For the next few months, it’s all about the outdoor track & field season as our MA athletes look to achieve PRs, individual and/or team titles this spring on the state level and, for some, even beyond the borders. Who are some of the top individuals we should keep an eye on this spring? Here we preview what we consider some of the best in the girls’ throwing events.
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SHOT
The favorite here is Haverhill’s Madeline Goncalves, the recent indoor champion. The talented senior, who was third during the outdoor season last year, was a model of consistently this past winter. She achieved a best of 43-feet even at the Boston Holiday Challenge in late December and was generally in the high 41- to mid 42-foot range throughout the season. Based on her history in this event the past few years, we expect to see continued improvement by Goncalves in her final season as a high-schooler, perhaps a throw in the 44- to 45-foot range. Goncalves’ top challenger appears to be Bishop Feehan’s Brooke Serak, who was second to her rival at the Meet of Champions. Serak came on strong the final few meets of the indoor campaign with a trio of 39-footers, including a season best of 39-11.75 to win the Div. 2 title. The BF senior has an all-time best of 41-8.25, an effort that earned her an indoor title as a sophomore inn 2023. Could she regain that magic this spring? You have to keep an eye on West Springfield’s Nahla Williams, too. Williams was the only other shot-putter to exceed 40 feet during indoor with a winning toss and PR of 40-2 at the Div. 3 Championship. She was third at the MOC. Don’t be surprised to see Lexington’s Ainsley Cuthbertson making an impact. She was fourth at the MOC and sixth at the New England’s. She had a PR of 39-7.75 to place second at the Div. 1 Championship. That’s an improvement of four feet from what she did as a sophomore last spring. Other athletes that could be battling for podium placements come championship time are Arlington’s Bella Hayes, Norton’s Evangeline Emerson, Scituate’s Lauren Thomas, and Peabody’s Alessandra Forgione, to name a few. All four were in the mid-38 to 39-foot range this past winter.
JAVELIN
The Tanners’ Forgione is the top returnee in this event, and the early-season favorite to strike it rich at the MOC. The talented seniors was a runner-up at the State Meet for the second straight year last spring where she had a season best of 132-7. Her all-time best is 135-5 from the Northeast Conference Championship as a sophomore in 2023. Will the third time be the charm this year? Along with Forgione, returning from the top eight at last year’s MOC are Central Catholic’s Franchesca Thurston, who was fifth with a distance of 118-5. She had a PR of 125-11 at the New Balance Nationals to finish 12th overall.
DISCUS
One thing’s a given. The podium will be filled with a lot of new faces. All eight to be exact. Our top nine finishers from last year’s MOC have all graduated. The top returnee is Taunton junior Sophia Olaniyan, who was tenth at the championship meet and had an all-time best of 122-0 from her victory at the Freshmen-Sophomore Invitational, an effort that ranked No. 10 in the state rankings. As for a favorite in this event, it’s too early to make a call. Right behind Olaniyan among returnees is Durfee’s Jasmine Dosouto (121-10) and Arlington’s Meghan Prior (119-6),. Prior’s effort was done two months after the season finished. She had an 11-foot best at the USATF-NE Vacation Youth Meet on Aug. 16. That performance could go a long way in terms of confidence for this spring.
