Ibanez-Fraile sets the pace for Cambridge’s cross country team victory

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 18, 2026

Cambridge High School won the boys’ varsity division at the 65th Catholic Memorial Invitational, led by senior Leon Ibanez-Fraile’s fastest 5K time of 15:37.3, helping the team overcome the absence of a key runner and secure a comfortable lead over runner-up Pinkerton High School. The event featured nearly 1,500 runners from 185 teams, highlighting increased female participation due to cancellations of other races that weekend.

At the 65th annual Catholic Memorial Invitational held Saturday at Franklin Park, Cambridge High School’s cross country team secured a decisive victory in the boys’ varsity competition, driven by a strong performance from senior Leon Ibanez-Fraile. Ibanez-Fraile, who had been running in second place for much of the race, made a critical move around the two-mile mark, accelerating to finish the 5K course in 15 minutes, 37.3 seconds. His time was the fastest recorded across all the boys’ races that day, helping Cambridge to accumulate 61 points and comfortably surpass runner-up Pinkerton High School from New Hampshire, which finished with 95 points.

Despite missing Kieran Eichler, one of their top five runners, Cambridge’s squad benefited from additional strong finishes by sophomore Thomas Dewitt (15:43.8), who placed fifth, and senior Liam Eldridge (15:49.3), who came in tenth. Ibanez-Fraile noted the team’s resilience without Eichler as a significant confidence booster. “I do have a kick, but definitely not as strong as some of my fellow competitors,” he said. “So I knew that my biggest chance was just sending it at the top of the hill and hoping I made it.”

The meet drew approximately 1,500 runners from 185 teams, including around 400 varsity female athletes—a notable increase attributed to the recent cancellation of other weekend invitationals. Four varsity races took place that day.

The closest finish arose in the Brother Barry Silver boys’ varsity race, where Newburyport High School sophomore Nordeen Fadil edged out Triton senior Cassidy McBee by a mere tenth of a second, posting a time of 16:03.8 to McBee’s 16:03.9. Fadil, whose running background is rooted in a family tradition—his older brother Dreese competed at MIT from 2022 to 2023—credited his mental toughness for the narrow victory, stating, “I’ve grown up in a running family, so I’ve been around it for a while. It definitely helps my mentality.”

On the girls’ side, Exeter High School senior Alexis Paterna recorded the fastest time in the Varsity B race, finishing in 17 minutes, 8.8 seconds. Paterna took the lead early and maintained it, noting that her coach encouraged her to “assert my dominance right away.” She also remarked that Franklin Park’s Bear Cage Hill was less challenging compared to the hills in New Hampshire.

In the Varsity A girls’ race, Canton High School senior Lauren Raffetto captured first place with a time of 18:09.6.

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