Before we begin, we’d like to stress one thing. There are multiple events at the Division State Championships that could be on this list. After all, the best of the best in each division have earned their right to compete on the big stage. We’d like to congratulations all of these fine athletes that will be competing this weekend. Your hard work and your dedication to this great sport has paid off. Well done!
So, without further adieu, here’s our pics for the five girls and five boys events that we consider the top ones to watch in Division 6 at Merrimack College on Thursday and Sunday.
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GIRLS
High Jump (Saturday at 2:30 p.m.)
This one has two of our state-leaders, a distinction they share with four others. The top two seeds are Merrimack’s Lily Haskins-Vaughn and Mount Greylock’s Chase Hoey, who both have cleared 5-6 this season. A pair of talented underclassmen, freshmen Louise Flagollet of Pioneer and Carley Peterson of Craver, are the 3-4 seeds at 5-4.
Javelin (Saturday at 4:30 p.m.)
Three athletes have thrown further than 130 feet in this event. One of them happens to be here with Littleton’s Norah Kobaly in the field. She holds the top seed with a best of 130-6, an effort that ranks her No. 3 in the state.
200m dash (Thursday at 5:30 p.m.)
This one has the potential to be close the last few meters of the race. The No. 1 seed and favorite is Uxbridge sophomore Kendall Gilmore with a best of 25.49. Mount Greylock’s Maggie Nichols has also gone sub-26 with a seed of 25.90. Not too far behind are Randolph’s Jayda Adora Bleus (26.00) and Hamilton-Wenham’s Georgia Wilson (26.04).
400m (Saturday at 5:20 p.m.)
Three have broken 60 seconds and a trio more are less than a second away. We could have a competition here. The top seed and favorite in this race is Gilmore, whose best of 57.20 is two seconds ahead of her next closest rival. That runner happens to be an eighth-grader with Douglas’s Abigail Bilodeau the two seed at 59.32. Along with Rockland’s Emillee Dunham (59.82) and Ayer Shirley’s Emily Churchill (60.76), two more underclassmen are also among the top seeds with ninth-grader Vivien Bregman of Sutton (60.69) at the fourth spot and Ayer Shirley’s Isabel Bresnahan (60.96) at No. 6.
Two Mile (Thursday at 6:15 p.m.)
Speaking of underclassmen, we have a few talented ones here. The No. 1 seed and favorite is freshman Cameron Davis with a best of 11:09.69, nearly 20 seconds faster than the two seed. The next three seeds in the race also have not reached their junior year of high school with Merrimack sophomore Amelia Desilets (11:28.34) and Hamilton-Wenham’s frosh duo of Asa Labell (11:31.04) and Grace Rich (11:42.48) occupying those spots.
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BOYS
400m (Saturday at 5:20 p.m.)
When the divisional state meets were complete last year, it brought the total to 16 runners under 50 seconds for the one-lapper. With schools that compete in the MIAA, right now we have 11. The potential is there to add several more in this race. The top seed, Ayer Shirley’s Arthur Ribeiro, has already broken 50 seconds with a best of 49.74. The next four runners in the field have seeds under 51 seconds. Amesbury’s Michael Sanchez is at No. 2 with a time of 50-seconds flat. Right behind is Excel Academy’s Mohamed Mehaya (50.09), Ayer Shirley’s Jacob Teo (50.68) and Lunenburg’s Cam Begley (50.84). A championship race, strong competition and clear skies on race day. Could be the makings for a few sub-50s.
800m (Thursday at 6:45 p.m.)
It doesn’t happen often but right here we have a freshman leading the charge with Parker Charter’s Danny Garrison our No. 1 seed. The talented ninth-grader and Colonial League champ brings a 1:59.50 best to the line. Mount Greylock’s Quinn McDermott has also gone sub-2 with a seed of 1:59.94. The next four seeds have all done two minutes and change. This should be a good one.
High Jump (Saturday at 4:30 p.m.)
The top seed is an athlete who also has the potential to strike it rich at the Meet of Champions next weekend. At the No. 1 position is Mohawk Trail’s Chay Mojallali with a seed of 6-6. Mystic Valley’s Christian Fraser is the two seed with a best of 6-4.
Pole Vault (Saturday at 2:30 p.m.)
Could this be a preview of the MOC next weekend? It certainly could! The top two seeds also are Nos. 1 and 2 in the state and the only athletes to clear 14 feet this season – Littleton’s Mubeshire Bradshaw (14-3) and Bromfield’s Christopher Demetrius (14-0). You don’t want to miss this one.
Shot (Saturday at 4:30 p.m.)
So far, only one athlete has exceeded 60 feet in this event – Peabody’s Alex Jackson (61-1.25). We could have another one here. Amesbury’s Aiden Donovan made that goal a reality last weekend when he captured the individual title with a huge PR of 59-0 at the Cape Ann League Championships. His top competitors are Hopedale sophomore Ari Levine (52-9) and Lunenburg freshman Ray Beardmore (50-10). By the way, Donovan’s winning 171-11 heave in the discus at that league meet, also a PR, makes him the No. 1 seed in that event, too.
