From one highly-competitive meet to another.
That has been the theme over the last few weeks, and it’s a trend that should continue with Saturday’s New England Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
We’re expecting Massachusetts to have a strong presence throughout the day, with several Bay State standouts positioned to contend for titles and podium finishes. After digging through the performance lists, we’ve identified some of the most intriguing matchups and storylines to watch as the action unfolds this weekend.
***
Boys 400m
The meet record in this event is 47.07, set in 2013 by former Portland (ME) standout Samuel LaMalfa. We’re expecting that 13-year-old record to be a thing of the past after Saturday’s race.
The top seed is Brenan McCabe, who has already run under the meet mark three times this season. The Connecticut standout owns a PR of 46.34 from his victory at the CIAC State Open and enters New England’s with three sub-47 performances on his résumé.
Seven athletes in the field have broken 48 seconds, including Reading’s Ryan Pulpi, who could be right in the mix for the title. He enters as the No. 3 seed after his winning 47.33 effort at last weekend’s Meet of Champions. Blue Hill’s Jiai Gonzalez (47.77) and Arlington’s Nathan Calcano Da Silva (48.07) are also among the contenders in what could be one of the fastest races of the day.
Girls’ 100m
This race could look remarkably similar to last weekend’s Meet of Champions final.
There’s a reason for that.
The field features the top two finishers from that race and the only two sprinters entered under 12 seconds—Sharon’s Nina Kyei-Aboagye (11.83) and Methuen’s Lauren Quarm (11.84). Just like last weekend, this one could come down to a lean at the finish line.
Will Kyei-Aboagye make it two straight victories, or can Quarm reverse the outcome? Either way, don’t blink.
Boys’ 4x400m
Sit back and enjoy this one.
It’s hard to remember a deeper field in this event at New Englands. Seven teams have already broken 3:20 this season, with another squad dipping under that barrier earlier this spring at the Penn Relays.
Abington enters as the top seed after smashing the state record with its 3:16.06 victory at the Meet of Champions. Farmington (CT) sits second on the performance list at 3:17.93.
Don’t overlook La Salle Academy (RI), which ran 3:21.64 to capture its state title. The Rams have been considerably faster this season, clocking 3:19.93 at the Bishop Hendricken Invitational on May 31. With essentially the same lineup, La Salle also owns an all-time best of 3:14.56 from New Balance Nationals.
Boys’ Shot
Yes, there is a legitimate chance Massachusetts sweeps the top six places in this event.
Six of the top eight seeds hail from the Bay State, including last weekend’s Meet of Champions winner and runner-up, Cohasset’s Nicholas Askjaer (61-7) and Oliver Ames’ Mitchell Callender (61-5.25). They are the only two throwers in the field who have surpassed 60 feet this season.
The meet record stands at 60-0.25, set by former Bishop Stang standout Jacob Cookingham in 2023. Based on this season’s performances, that mark could be in serious jeopardy.
Girls’ 100m hurdles
Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien has yet to lose in her signature event this season, and there’s little reason to believe that will change on Saturday.
The bigger question is whether she can crack the 14-second barrier for the first time this spring. Edozien accomplished that feat three times in 2025, including her state-record 13.57 at the Meet of Champions.
She’ll have plenty of competition pushing her toward a fast time. The next four seeds in the field have all run under 14.50 this season, setting up what could be one of the strongest hurdle races of the meet.
