Nearly 1,000 athletes made their final stop before the upcoming divisional state championships at Saturday’s MSTCA Qualifying Meet. As to be expected, there was some movement in the rankings inside the Reggie Lewis Center with several taking advantage of their last opportunity to improve on their performances and possible seedings for their respective divisional competitions.
In a big way, Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien took over the No. 1 spot in the girls’ long jump with a school record of 18 feet, 10 inches, a PR by more than a foot!, Edozien also claimed the 55m crown with a season best of 7.23 seconds. That effort moves the Natick junior to No. 5 in the rankings.
Bridgewater Raynham improved to No. 3 in the state for the 4×400-meter relay. The foursome of Brian Peters, Ryan Hall, Jack Hannigan and Caiden Blake combined for a time of 3:26.64. The Trojans are one of three teams with times in the 3:26 range. The state leader is Newton North at 3:24.74.
Giuliana Ligor of North Reading captured the 300m at Saturday’s meet with an all-time best of 40.23, a time that ranks No. 4 in MA. The versatile Ligor also ran a leg on the Hornets’ triumphant 4x400m squad. The quartet of Quinlan Kelly, Callie MacLellan, Abigail Meier and Ligor were timed in a state No. 4 of 4:07.74, just four tenths of a second behind Brookline and Central Catholic, who occupy the 2-3 positions in the rankings with identical times of 4:07.34. Wellesley is at No. 1 with a best of 4:06.25.
In the girls’ 1,000m, Newton South junior Emily Frawley became the state’s fifth runner under three minutes. Frawley won by nearly nine seconds with a PR of 2:58.92.
Westwood’s Tea Pagnotti came out on top in the 600m in one of the closer races of the day. Pagnotti held off Newburyport’s Devin Stroope with a best of 1:36.50. Stroope was right on her heels, taking runner-up honors at1:36.75. Their two times rank Nos. 8 and 10, respectively, in the state.
Newburyport’s Jalen Wise joined an insane 18 runners that have broken 1:24 this season in the 600m. Wise crossed the line in first with a PR of 1:23.17, a time that puts him at No. 10 in the rankings.
