It’s that time of season.
It’s not only championship season, but cold & flu season, too.
There were some key athletes that were affected by sickness and unable to compete at Sunday’s MSTCA Coaches Invitational.
But there were also others, like Lucas Andrade, that decided to compete, despite feeling under the weather and not 100 percent. The Brockton standout’s decision to make his way to the Reggie Lewis Center for the Large School meet, something that was iffy a day earlier, proved to be good one, a very good one.
The Boxer’s versatile senior was at his best against some of the MA’s elite. Andrade improved on his state-leader in the 55-meter hurdles with a near state mark of 7.32 seconds. A few hours later, he was making noise again at the high jump where he matched his all-time best with a leap of 6-8. That effort tied him with Hopkinton’s Logan Sullivan for the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
Andrade’s effort in the hurdles ties him for No. 8 in the country and is a mere hundredth of a second from the state record of 7.31, set by Lawrence’s Jordany Volquez in 2022.
“I didn’t expect to come to this meet,” admitted Andrade, whose previous best was 7.38 from a Big 3 meet on Jan. 9. “I wasn’t in a hospital bed. But I guess I still had some strength to come out here and run. I knew I could do well in the hurdles. That was my priority in this meet.”
Based on his consistency this season and how he did on Sunday, Andrade believes he could get Volquez’s three-year-old mark by season’s end.
“My main goal is to at least go sub 7.3,” he said. “If I could get to that, it would be great.”
Finishing second in the race was Lowell’s Khai Yin with a solid 7.40.
In the girls’ 55m hurdles, Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien made it seem possible that there’s a chance for a record-setting there as well. Edozien was flawless from the start, winning her race going away with a PR of 8.03.
The current state mark is 7.97 by former Brockton great Vanessa Clerveaux in 2012. Edozien admitted she was unaware she was so close to the future world-class hurdler’s record.
She went into Sunday’s race with a clear head.
“I think it’s all about mindset,” said Edozien, whose previous best was 8.10. “I have been thinking about it all week, practicing all season leading up to this. I (ran) the prelims a little bit easier (8.42) just so in finals I could give it my all and get a PR.”
The four-hour meet featured several more state-leaders.
Newton North’s Juan Tallsayon became MA’s first runner under 1:22 in the 600m with a winning 1:21.56. Brookline’s Harry Flint was second at 1:22.44. a time that ranks No. 3 in he state.
In the 1,000m, Marshfield teammates Graham Heinrich and Matt McCabe finished 1-2. Heinrich raced to a PR and state-leading 2:29.02. McCabe was second with an all-time best and state No. 3 of 2:32.34.
Heinrich’s plan from the start was to dip under 2:30.
Newton North’s Ciara Evans won a competitive race in the girls’ mile. Evans clocked a state best of 4:57.76, her first time under the five-minute barrier. Taunton’s Emeryson DePonte also went sub-5 for the first time by taking runner-up honors in 4:59.92. Placing third was Needham’s Greta Hammer at 5:00.20.
Hammer did most of the pace-setting in the race with Evans and DePonte on her heels. The Newton North senior took over with about 500m remaining.
“I was feeling really good,” Evans said. “I was just trying to settle into the pace that Greta was setting, and just feel it out. Then I just felt good (with 500m left), and that’s when I went.”
In the boys’ long jump, Peabody’s Evan Bedard put together an impressive series that included a new state-leader of 22-11. In four of his six attempts, Bedard went further than 22 feet. Placing second and third were Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete (22-9.5) and Central Catholic Suuna Kalemera (22-2.5). Their efforts move to No. 2 and No. 3 in the rankings.
Methuen’s quartet of Alysha Santana Rose, Isabella Fiore, Kiera Fitzpatrick and Lauren Quarm combined for a state best of 1:45.41 in the 4x200m relay. Quarm also blazed to a time of 7.15 to capture the 55m dash. In the 4x800m, the Weymouth foursome of Gracie Richard, Emma Daley, Jessica Harding and Isabella Galusha breezed to a convincing victory with a state No. 1 of 9:24.,84.
Nation-leader Alex Jackson of Peabody took care of business in the shot with a heave of 64-4. Four of his six attempts exceeded 60 feet. Jackson currently leads the country with a best of 66-6.25.
