With so many variables, it’s never easy. But we’ll give it our best shot predicting who we feel will be some of our top track & field athletes this outdoor season. Here we feature the girls’ jumping events, which includes the pole vault, long jump, triple jump and high jump.
HIGH JUMP
Norton’s Zoe Santos had a breakthrough season this past winter that was capped by her first individual title at the Meet of Champions with a PR of 5 feet, 8 inches, a best by four inches. Santos was among a talented group of leapers this winter where seven cleared 5-5 or higher. Those athletes include Concord-Carlisle’s Charlotte DiRoccio (5-6.25), Central Catholic’s Macy Daigle (5-6) Tri-County’s Averie Denelle (5-6), Reading’s Katie Caraco (5-6), North Reading’s Giuliana Ligor (5-5) and Joseph Case’s Hannah Santos (5-5). Caraco was a runner-up at the last two state meets, taking the silver to Santos this indoor season and to graduating senior Lindsey Wilson of Peabody last June. Daigle owns an all-time best of 5-7 from last spring. As always, it could be a list of several that could win come championship time.
LONG JUMP
Consistently, the mid 18-foot, low 19-foot range usually wins this event at the Meet of Champions. In other words, we have a number of athletes that are capable of finding the top spot on the podium this spring. Among the leading contenders are indoor titlist Annie Comella of Wellesley, Pembroke’s Sarah Claflin and Lincoln Sudbury’s Gabrielle Pierre. Comella, a runner-up to Burlington’s Grace Hanafin at last year’s meet, demonstrated consistency during the latter part of her indoor campaign where she was between 17-9.5 to 18-6 her last four meets. She won the MOC at 18-2.5 and the Bay State Conference with her season best. Comella has an all-time best of 19-2 from outdoor in 2023. Pierre was the lone 19-footer this past winter, achieving a PR of 19-2.25 at the Division. 1 Championships. She was fourth at the MOC. After participating in this event just a limited amount of times her last few seasons, Claflin competed in the long jump nearly a dozen times during indoor and won the Div. 4 title with a best of 18-6.75. Like Comella, she’s also a top sprinter and has the speed needed to attain high marks in this event. Other stop athletes are Durfee’s Shakira Cadet, Middleboro’s Isabel Wheeler, Glocester’s Ali Spencer, Gloucester’s Nikki Key and Ligor, to name a few.
TRIPLE JUMP
This is an event that certainly could get competitive this outdoor season. Among our top returnees are Billerica’s Nyrah Jospeh, Norwell’s Liliana MacDonald and Billerica’s Katie Caraco, who all exceeded 38 feet last spring, MacDonald was second at the MOC, coming less than two inches from taking the gold with a PR of 38-1.5. Joseph has a best of 38-2.5 from a league competition and Caraco went 38-1.25 to win the ML-12 Championships. Central Catholic’s Ainya Neira, who was third at the MOC with a best of 37-8.25, is also coming back. We also can’t forget Pierre, who has to be listed among the favorites. She did not compete at last year’s MOC but had an all-time best of 39-3 at the Boston Holiday Challenge in late December.
POLE VAULT
In this event, we have two 11-footers coming back. Andover’s Lily Brown and Central Catholic’s Veralie Pierre both cleared 11-0 last spring and will be battling for the top spot this season. North Reading;s Hayden MacLellan, Andover’s Gabby Bresnick and Natick’s Noa Weinhaus all went 10-6 in 2023 and can’t be ignored.
