett, finished second overall in 20:14.
“I trained him,” Tilden said proudly after Sylvia crossed the finish line. Tilden, the longtime track-and-field coach at Old Rochester Regional High School, will go revive a more prominent role training the Bulldogs now that the administrative work as ORR’s Director of Athletics is behind him.
Sylvia, also a college runner, has been running in Mattapoisett’s race since he was 9. Like Benoit, Sylvia said the race is a good training ground for his college running.
“It was pretty humid – that first mile,” said Sylvia, but said the light rain helped him gather momentum.
Appleton is not new to the race and is a former record holder. Running appears to run in her family, as her brother David Appleton, 22, finished 15th overall at 23:23.
The race was held in honor of Bob Gardner, who with wife Doris Gardner started the race in 1971 with just 10 runners. Gardner passed away in 2018.
By Jeffrey D. Wagner
Age Group Finishers
Male Open
Place, Name, Age, Hometown, Time
1. Will Benoit, 20, Fairhaven, 19:54
2. Adam Sylvia, 23, Rochester, 20:09.6
3. Tim Bolick, 43, Marion, 20:27
Female Open
1. Morgot Appleton, 20, Mattapoisett, 23:30.6
2. Kimberly Dixon, 30, Marion, 23:56.3
3. Erin Lohrenz, 38, Charlestown, 26:03.8
Female 1-13
1. Annie Defalco, 13, Shrewsbury, 31:28.2
2. Nora Czerkowicz, 11, Mattapoisett, 33:10.6
3. H. Mello, 8, West Roxbury, 33:57.6
Female 14-18
1. Madalyn Duarte, 15, North Dartmouth, 29:20.7
2. Charlotte Hayward, 17, Weston, 29:43.8
3. Samantha Hayward, 17, Bridgewater, 29:43.9
Female 19-29
1. Katherine Deloreto, 24, Tolland, CT, 27:05.2
2. Lily Valcovic, 20, East Taunton, 27:25.4
3. Gwenyth Taradash, 23, North Dartmouth, 27:46.2
Female 30-39
1. Adelaide Backer, 30, Mattapoisett, 28:38.5
2. Melissa Hickey, 34, Arlington, VA, 29:56.9
3. Bethany Couto, 38, Mattapoisett, 30:17
Female 40-49
1. Lynn Vasconcelos, 48, Fairhaven, 27:15
2. Nancy McGee, 41, Marion, 27:50.5
3. Kyla Valcovic, 48, East Taunton, 29:19.2
Female 50-59
1. Deeann Johnson, 53, New Bedford, 26:41.9
2. Julie Craig, 56, Mattapoisett, 28:51.9
3. Alice Murphy, 58, Wellesley Hills, 30:02.6
Female 60-69
1. Mary Cass, 61, Westport, 26:26.9
2. Margery Bellisle, 68, Warren, RI, 30:32.2
3. Karen Concci, 60, Mattapoisett, 30:53.8
Female 70-79
1. Patricia McCarthy, 71, Portsmouth, RI, 43:49.8
2. Ruth Griffin, 72, Mattapoisett, 53:14.1
3. Mary Farrell, 76, Mattapoisett, 56:09
Male 1-13
1. W. Lucy, 12, Mattapoisett, 27:13.1
2. Jacolby Canto, 13, U.S., 29:25.2
3. Jack Czerkowicz, 13, Mattapoisett, 30:06.4
Male 14-18
1. Owen Martin, 15, Middlebury, CT, 21:58.4
2. Wesley Kaukas-Quinn, 17, Winchester, 22:25
3. Lowell Copps, 16, Mattapoisett, 22:43.8
Male 19-29
1. Nate Deangelo, 20, Bristol, CT, 20:33.4
2. Ben Davignon, 20, Acushnet, 21:34.6
3. Jack O’Reilly, 26, Morristown, NJ, 22:33.1
Male 30-39
1. Whitney Hall, 37, West Warwick, RI, 22:55.7
2. Matt Petrocci, 38, San Francisco, 23:12.3
3. Nathen Brito, 31, Providence, 24:17.5
Male 40-49
1. Douglas Hickey, 40, Arlington, VA, 22:35
2. Robert Bourassa III, 49, Boylston, 24:34.9
3. Robert Norcott, 42, Berkley, 25:16.8
Male 50-59
1. Patrick Callahan, 50, Needham, 23:48.1
2. Laurens Goff, 51, Cambridge, 26:54
3. Sean Gormley, 58, Mattapoisett, 27:11.1
Male 60-69
1. Scott Noyce, 61, West Palm Beach, FL, 26:51.1
2. Goncalo Rego, 60, South Dartmouth, 31:34.2
3. Joe Fenton, 62, Longmeadow, 31:44.8
Male 70-79
1. Peter Frates, 71, Wareham, 35:37.1
2. Jeffrey Osuch, 73, Fairhaven, 36:26.9
3. Kevin McCarthy, 75, Portsmouth, RI, 36:44.7
Male 80-99
1. Maurice Bourque, 81, Lakeville, 48:08.9
2. Brian Grant Sr., 81, Fall River, 55:53.5
3. John Paul Garber, 80, Mattapoisett, 58:02.4For overall results, visit Race Wire at runsignup.com/Race/Results/146149