While the action get heated on the oval at Saturday’s Meet of Champions, we can’t ignore what happens on the infield and behind the cage at the far corner of Reggie Lewis It should be equally exciting with our throwers and jumpers.
GIRLS
SHOT
There has been no one more locked into this event than our state-leader and the overwhelming favorite, Madeline Goncalves of Haverhill. In 10 meets this season, seven of her throws have gone 41 feet or further, including her current best of 43-0 from the Boston Holiday Challenge on Dec. 28. Shortly after her victory at last weekend’s Div. 1 Championship, where she went 41-8.25, the 43-foot zone and beyond is the area that Goncalves indicated she wants to be at this weekend. If the talented senior does accomplish her goal or go at least 41-plus, which we expect will happen, that should seal the deal for her first individual title at the MOC. Behind Goncalves, could be an intense battle for the runner-up spot. At the Div. 3 meet this past weekend, West Springfield’s Nahla Williams became our state’s second 40-footer in the shot with a winning toss of 40-2, a PR by more than a foot. Bishop Feehan’s Brooke Serak, the 2023 champion, appears to be picking up steam. In her last three meets, she’s progressively gotten better with a 38-1.15 effort at the Coaches Invitational, a 39-11.5 toss at the MAC League Championships and a season best of 39-11.75 from her win at the Div. 2 meet last Thursday. Serak has an all-time best of 41-8.25 from her victory at the MOC two years ago. She’s capable of one big throw that could make a difference. Other top competitors include Lexington’s Ainsley Cunningham (39-7.75), Arlington’s Bella Hayes (39-4) and Norton’s Evangeline Emerson (38-11.25).
WEIGHT THROW
This will be the second year that this event is contested at the MOC. The No. 1 seed is New Bedford’s Nialonis Smith, who unleashed a PR of 48-1.5 at the MSTCA Speed Classic on Dec. 21. Since that performance, Smith has gone 46-6 or further three other times, including a winning 47-1 at the Big 3 League Championship on Feb. 5. The field includes three others that have exceed 40 feet, including No. 2 seed Ainsley Cuthbertson, who appears to be the biggest threat to Smith. Cuthbertson has a best of 46-0 from her runner-up finish to the New Bedford thrower at the Northeast Invitational on Jan. 10 where she was just six inches behind her rival. Her most recent performance was a win at the ML-12 Varsity Championship where she had a solid toss of 45-9.75.
LONG JUMP
We could have a 19-footer here. The top seed is Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien, who’s manufacturing a spectacular season this winter. Edozien has a best of 18-10 from the MSTCA Qualifier Meet. After breaking the 55-meter hurdle state record at the Div. 1 Championship just three days later, the Red Raiders junior soared to a distance of 18-8.75. Her last two performances are her only times over 18 feet. She appears to be locked in and no doubt will have 19 feet on her mind this Saturday. The field is strong in this event with a half dozen others with seeds of more than 18 feet. At the two seed is Newton North’s Blake MacNeal with a best of 18-6.75 from her second-place finish to Edozien at last Wednesday’s D1 meet. She can make things happen, too. Like her rival, her last two meets have been her only times over 18 feet. She captured the Bay State Conference – Meet of Champions on Feb. 5 with an 18-2 best. Oliver Ames’ Lavendar Kozaka (18-3.75), Lexington’s Aubrey Deardorf (18-3.75), Cardinal Spellman’s Annaikah Donahue-Wilfred (18-2.5), Gloucester’s Aili Spencer and Masconomet’s Mara Siewko (18-0.25) are others you can’t ignore.
HIGH JUMP
This event features the defending champion (Zoe Santos of Norton) and the reigning outdoor titlist (Haley McCormack of Tantasqua Regional). It also includes 10 athletes that have top heights between 5-4 and 5-6.5. This could get interesting. Santos would have to be considered a slight favorite. She’s ranked No. 1 in the state with her season best of 5-6.5, which she did to win the TVL Championship/Showcase meet on Jan. 26. She also went 5-4 at the recent Div. 4 Championship. Santos is unbeaten so far and always seems to have her best effort in meets like this. She had an outdoor best of 5-6 last spring, which she did to win the Div. 5 Championship and place fourth at MOC. During the indoor season in 2024, she achieved her all-time best of 5-8 at the MOC and cleared 5-7 to take runner-up honors at the New England’s. Milton’s Ella Turner and Diman Regional’s Grace Flattery occupy the next two seeds with identical heights of 5-6, while McCormack has a season best of 5-5. She won her outdoor crown with a PR of 5-7.
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BOYS
SHOT
The favorite here is the No. 1 shot putter all season long, both locally and nationally, Peabody’s Alex Jackson. The talented senior has consistently thrown over 60 feet, including a nation best of 66-6.25 from his win at the NEC Winter Invitational on Dec. 14. He hasn’t quite been able to get match that effort since then with his winning 64-4 effort from the Coaches Invitational on Jan. 26 the closest. No doubt he’ll be looking for a big throw on Saturday with the New England’s the following week and the New Balance Nationals in mid March. Jackson’s biggest threat for an upset is Hopedale’s Ari Levine, who has a best of 57-6.75. Like his rival, Levine has been unbeaten this season. This will be the first match-up of the season between the two shot-putters. At the three and four seeds are Shrewsbury’s Darius Gibbons (55-10.75) and Attleboro’s Noah Williams (55-5.25). A total of 17 athletes in this field have thrown the metal ball 50 feet or further. That’s impressive!
LONG JUMP
The chances are high that we could have our first 23-footer of the season on Saturday with the level of talent that will be competing at the long jump pit. The top four leapers in this event are less than three inches from that magic number this season. Holding the No. 1 seed is Peabody’s Evan Bedard with a best of 22-11 from the Coaches Invitational on Jan. 26. Right behind him is Atlantis Charter’s Thalys Silva (22-10.25), Milton’s Zakai Perkins (22-10), and Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete (22-9.5).
HIGH JUMP
This is an event that should generate some excitement with a few athletes capable of winning on Saturday. Recent Div. 2 titlist Derek Shimmer is the No. 1 seed with his best of 6-10 from the Mid-Wach Indoor Championships on Feb. 2. He won the divisionals with a best of 6-6. Brockton’s versatile senior Lucas Andrade comes in with a season best of 6-8 from his victory at the Coaches Invitational Large School meet. He’ll also be splitting time with races in the 55-meter dash and 55m hurdles, the latter an event he set the current state mark a week ago at the Div. 1 meet. Hopkinton’s Logan Sullivan also comes in with a best of 6-8 from the Div. 2 State Relays on Jan. 18. Other top competitors include Melrose’s Sam Madden (6-7), St. John’s Prep’s Andrew Bertucci (6-6) and Dennis-Yarmouth’s Walter Mayo (6-6), just to name a few..
