MIAA Division 2 Championships’ Preview

The state’s best collide from five divisions this week at the TRACK at New Balance with the MIAA Division Championships. What are some of the top events to watch and school’s expected to be battling for team honors? Here we feature the Division 2, scheduled for Wednesday.

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DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – GIRLS

Day/Time: Wednesday, 4 p.m.

Teams: Algonquin, Barnstable, Bay Path RVT, Belmont, Beverly, Billerica Memorial, Bishop Feehan, Blackstone Valley Tech, Bridgewater-Raynham, Catholic Memorial, Chelmsford, Concord-Carlisle, Diman, Essex Tech, Everett, Hopkinton, King Philip, Leominster, Lincoln-Sudbury, Lynn English, Malden, Malden Catholic, Marshfield, North Andover, North Quincy, Peabody, Plymouth North, Quincy, Revere, Sharon, South (Worcester), Springfield Central, Waltham, Wellesley, Westborough, Westford Academy, Winchester, Woburn

Top Events To Watch: There’ll be plenty of fire on the infield. With four sprinters under 7.10 this season, the 55-meter dash is shaping up to be one of the featured events at the Meet of Champions. On Wednesday, two of those runners will toe the line in a matchup we believe has a real chance of producing a pair of sub-7.00 performances. The top seed is defending champion Nina Kyei-Aboagye, who ranks No. 2 in the state after clocking a personal-best 7.01 in her victory at last week’s Hockomock League Championships. Kyei-Aboagye will be challenged by freshman phenom Khadijah Diagne of Malden, who blazed to a 7.08 to win the short dash at a Greater Boston League meet on Jan. 30. That performance currently ranks Diagne fourth in the state and No. 7 nationally among all ninth-graders. This one could come down to a lean at the line, with the finish-line camera likely playing a major role in determining the champion…Here’s the thing – the 55-meter dash may only be Part 1 of what’s shaping up to be another intense sprint battle. The talented tandem are also the top two seeds in the 300m, though the roles are reversed this time. Diagne enters as the No. 1 seed after setting a meet record and PR of 38.60 at the Coaches Invitational on Jan. 24. Kyei-Aboagye is not far behind, bringing a best 39.50 to the line from her victory at the Hocks. Don’t overlook the third seed, too. Plymouth North’s Willow Herndon sits in that spot after clocking a strong 40.98, positioning herself as a legitimate contender if the favorites falter…According to the schedule of events, there’s roughly an hour of rest between the 1,000m and the two mile. Why does that matter? Because that’s the amount of recovery time Westford Academy All-American Abby Hennessy will have between the two events she’s slated to contest on Wednesday. With the 1K first on the slate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Hennessy take a serious run at the current state record of 2:44.51, set by former Belmont standout Ellie Shea at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in 2023. Hennessy owns a modest personal best of 2:46.44 from her dominant victory at the Dual County League Championships — a race she won by 20 seconds. With 2:07 800m meter speed, she’s certainly capable of running much faster in an event she’s contested only sparingly. Hennessy has already posted some of the nation’s top times this winter in the mile (4:38.70) and the 3,000m (9:15.79). Look for the University of Washington commit to dip into the low 2:40s, and possibly even faster if she commits from the gun. Hennessy is also the top seed in the two mile with a listed time of 10:35.29. The Westford Academy standout proved she can improve on that time substantially this week, based on her 3K time from the UW Preview on Jan. 16. That effort translates to under 10 minutes for the deuce. If Hennessy does run the 1,000m, it will be a tall order to get her time that low in the 16-lapper. But don’t be surprised if she does…The mile could be one of those races where we have a few runners still in the mix with a lap or less remaining. The top three seeds in the race have all broken 5:10 this season with Concord-Carlisle’s Maria Chopas (5:04.07), Westford Academy’s Emily Wedlake (5:04.15) and Billerica’s Caitlyn Donahue (5:08.95) on the line…With the top eight seeds between 5-0 and 5-4, the high jump could get intense. Bishop Feehan’s Michaela Poidomani and Lincoln Sudbury’s Aluel Mayen lead the field, each clearing 5-4 this season, currently tied at No. 3 in the state with five other leapers.

Team Outlook: Westford Academy, ranked No. 1 in the recent MSTCA rankings, appears to be the top threat for the team prize, Concord-Carlisle, Billerica and 2025 champion Wellesley are among others that should be in the mix.

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DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – BOYS

Day/Time: Wednesday, 4 p.m.

Teams: Algonquin, Barnstable, Bay Path RVT, Belmont, Beverly, Billerica Memorial, Bishop Feehan, Blackstone Valley Tech, Bridgewater-Raynham, Catholic Memorial, Chelmsford, Concord-Carlisle, Diman, Essex Tech, Everett, Hopkinton, King Philip, Leominster, Lincoln-Sudbury, Lynn English, Malden, Malden Catholic, Marshfield, North Andover, North Quincy, Peabody, Plymouth North, Quincy, Revere, Sharon, South (Worcester), Springfield Central, Waltham, Wellesley, Westborough, Westford Academy, Winchester, Woburn

Top Events To Watch: Keep your eyes on the 300 meters. it’s going to be a fast one. The race features Lincoln-Sudbury’s Nicholas Begic, who currently ranks No. 2 in the state after clocking a PR of 34.29 in his victory at last week’s Dual County League Championships. Begic will have a chance to challenge for the top spot, presently held by Reading’s Ryan Pulpi at 34.04. The L-S senior won’t be lacking competition on Wednesday. Each of the next seven seeds behind him has broken 36 seconds, including Everett’s Kayshaun Eveillard, the Greater Boston League champion, who owns a best of 35.20 from that meet…The 55-meter hurdles should also shape up as a highly competitive race. It includes Hopkinton’s Harry Millar, who surged up the rankings to No. 3 after a breakout performance at the Tri-Valley League Showcase on Jan. 31, where he captured individual honors with a best 7.58. Woburn’s Nahshon Lubowa (7.71) and Beverly’s Myles Gregory (7.81) are the next two seeds and should provide more than enough competition to keep the race tight through the finish…Our state’s lone sub-1:30 squad will be on the line in the 4×200-meter relay, with Catholic Memorial answering the gun. The foursome of Jameson Booker, John Marrero, Ramar Thomas, and Jelani Semper enters after combining for a winning 1:29.63 at a Catholic Conference meet in mid-January. Another sub-1:30 showing by the Knights would only boost their confidence heading into next weekend’s meet where they’ll face Division 1 powers St. John’s Prep (1:30.03) and Xaverian Brothers (1:30.06). Lincoln-Sudbury (1:31.12) and Essex North (1:31.96) are the Knights’ top challengers on Wednesday...The 4×800-meter relay could come down to the final stretch, with Concord-Carlisle and North Andover both bringing sub-8:10 times into the competition. The Patriots’ quartet of Joey Bodenrader, Toby Martel, Brendan Quinn, and Charles McDon combined for a state No. 4 mark of 8:05.20. North Andover enters with an 8:08.97 best, currently ranked No. 7. Top-10 squad Billerica (8:11.04) is also in the field...You also can’t ignore what’s happening in the long jump pit. The event features the state’s top two leapers in Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete and Jelani Semper, who went 1-2 at last month’s Coaches Invitational with personal bests of 24-3 and 23-7.5, respectively. Three more competitors have surpassed 22 feet:

Team Outlook: Concord-Carlisle, Catholic Memorial and Hopkinton, ranked 1-2-3 in the recent MSTCA poll, are among the top squads that will be battling for the championship banner here.