Just who are the top athletes that will be competing at Saturday’s Meet of Champions?Throughout the week, we’ll preview all the individual events at this weekend’s competition, scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., at the Reggie Lewis Center. Here we feature the boys’ throwing & jumping events.
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SHOT
Who’s battling for second? That appears to be the bigger question in this event. With no disrespect to the 24 other fine athletes schedule to compete this weekend, the odds of an upset of our No. 1 seed is highly unlikely. Anything can happen, but we’re not counting on anyone but Peabody’s Alex Jackson occupying the top position on the podium. The Tanners’ senior has been lights out inside the circle since the beginning of the season and comes into this weekend’s meet after capturing the Division 2 Championships this past Friday with the first 60-footer of his career of 60-6. That’s an effort that ranks No. 14 in the country and is nearly six feet further than the No. 2 seed, Amesbury’s Aiden Donovan (54-7.75). Jackson has been unbeaten against his state rivals and has thrown the metal ball 56-9.25 or further five times this winter. The field for Saturday’s meet features 14 throwers that have bested 50 feet. Along with Donovan, Marborough’s Parker Rogers (53-11.5), Greater Lowell Tech’s Dennis Mowatt (53-2) and Amherst-Pelham’s Logan Alfandari (53-0.25) are among a few athletes that will be competing for top spots in this event.
WEIGHT
This competition should be a bit more competitive between our top athletes. The top seed is Alfandari, who has a best of 56-10. the Tanners’ Jackson (53-10.25), Chelsea’s Theo Joseph-Seale (53-5), Hopkinton’s Russell Perryman (51-2) and Xaverian Brother’s Jack Cucinotta (50-10.5) are other 50-plus throwers that could make things interesting in the end.
HIGH JUMP
Carver’s Camren Allain put the target on his singlet this past week by leaping to a PR and state-leading 6-8 at the Division 5 Championship. The talented senior, who was a runner-up in this meet last winter and matched that placement during the outdoor campaign, has had some of his top efforts over the last few weeks, including his previous best of 6-6 at the South Shore League Championships on Feb. 5. Allain will have plenty of competition to push him this weekend. Tied at the No. 2 seed is Andover’s Harvey Lys and Brockton’s Lucas Andrade with bests of 6-6, a height they both cleared twice this season. North Attleboro’s Carson Crump and Attleboro’s Maxwell Crawford have each leaped 6-5. The field includes nine more that have gone 6-4 the last few months.
LONG JUMP
One of our state’s biggest success stories this season is top-seed Chamberlain Guthrie of Mansfield. At this meet in 2023, Guthrie was 13th overall, a year after finishing ninth as a sophomore. This winter there’s been no one better than the Mansfield standout, who reached a milestone at this past Saturday’s Div. 3 Championships, exceeding the 23-foot mark for the first time with a best of 23-0.5. Leading up to the meet, Guthrie twice went over 22 feet, including his previous best of 22-11.25 from the Coaches Invitational Small School meet on Jan. 28. Five other athletes in this field have done 22 feet or better this season. Among them are Natick’s Dylan Weddle (22-7), Marblehead’s Alex Hersey (22-4), Burlington’s Ryan Brooks (22-1.5), Saint John’s Antonio Wiafe (22-1) and Stoughton’s Alex Huynh (22-0).
