With the statewide competitions essentially beginning this past week, we’re going to get things started with regards to our HOKA Athletes of the Week this outdoor track & field season. Once again, there were plenty that could have been chosen this week. After careful consideration, we’d like to congratulate Westford Academy’s Abigail Hennessey and Norwell’s Noah Mulligan for this week’s honor.
Following an indoor campaign where she claimed the 1K crown at the Meet of Champions, Hennessey proved she hasn’t slowed down with a solid win in the 800-meter run at Friday’s BSR Mid-Distance Classic at St. John’s Prep. Running her first race of the spring, Hennessey was able to hold off a gutsy effort by North Reading Giuliana Ligor in the closing stages to defend her title with a state-leading 2 minutes, 17.59 seconds. Ligor was right on her heels with an equally impressive 2:18.85.
In a competitive 400m race at the annual Warrior Invitational on Thursday, Mulligan went under 50 seconds for the first time in his career by breaking the tape in a state No. 1 of 49.88. The Clipper junior, who was a third-place finisher in the 300m at the Div. 5 meet during the winter, outlasted Milford’s Ben Parson (second, 50.80) and Ayer Shirley’s Arthur Ribeiro (third, 50.93) to post a PR by more second from last year’s MOC where he was ninth overall in 50.94.
