The final day of the MIAA Division State Championships proved to be just as exciting as Day 1. But really, did we expect any different? Congratulations to all our team winners, gold medalists and our other equally-deserving track & field athletes that competed in their respective meets
Here we rundown what happened in Division 3, 4 and 6 on Sunday.
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DIVISION 3
For the second straight year, Walpole captured the boys’ title, thanks to a 75-69 win over second-place Longmeadow. First-day leader Billerica, which held a commanding 25-point lead in the girls’ competition after Day 1, continued its dominance on the final day to secure the team banner with a 92-44 win over runner-up Westborough. Reading and Westwood were tied at 42 for third.
Billerica scored in 11 of the 19 events. The Indians racked up 49 of its points in the middle- and long-distance events, which includes the 4x800m relay. Billerica scored 18 apiece in the mile and two mile. In both those events, Westfield’s Megan Moran and Billerica’s Kylie Donahue went 1-2. Moran ran a time of 10:58.53 for the deuce on Friday to Donahue’s 10:58.71 effort. It was another close effort in the mile on Sunday where mere strides separated the two. Moran won in 5:10.35, while Donahue finished at 5:10.59.
Nyrah Joseph was the lone athlete from Billerica to earn a spot on the victory stand, but she did it four times! Joseph was victorious in the 100-meter dash (11.74 seconds), 200m (24.01), 100m high hurdles (14.68) and the pentathlon (3,258 points).
Oliver Ames’ Lavender Kozaka led three over 18 feet in the long jump with a season best of 18 feet, 9.25 during Sunday’s action. Mansfield’s Chloe Guthrie (18-3.5) and Reading’s Annabelle Repucci (18-0.5) took the next two spots.
In the 4x800m, Westwood’s quartet of Hailey Cashman, Maeve Gavin, Tea Pagnotti and Lindsey Bannister combined for a triumph 9:31.0, a time that ranks No. 3 in the state. Oliver Ames moved to No. 2 in the 4x100m. The foursome of Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Gabrielle Antebi and Lavender Kozaka ran a time a best of 48.95. For the 4x400m, Masconomet won a close race with a solid 4:04.29. That squad consisted of Piper Testa, Mara Siewko, Savannah Stevens and Amanda Schneider.
Walpole also scored in 11 events in the boys’ competition. In five events, the Timberwolves scored eight or more points.
Walpole collected three wins for the day. Sawyer Regan took the pentathlon (2,985 points), Austin Feener was first in the 100m (10.84) and Matthew St. Cyr claimed the javelin (197-2).
Just a few strides was the difference between our 1-2 finishers in the mile with Marblehead’s Will Cerrutti holding off Shane Leslie of Billerica with a time of 4:18.28, just a half second ahead of Leslie (4:18.81).
There were fast times in all three relays with Milford winning the 4x100m (43.03), Westwood the best in the 4x400m (3:22.48) and Mansfield taking the 4x800m (8:02.58).
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DIVISION 4
Wakefield Memorial and Amherst-Pelham were the respective boys’ and girls’ winner in this one. For Walpole, it was its second straight title and third in the last four years. The Timberwolves defeated second-place Pembroke to earn the hardware. Amherst-Pelham claimed its crown with an 87.5-68 decision over runner-up Melrose.
Amherst Pelham scored in all but three of the 19 events to secure the banner. The Hurricanes had three victories in the meet with Elizabeth Sawicki leaping 9-00 to capture the pole vault, Moriah Luetjen blazing to a time of 56.36 in the 400m and the quartet of Skylar Fox, Ella Austin, Ruby Austin and Ololara Baptiste combining their efforts to take the 4x400m relay in 4:00.36.
Holliston’s Annabelle Lynch captured the mile in a close race with Wakefield’s Quin Wilcox and Groton-Dunstable’s Megan McEleney. Lynch broke the tape in 5:07.39. Right on her heels were Wilcox (second, 5:08.10) and McEleney (5:08.98).
Top seed and the state’s No. 2 hurdler Mia Lee-Bowens of Middleboro won the 100m HH convincingly with a time of 14.41. Canton’s Chloe Dubuisson also broke 15 seconds, clocking 14.81 for second.
On the boys’ side, Wakefield scored in 12 events for the day with double-digits in two of them. The Warriors captured the 4x400m relay (3:30.12) and went 2-3 in the pole vault with Henry Brown (12-0) and Ryan Hogan (11-6).
The shot had three athletes exceed 50 feet. Chelsea’s Ariel Chacon-Aracena took top honors by heaving then metal ball a distance of 55-6.5. Amherst-Pelham’s Logan Alfandri was second at 52-975, while Medfield’s Michael O’Reilly took third (52-6.25).
In a heated competition in the long jump, four leapers went further than 23 feet with Connor Teague of Holliston improving his state-leader with a distance of 23-11. Finishing second was Wakefield’s JaMauri Belmer with a best of 23-6.75. Grafton’s Calvary Jamoko and Brendan Radzik took third and fourth, respectively, with identical 23-0 efforts.
Groton-Dunstable’s Greyson Duane copped the mile in 4:21.55. The top four in the race were under 4:23.
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DIVISION 6
With little room for error, Ayer Shirley and Mount Greylock were able to escape Tuft University’s athletic facility with a pair of close victories in their respective boys’ and girls’ meets. Ayer Shirley edged Cohasset, 71-68, while Mount Greylock held off second-place Hamilton-Wenham, 63.85-59.
Mount Greylock scored in 10 events with a lone victory coming from its 4x800m squad, which was timed in 10:10.38. The Mounties were also second in the 4x400m (4:10.32) and scored eight points by finishing third and seventh, respectively, in the javelin with Nora Lopez placing third (110-7) and Annabelle Coody taking seventh (99-10).
Littleton’s Erin Rogan won a close race in the mile. Rogan got the best of 2M champion and runner-up Evelyn Wool with her time of 5:07.73. Wool clocked 5:08.80 for second.
Ayer Shirley scored in nine events for the day for the boys. The Panthers accumulated14 points in the relays with a silver in the 4x800m (8:25,82) and a bronze in the 4x400m (3:29.82). Eighteen more came in the 800m with the 1-2 finish of teammates Cole New and Julian Kikuba on Thursday.
Monument’s Everett Pacheco made it a sweep of the distance event. Two days after his win in the two mile, Pacheco was again the first across the line, this time securing gold in the mile at 4:19.16.
Excel Academy’s Mohamed Mehaya led six under 50 seconds in the 400m with a triumphant 49.12. He was just ahead of 800m winner Cole New of Ayer Shirley, who was timed inn 49.63.
