A snowstorm and schedule change didn’t stop the MSTCA Freshmen Sophomore Meet from going on and it didn’t stop our athletes from showing up and showing out. Saturday was a marathon of action, an ideal Saturday for track and field fans. Let’s look at some of the outstanding performances from the state’s underclassmen.
Sprints:
As we mentioned in our preview, Wachusett’s Terry Kwarteng made it clear early this season that she was a new contender despite only being a freshman. She turned heads with her win at the Winter Festival in December. On Saturday she came away with a PR and new meet record, running 7.27, the fifth best time in the state. She wasn’t done yet though. Kwarteng came back to win the 300m in a new PR of 41.21. Her time ranks sixth in the state at the moment. Plymouth South’s Alexa Lasnicki was runner up in a state #11 in 41.78.
In the boys 300m, Acton-Boxborough’s Taran Lerra came and delivered. Lerra set a new meet record and PR, running 35.56, for the 11th best time in the state. Not only that, he brought along the field to PRS, with second and third place also breaking the previous meet record. Nasir Camille of Snowden International cracked 36, running 35.98, and Boston College High School’s Isaiah Christian was right on his heels in 36.07.
Girls Long Jump
The long jump runway saw a fantastic battle between first, second, and third. All three produced top ten state performances. Freshmen Aubrey Jorjorian of Wachusett came away the victor, in a PR and state #7 jump of 17’11”. Freshmen Kaitlyn Boakye-Yiadom of Westford Academy finished runner up in 17’10”, a PR and state #8. Acton-Boxborough sophomore, Danette Nabbosa, was third overall at 17’9.50”. Nabbosa currently holds the second-best jump in the state at 18’4.25”, showing that the future of the Long Jump is in great hands.
Girls 1000m
While the race we predicted in the girl’s mile never materialized—Holliston’s Lucy Downin would win by eight seconds in 5:19—we were instead treated to a phenomenal battle in the 1000m. Downin would again emerge victorious, but in a much narrower margin. The Holliston Freshmen ran a PR and state #11 3:01.89, to claim victory over Braintree’s Chole Dinh. Braintree’s Dinh also ran a PR and new state #16 of 3:02.67. In all, the top five all ran 3:05 or better, and the top eight all ran PRS.
Boys Mile and 2 Mile
On the other hand, the boy’s mile did produce the freshmen showdown that we had hoped for. Hopedale’s Quinn Cook went in as the favorite and came out the winner. While he may be disappointed the 4:30 barrier has still eluded him, he did make a statement win over fellow freshmen sensation, Thomas Dewitt of Cambridge Rindge & Latin. Cook edged Dewitt, 4:31.06 to 4:31.21. Both times rank in the top ten in the country for freshmen and qualify them for the Freshmen Mile at New Balance Nationals in March. In all, the top 12 broke 4:40, with BC High’s Joseph Hayes finishing in 3rd in a PR of 4:32.56.
Speaking of freshmen sensation, Parker Charter’s Jett Johnson ran away with the two mile, coming home in 9:45.66, to win by almost 20 seconds. His PR of 9:43.08 sits at #3 in the country for freshmen. Who is #2? Cambridge’s Thomas Dewitt at 9:41.55.
Girls 600m
Another freshmen-sophomore meet, and another victory for Dover-Sherborn’s Julia Ritchey. After winning the Northeast Freshmen Sophomore Championship a few weeks, Ritchey returned to Reggie Lewis to claim another gold. Saturday, she ran a PR of 1:37.75, to win by over two seconds. Her time sits at #12 in the state. Old Rochester Regional’s Phoebe Cowles was runner up in 1:39.85, her second time under 1:40 this season. She currently ranks 20th in the state with her PR of 1:39.43.
