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 Friday, Division 3, 4 and 6 were out there competing at their various venues.
Here’s recaps/highlights of what transpired in their meets
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DIVISION 3
After eight events, the Milton boys hold a slim 41-40 lead over second-place Westborough. Billerica scored 49 points in the girls’ competition to hold a commanding 25-point advantage over runner-up Reading.
Sharon’s Josy Brown-Wright won the 400-meter hurdles with a PR and state No. 3 of 54.93 seconds to further proved that his could be one of the must-see races at next Thursday’s Meet of Champions.
With final 400m splits under 60 seconds, Oliver Ames’ Landon Slaney and Marblehead’s Nathaniel Assa engaged in an exciting down-to-the-wire affair in the two mile. Slaney got the best of his rival with a winning time and PR of 9:15.87. Assa was right behind at 9:16.33 for second. Megan Moran of Westfield took a close one over Billerica’s Kylie Donahue in the girls’ two mile with a time of 10:58.53, less than two tenths of a second ahead of Donahue (10:58.71).
Not much separated the top three in the boys’ 200m, won by Reading’s Ryan Pulpi in 21.70. Finishing second was Walpole’s Austin Feener in 21.76. Luke Juric of Milton was third at 21.81. To no one’s surprise, pre-race favorite Nina Kyei-Aboagye earned the girls’ title, registering a fast 24.01 clocking.
Marblehead’s Jacob Szalewicz was right around his season best in the 800m, taking his specialty in 1:55.99. Billerica’s Shane Leslie was second at 1:56.59.
State leader Daniel Velez of Westborough won comfortably in the pole vault with a height of 14 feet, 3 inches.
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DIVISION 4
Setting up what could be some exciting team competitions on Sunday, Pembroke and Wakefield were tied for first place in the boys’ meet with 29 points each. Amherst-Pelham holds a slim 26-24 advantage over second-place Holliston on the girls’ side.
Dracut’s Zoe Clarke, who ranks No. 3 in the state in the discus, was close to her PR with a winning heave of 127-6. Michael O’Reilly captured the boys’ title with a state No. 4 of 183-9.
Pembroke’s Luke Lamar blasted to a two-second best in the boys’ 400m hurdles with a fast 53.31. He was comfortably ahead of runner-up Kyle Lisauskas, who was timed in 55.92. Canton’s Chloe Dubuisson took the girls’ race with a state No. 3 of 1:02.95. She was just ahead of Wayland’s Sazie Wrentmore, who was timed in 1:03.17.
Ludlow’s Logan Walsh ran his fastest time this year in the 800m, capturing the two-lapper in 1:55.62. Melrose’s Adam Caldwell secured second at 1:56.14.
In the two mile, Falmouth’s Silas Gartner took care of business. Gartner won by more than 12 seconds with a season best of 9:23.32. Sophomore Reilly Powell of Melrose was victorious in the girls’ two mile with a PR of 11:10.15.
Holliston’s Connor Teague soared to a distance of 47-3.25 to capture the boys’ triple jump.
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DIVISION 6
After Day 1, it’s Cohasset and Lunenburg out front in the respective boys’ and girls’ team competition. Cohasset holds a 42-31 lead over Ayer Shirley. Mount Greylock is third with 21 points. Lunenburg also had an 11-point advantage over it rival with 33 points. Mount Greylock is currently second with 22 points, two more than Hamilton-Wenham in third.
Ayer Shirley teammates Cole New and Jullian Kikuba went 1-2 in the 800m. New, the top seed, broke the race apart from his teammate and the rest of the field at the 400m mark and never looked back, crossing the line in a meet record of 1:55.38. Kikiuba finished with a PR of 1:59.25. Mila NIkiforow was victorious in the girls’ 800m where the top three were under the MR. Nikiforow was timed in 2:18.18. She was followed by Sutton’s Annabella Lamoureaux (second, 2:18.77) and Lunenburg’s Olivia Coronella (third, 2:19.32).
Frontier’s Ben Cachiguango captured the 400m hurdles with a PR and state No. 6 of 55.73. Lunenburg’s Michael Lane (second, 56.70) and Cohasset’s Michal Giglio (third, 56.82), took the next two spots. All three went under the MR of 57.71, set last year by Max Sanchez of Amesbury. In the girls’ 400m IH, South Hadley’s Maggie Crawford won a tight race over Ipswich’s Alana Novello. Crawford, who currently ranks ninth in the state, was just outside her PR with a winning time of 1:04.94. Novello was second at 1:05.60.
Para athlete Delmace Joseph Mayo was at his best at Saturday’s meet. The Brighton senior broke two minutes in the 800m with a time of 1:57.77. He nearly dipped under nine minutes in the two mile, crossing the line in 9:02.59.
Bromfield’s Evelyn Wool overtook the lead with a little more than two laps remaining en route to a PR and winning time of 11:02.04 in the girls’ two mile. Teammate Rosie Bradley was second at 11:11.81. Everett Pacheco broke from the pack just past the mile mark to win the boys’ race with a time of 9:29.35. Pacheco ran his final mile in 4:32.
Mahar’s Mitchell Kraseo took over the No. 1 spot in the triple jump with a meet record of 47-6.5. His winning effort was just two inches past current leader and Div. 2 champion Amar Skeete of Catholic Memorial. Also under the previous MR of 45-1.5, set in 2024 by Case’s Christopher Gaboriault, was Leicester’s Jeremiah Kinsumba, who was second, 46-5.25.
Proving the worth of the recently instituted pole vault program at Mount Greylock, Noah Klompus led three more of his teammates among the top 10 with a six-foot PR of 12-9. Teammates Nathan Gill was fourth (12-0), and Gavin Hetherington and Manny Dupras tied for ninth (10-0).
Lunenburg teammates Karynna Lonng and Lyla Dellsanta finished 1-2 in the girls’ pentathlon.
