Throughout the week, Bay State Running will be providing quick capsules of the girls’ and boys’ meets of the MIAA Division State Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center. Here we have the Div. 4 meet, which takes place on Sunday.
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DIVISION 4 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS – GIRLS
Day/Time: Sunday at 1 p.m.
Teams: Archbishop Williams, Arlington Catholic, Ashland, Auburn, Bedford, Bishop Fenwick, Bishop Stang, Cardinal Spellman, Chicopee, Danvers, Dedham, Dighton Rehoboth, Dover Sherborn, Falmouth, Foxborough, Gloucester, Greater Lawrence Tech, Groton-Dunstable, Holliston, Lowell Catholic, Marlborough, Martha’s Vineyard, Medfield, Nauset Regional, Newburyport, North Middlesex Regional, Norton, O’Bryant, Old Rochester, Pembroke, Saint Mary’s, Saint Paul Diocesan, Saugus, Tewksbury Memorial, Wakefield Memorial, Watertown, Wilmington, Whitinsville Christian
Athletes/Events To Watch: The 55m will be electrifying. It’s a matchup between Norton’s Jillian Strynar versus Pembroke’e Sarah Claflin, the defending champion. Both come into this meet tied at No. 4 in the state in this event with bests of 7.15. Both also always come to race when it’s championship time. We’d be surprised if a lean at the finish doesn’t determine the outcome in this one. Look for a possible sub 7.10 by our winner…Holliston certainly has a chance to win the team title in this meet and could get a considerable amount of points from Carmen Luisi and Maggie Kuchman, who are both entered in three events with Luisi entered in the Mile, 600-meter run and the 1K and Kuchman in the Mile, 2 Mile and 1K. Both are low five-minute runners in the mile. While they have each stated a goal of sub-5 in the event this season, it may not happen on Sunday with still two events left. Medfield’s Elle Kane could make this race honest. She’s a solid No. 3 seed with a 5:13.50 best. The 600m features five that have broken 1:40 with Luisi leading the way with a PR of 1:37.32. Whitinsville Christian’s Emma Wiegenga, who was second to Luisi at the MSTCA Qualifier last weekend, will surely make things tough again for her rival. She has a best of 1:37.64 from the State Qualifier. Luisi (2:53.25) and Kuchman (2:58.80) are 1-2 in the 1,000m and the only runners under three minutes in the field. Nauset Regional’s Madeline Mahoney (3:03.47) and Holliston’s Annabelle Lynch (3:03.83) are also in this race. Could we have a 1-2-3 finish or could Mahoney break up the party and take advantage of some sure-to-be tired legs by our top two seeds? Kuchman is the top seed in the deuce with an 11:19.20 best. Freshman Emily Flagg of Whitinsville Christian is at No. 2 with a time of 11:20.23,. She’s just ahead of Groton Dunstable’s Georgia Brooks at 11:20.32…. Things could get interesting in the shot with Ludlow’s Elena Chaplin (40 feet, 9 inches) and Chicopee’s Maris Fareti (39-4.5) our top two seeds…It could get competitive in the high jump. Seven in this field have leaped 5-2 or higher, led by Norton’s Zoe Santos and Martha’s Vineyard’s Camille Brand at 5-4.
Team Outlook: With its depth, particularly in the middle and long distance events, Holliston is the overwhelming favorite to capture the top prize. Pembroke Newburyport and Whitinsville Christian could be battling for that runner-up spot.
DIVISION 4 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS –BOYS
Day/Time: Sunday at 1 p.m.
Teams: Archbishop Williams, Arlington Catholic, Ashland, Auburn, Bedford, Bishop Fenwick, Bishop Stang, Cardinal Spellman, Chicopee, Danvers, Dedham, Dighton Rehoboth, Dover Sherborn, Falmouth, Foxborough, Gloucester, Greater Lawrence Tech, Groton-Dunstable, Holliston, Lowell Catholic, Marlborough, Martha’s Vineyard, Medfield, Nauset Regional, Newburyport, North Middlesex Regional, Norton, O’Bryant, Old Rochester, Pembroke, Saint Mary’s, Saint Paul Diocesan, Saugus, Tewksbury Memorial, Wakefield Memorial, Watertown, Wilmington, Whitinsville Christian
Athletes/Events To Watch: This 600m could be the race of the day in this one. The top four seeds have all broken 1:24 with the next three at sub 1:25. Bedford’s Carter Ranch is at No. 1 with a time of 1:24.04. Bishop Stang’s Michael Veegh (1:24.13), Newburyport’s Jalen Wise (1:24.16) and Wakefield’s Ethan Metzikofsky (1:24.97) are among the other top contenders. We could have a few still in this race on the last stretch…The 1,000m has a chance to be a nail-biter with Ludlow’s Logan Walsh (2:35.12) and Dover Sherborn’s Matt Rooney (2:35.14) the 1-2 seeds in a talented field. Walsh is also entered in the mile prior to this event with a time of 4:26.27, which is second to top seed Jonathan Garraway of Bedford (4:26.20)…Kyle McLaughlin occupies the No. 1 spot in the long jump where the top five have gone 21-plus. McLaughlin has a seed of 21-8…Pembroke will be looking to join the sub-1:30 club in the 4x200m. The Titans are currently ranked third in the state with a best of 1:30.57.
Team Outlook: Witn the ability to score a bunch of points in the relays and the distance and sprint events, Wakefield will be tough to beat on Sunday, Pembroke, Bedford, Danvers, and Old Rochester are among the contenders for the other top positions in the standings.
