It’s official. The first days are in the books for all six division state championships. It’s also official in our eyes that were going to have one heckuva of a final day when our track & field athletes are back in action on Saturday and Sunday.
Here we recap very-successful opening days in the girls’ competitions.
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DIVISION 1 at Westfield State University
Lincoln’s Sudbury’s Gabrielle “Gabby” Pierre had a mammoth effort in the triple jump at Friday night’s meet. How much of a mammoth effort? The L-S junior soared to not only a two-foot best and winning leap of 43-feet even, but a nation No. 2 and a new state mark as well. Her effort smashed the MA record of 42-1.25, set by Carla Forbes of Newton North in 2011. Pierre, who was sixth in this event at the Penn Relays Carnival last month, was more than six feet further than her closest rival. It’s also just ,39m off the shy of the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying standard.
It’s the championship season. It’s not uncommon for PRs to come in bunches this time of year. In the 800m, we had a truckload, including a big one by our winner. Pre-race favorite Abigail Hennessey of Westford Academy captured the individual title, clocking a two-second best of 2 minutes, 10.17 seconds. The WA sophomore was followed by Taunton’s Emersyn DePonte at 2:13.34 and Newton North sophomore Emily Frawley with a time of 2:13.63. A dozen in the field broke 2:20. Hennessey’s effort ranks her No. 14 in the country among tenth-graders.
Multi-talented senior Sarah Dumas did what she does best in the multis (&more). Dumas collected 3,346 points to easily defend her title in the Pentathlon. If the five events weren’t enough, she also proved victorious in a sixth one, the 400m hurdles. The Panther standout was more than three seconds ahead of her closest rival with a time of 1:03.16.
After finishing second in the two mile last year, Aoife Shovlin did one better this time around. The Cambridge Rindge & Latin junior lived up to her favorite status, improving her state best with a PR of 10:47.86.
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DIVISION 2 at Merrimack College
Wellesley’s Annie Comella got her busy weekend off to a great start at Friday night’s meet. The Raiders gifted junior captured the 200m dash with a time of 24.88. It was her first time under the 25-second barrier and a best by a half a second. Comella will be back on the track on Saturday where she’s competing in the long jump and the 100m. In both events, she’s the top seed.
Woburn’s Nicole Gangi moved up to No. 5 in what could prove to be an ultra-competitive 400m hurdle race at next Thursday’s Meet of Champions. Gangi was timed in a PR of 1:02.72. Algonquin’s Olivia La Belle was second with a time of 1:04.12.
Erin Moran of Arlington maintained her consistency in the pole vault. Despite moderately windy conditions, Moran won her specialty with a PR of 11-3. In six of her seven meets this season, Moran has cleared 11 feet or higher
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DIVISION 3 at West Bridgewater State University
Megan Moran of Westfield defended her title in the two mile with a winning time and all-time best of 11:05.74, just .04 ahead oi Billerica freshman Gianna McGowan, Moran was in fourth through most of the race and took over the lead on the closing lap and held off a fast-charging McGowan with just a few meters remaining.
Westwood went 1-2 in the 800m with sophomore teammates Tea Pagnotti and Maeve Gavin occupying those positions.
State-leader Sophia Axelrod of Walpole won the discus with a heave oi 138-0. Her effort followed an all-time best of 140-7 from the Lexington Throwcase just five days earlier.
Sharon’s speedy sophomore Nina Keyo-Aboagye blazed to a winning time of 24.53 to capture the 200m dash. Keyo-Aboagye moved up to No. 3 in the state rankings. She was fifth in this event last year at D3s.
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DIVISION 4 at Westfield State University
Reigning champion Sarah Claflin of Pembroke took over the No. 1 spot in the 200m by blasting to a PR of 24.39. Claflin, who is also the top seed in the 100m on Saturday, outdistanced Amherst Pelham’s Morian Luetjen, who was timed in an equally impressive 24.80.
Nashoba’s Caroline Collins, a top seed and the state-leader in the mile and two mile, got her weekend off to a fine start. Collins claimed the two-mile title on Thursday where she broke the tape in 10:51.97. She has a best of 10:37.2 for the 2M.
Holliston’s Maggie Kuchman lived up to her top billing in the 800m with a PR and triumphant 2:17.31. She was followed by Wakefield’s Lily Saliee (second, 2:19.11) and Groton-Dunstable’s Megan McEleney (2:19.80).
Apponquet’s Morgan Hayward was a convincing winner in the 400m hurdles where she was timed in a state No. 6 of 1:03.14.
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DIVISION 5 at Bridgewater State College
In a very competitive race on Friday night, state-leader Giuliano Ligor reigned supreme in the 400m hurdles with a near best of 1:01.15. Ligor held off strong challenges from Whitinsville Christian Avery Glidden (second, 1:02.45) and Weston’s Sloan Hinton (third, 1:02.71).
As expected, Norwell’s Liliana MacDonald made it two straight in the triple jump with a near best of 38-6.5.
Norton’s Jillian Strynar, the top seed in the 200m, earned the crown in her specialty with a time of 25.57. She was just ahead of runner-up Olivia Carney of Bellingham, who crossed the line in 25.90.
Whitinsville Christian has two victories with freshman Emily Flagg taking the two mile (11;31.84) and Emma Wierenga beating the field in the 800m (2:20.78).
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DIVISION 6 at Merrimack College
Underclassmen populated the podium in the two mile on Thursday night with the top five either freshmen or sophomores. Amelia Desilets, a tenth-grader from Monument Mountain Regional, captured the title in 11:14.65. She was four ticks ahead of ninth-grader Cameron Davis of Oxford, who finished in 11:18.57 for second.
Murdock’s Avery Murphy, last year’s mile winner, was first in the 800m with a PR of 2:19.00. It was her first time under the 2:20 barrier and is two seconds faster than her all-time best of 2:21.30 from the Nike Indoor Nationals in March.
A lean at the finish determined the victor in the 200m where Mount Greylock’s Maggie Nichols edged Uxbridge’s Kendall Gilmore with a time of 25.40. Gilmore finished at 25.41. Right behind was Randolph’s Jayda Adora Bleus in 25.70.
