In typical fashion this time of year, we had a bunch of new state-leaders and even a new state mark during first-day action of the MIAA Division State Championships. On Thursday, Division 1, 2 and 5 were out there competing at the various venues.
Here’s recaps/highlights of what transpired in their respective meets
***
DIVISION 1
With eight of the 19 events taking place on Thursday, Brookline holds a 44-37 lead over Lexington in the boys’ competition. For the girls, Lexington has a 20-point advantage over runner-up Westford Academy. Natick and Needham are tied at third, each with 20 points.
Westford Academy’s Ryan Kyle simply looked fantastic in capturing the 400-meter hurdles with a new state record of 52.12 seconds. Kyle already made up the stagger by 150m and smashed his previous best of 52.72, set just a week earlier at the Dual County League Championships. His time ranks No. 8 in the country, moving him up 11 placements from his previous best.
Speaking of Westford Academy, junior Abigail Hennessy also achieved a huge PR by defending her crown in the 800m. In a field where the top seven runners broke 2:15, Hennessy clocked 2:07.18 to take the ‘W’. Lexington’s Amelia Whorton ran a nearly four-second best to take second n 2:10.16. Placing third overall with a PR of 2:10.68 was Newton South junior Emily Frawley. Frawley’s effort was a best by more than a second. Brookline teammates Altamo Ashkenasy and Harry Flint went 1-2 in the boys’ 800m. Both came out on top in their respective heats. Competing in the unseeded section, Aschkenasy blew away the field with a state-leading and eventual title-winning time of 1:52.76. Flint captured the seeded heat in 1:54.54 for the silver.
Newton North’s Reese Connors moved to No. 1 in the state rankings with his victory in the 200m. Connors blazed to a PR of 21.46. Lawrence’s Cristian Reinsoso was among five others that dipped under 22 seconds with a runner-up time of 21.77
With a sub 60-second final 400m, Brookline’s Theodore Butty ran the state’s fastest time in the two mile this season with a time of 9:05.17. Boston College High’s Greg McGrath was second at 9:09.60. Butty time was a 12-second PR! In the girls’ race, top-seed Greta Hammer of Needham was victorious. She was able to hold off fast-charging senior, Jane Conrad of Lexington. Hammer, a junior, was timed in 10:36.47 to her rival’s 10:38.62 effort. Five in the field broke 11 minutes.
In the boys’ triple jump, Lowell’s Ethan Thevenin leaped to a state No. 1 of 46-7. Thevein, who had three jumps over 46 feet, didn’t have it easy. The next two finishers also went 46-plus – Acton-Boxborough’s Collett Kinobe (46-2.25) and Newton North’s Clarence DeMedeiros (46-0.5).
Lexington’s Ainsley Cuthbertson had a five-foot best in the girls’ discus with a winning toss of 130-8, an effort that moved her to No. 2 in the state. Teammate Eveyln Radcliffe was second with state No. 5 and PR of 120-6.
***
DIVISION 2
In the team competition, North Andover holds a slight three-point lead over Peabody in the boys’ meet with 40 points. Algonquin Regional is third with 35 points. North Andover is four points ahead of second-place Arlington on the girls’ side with 27 points. Peabody is third with 20 points.
Albeit barely, Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete improved on his state-leader in the triple jump. Skeete went an inch further than his previous best with a distance of 47-5.5.
The state’s No. 3 and No. 4 times were achieved in the boys’ 400m hurdles with Quincy’s Jayden Francois out-racing Alqonquin’s Mile Lipka to the finish. Francois broke the tape in 53.97, while Lipka was timed in 54.32.
In what proved to be a thriller to the end, Arlington’s Nico Peukert edged Marshfield’s Matt McCabe in the 800m with a PR and state No. 2 of 1:53.03. McCabe finished with time of 1:53.54, also an all-time best. For the girls, Plymouth North’s Macey Shriner was all by herself at the finish, earning the crown by nearly five seconds with a time of 2:10.88.
Belmont’s Dana Lehr ran the state’s No. 2 time in the girls’ two mile. She won by nearly 17 seconds with a season best of 10:36.90. Not too long after placing fourth in the 800m with a time of 1:55.20, Marshfield’s Graham Heinrich was a gold medalist in the boys’ deuce where he ran a PR and state No. 4 of 9:17.42.
***
DIVISION 5
The Weston boys and North Reading girls are the leaders after Day 1. The Wildcats scored 44.5 points after the first eight events in the boys’ competition. Old Rochester is currently in second with 25 points. The Hornets hold a three-point advantage over Cardinal Spellman with 30 points in the girls’ meet.
Defending champion and state record-holder Giuliana Ligor won an epic battle in the girls’ 400m hurdles. Ligor claimed her crown by less than five meters with a season best of 1:00.65. Right on her heels was runner-up and Weston junior Solana Varela with a PR of 1:00.97. Both times rank among the best nationwide. Ligor’s effort puts her No. 19 in the country, while Varela moved to No. 25. Varella’s time was a more than two-second best. In the boys’ race, Abington’s Aiden Calcano Da Silva won comfortably with a state No. 4 of 55.16.
As expected, Weston’s Ben Tavares struck in rich in the boys’ 800m where he was timed in a season best and state No. 7 of 1:55.16. Medway’s Jack Weintraub was second at 1:56.06.
Blue Hill’s Jiai Gonzalez was the fastest of the day, blazing to a time of 21.93 to win the boys’ 200m. Dennis Yarmouth’s Shemar Dillion was second at 22.03. For the girls, pre-race favorite Breanna Braham didn’t disappoint, The Dennis Yarmouth senior crossed the line in a quick 24.29. She was followed by fellow teammate Kerri Clark, who was second at 25.41.
