News Post:

Greater Lowell Tech was told not to expect success.

But it found it anyway.

A historic season is complete for the Gryphons. After taking the 3A title last week — the first championship for the school, in any program, in decades — GLT (136 points) won the girls’ Division 3 championship outright, beating Mount Greylock (146) and Norwell (148).

“Every time we’ve been asked for more, we’ve been told we shouldn’t expect it. . . . We’re going to qualify for states — you shouldn’t expect it. We’re going to win states — you shouldn’t expect it,” said coach Matt Murphy. “I’m so glad that today, those people can’t tell this team what it can and cannot expect.”

To get to the top of the pack, the Gryphons had to trust the middle of theirs. Freshman Hannah Levesque (20:16.17) led the way, finishing 13th. Teammates were close behind — and close together — in 26th, 31st, 32nd, and 34th.

“We’re not built to win in the front, and we didn’t win 3A in the front — we won in the middle," Murphy said. “And they did it again. They dig deep, they feed off each other, they run well together. They’re always together.”

Added Levesque: “We had to stay positive. We didn’t put pressure and expect things. We didn’t go in thinking we could win — we wanted to have fun . . . I didn’t think any of this would happen.”