When it comes to top talent, you never quite know who will show up at the New England Championships. While the regional meet typically attracts many of the area’s best, several elite competitors, particularly in the distance events, sometimes opt to skip it in order to prepare for national meets two weeks later.
The 38th annual championship, set for Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center, will be minus some of the region’s biggest stars. But plenty of elite talent will still make the trip to Boston, using the meet as a final tune-up before taking on the nation’s best.
Here’s some of the boys’ events where our Bay Staters have a good chance at winning or placing high on the podium.
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Boys’ 600-Meter Run
The 600m has long been one of those events where the Bay State consistently produces a strong group of runners, and this year is no different.
In Saturday’s race, at least two athletes stand out as strong contenders for the individual title – Arlington’s Nico Peukert and Lowell’s Denzel Kisekka, the 1-2 finishers from last weekend’s Meet of Champions.
In a race that came down to the final few meters, Peukert edged Kisekka at the line, 1:21.49 to 1:21.55. Those performances currently rank No. 4 and No. 5 among this weekend’s entries, setting up what could be another thrilling showdown between several worthy contenders.
Connecticut holds the top two seeds with New Britain’s Yendri Rutz (1:20.67) and Coginchaug’s Charles Dalles (1:20.75). Joseph Gustavson of Pinkerton (NH) is seeded third with a state-meet best of 1:21.31. Add in Brookfield’s Landon Wall (1:21.87), another sub-1:22 performer, and this seeded heat promises to be electrifying from the gun.
Boys’ 1,000-Meter Run
The meet record of 2:25.14, set 25 years ago by former Boston English standout Said Ahmed, appears safe.
But with the field assembled for this weekend’s race, we’re predicting the possibility of two or more athletes dipping under 2:30, with a winning time likely in the 2:27 range.
The top seed is Hamden (CT) senior Alexander Medina, the recent CIAC State Open champion. Medina is also the defending champion, having raced to a PR of 2:28.80 to win last year’s title. The talented senior checks every box of a top middle-distance runner. He’s got 51-second speed for 400m, 1:51 for 800m, and 4:23 for the mile. He owns a season 1K best of 2:29.67, which he ran to win the Yale Track Classic on Jan. 10.
Right behind him as the No. 2 seed is Brookline’s Harry Flint. The ultra-confident senior captured the individual title at last weekend’s Meet of Champions in a near-best 2:30.11, despite not feeling 100 percent. His résumé mirrors Medina’s in many ways – 50.91 for 400m, 1:53.10 for 800m, and 4:20.22 for the mile.
We anticipate these two going toe-to-toe from the gun, potentially opening with a fast 400m split around 57 seconds. If both are on their game, this could come down to a fierce homestretch battle, with a lean at the line deciding the winner.
That’s not to say others won’t challenge for the top spot this weekend. Connecticut’s Emmett Kristoff of Rockville cannot be overlooked. He was runner-up to Medina at both the State Open and the Yale meet, the latter producing a personal best of 2:30.62.
Massachusetts entrants Robert Beato of Milton (2:31.92), St. John’s Prep’s Mateo DeOrio (2:32.80), and Westfield’s Alec Piepergerdes (2:32.92) are also part of a strong field, and will compete on a track they’re very familiar with.
4×200-Meter Run
Three teams in the state have already broken 1:30 this season. We could see a few more join them this weekend.
Top seeds Clinton and Acton-Boxborough, who finished third and fifth, respectively, at the recent Meet of Champions, lead the field. Clinton recorded a best of 1:30.74 last Saturday, while Acton-Boxborough ran 1:30.93.
Defending champion La Salle Academy enters as the No. 3 seed. The Rams won the RI state crown two weeks ago in 1:30.99,and have posted a season-best 1:30.38 from the Boston Holiday Challenge on Dec. 27 at the TRACK at New Balance.
La Salle is our pick to win again, but the margin for error is razor-thin. One miscue on a handoff could determine the outcome in a race that promises to be close right down to the finish line.
The meet record is 1:28.90. We’re not saying it will be broken, but keep an eye on it.
Boys’ Long Jump
The favorite in the boys’ long jump is Connecticut’s Aaron Rich of Lyman Hall. The senior has surpassed 24 feet seven times this season, including a best of 24-6.25 at the CIAC Class M Indoor Championships.
Rich will face stiff competition this weekend from two other 24-foot jumpers: Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete (24-3) and Rhode Island’s Jalen Moseley of La Salle (24-2.75).
With three athletes capable of clearing 24 feet, this event has the potential to be a classic showdown.
Boys’ Shot
Don’t ignore what’s happening inside the cage in the far corner of the Reggie Lewis Center. This is a competition may deliver one of the best head-to-head battles of the meet.
This event matches the only two shot-putters in the region who have surpassed 60 feet – Oliver Ames’ Mitchell Callender and Hopedale’s Ari Levine.
In their showdown last weekend at the Meet of Champions, Callender claimed the title with a heave of 61-3, just over a foot beyond Levine’s runner-up mark of 60-0.50.
Could we see another intense battle this weekend? Absolutely! There’s even the possibility of a 1-2-3 sweep for the Bay State.
Callender owns a season best of 62-7.25, while Levine has gone 62-3.5. Those performances currently rank No. 9 and No. 10 nationally.
The depth doesn’t sop there. The No. 4 seed in this event is Stoneham’s Thomas Wood, who earned bronze at the MOC with a toss of 57-7. Bloomfield’s Khile Francis enters as the No. 3 seed with a best of 58-2.
This event is loaded. Nineteen throwers went 50-plus at their respective state meets, and seven have surpassed at least 57 feet.
