Teams and athletes have already begun competition with league meets having already started last week. The first statewide invitational will kickoff this weekend with the MSTCA Winter Festival at the Reggie Lewis Center. The Small Schools will get things started on Saturday, while the Large Schools compete on Sunday. Both competitions are slated for 10 a.m.
Last year’s meet certainly provided us a preview of what to expect from Haverhill’s Natanael Vigo Catala. Less than three months after winning the 300-meter dash at the Large School meet with a fast, early-season time of 34.95, the talented senior went on to defend his crown at the Meet of Champions. Of note, the now Georgetown University freshman has already got his first collegiate season off to a hot start. This past Saturday, he was third in the 600m at the Penn Opener, blazing to a time of 1:18.47. He also ran a leg on the school’s triumphant 4x400m squad that was timed in 3:12.49.
Brockton’s Lucas Andrade, who is back this season for his senior year, won two events at the Winter Festival in 2023 by capturing the 55m hurdles and the high jump. In the high jump, an event he eventually finish third at the states, he had his PR of 6 feet, 6 inches, a height that would tie for No. 2 in the rankings by season’s end. Andrade was nearly untouchable in the hurdles after the Winter Festival and finished off his winter campaign by taking gold at the Div. 1 Championships and Meet of Champions.
It’s early, but it’s possible we could witness some future state titlist at this weekend’s meet. Below we have links to entries and live results. We also have the meet schedule for both meets.
ENTRIES/LIVE RESULTS – Small Schools
ENTRIES/LIVE RESULTS – Large Schools
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SCHEDULE (Small & Large Schools)
FIELD EVENTS – 10:00 a.m.
Shot Put: Girls followed by Boys.
High Jump: Check in begins on the infield at the conclusion of the 55m dash. Two
jumping pits in use; Boys and Girls compete simultaneously.
Long Jump (elevated runway): Competition runway. Girls followed by Boys. Seeded
best sections first.
Long Jump (standard runway): Open practice runway.
INFIELD – 10:00 a.m. – Girls followed by Boys
Hurdles Trials: Serpentine seeding. Fastest 8 advance to the Final.
Dash Trials: Serpentine seeding. Fastest 16 advance to a two-section Final.
Hurdles Finals: Girls followed by Boys
Dash Finals: Girls followed by Boys
OVAL – 10:30 a.m. – Girls followed by Boys
One Mile: Sections on time. Fastest section first.
600 Meters: Sections on time. Fastest section first.*
1000 Meters: Sections on time. Fastest section first.
300 Meters: Sections on time. Fastest section first. In lanes the entire race.*
Two Mile: Sections on time. Fastest section first.
4 x 200m Relay: Sections on time. Fastest section first. Three-turn stagger.*
4 x 800m Relay: Sections on time. Fastest section first.
4 x 400m Relay: Sections on time. Fastest section first.*
*Lane Preference for these events: 5-6-4-3-2-1.
