In the title of this article we put, Top Events to Watch. But looking through the entries for Sunday’s MSTCA Coaches Invitational (Large Schools), nearly every event should spark quite a bit of excitement inside Reggie Lewis.
While there certainly could be plenty more, here’s nine that we picked out for this weekend’s competition.
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Girls’ 55m Hurdles
We don’t expect this race to be close. But there is a chance it could be fast, very fast. The top seed is Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien, who has been dominant and unbeaten against her MA rivals this season. Edozien raced to a PR of 8.10 seconds at the recent Northeast Invitational, a time that is more than a half second ahead of her closest rival on Sunday and ranks No. 4 all-time in the history of the state. The meet record is 8.02 and the state record is 7.97. Could we see a record (or two) this weekend? It will be hard with the high chance that no one will be near Edozian the final few hurdles. Whether or not it happens, expect another impressive performance from the Natick junior
Girls’ 55m Dash
This could provide a preview of what to expect at next month’s Meet of Champions. Four of the state’s top five sprinters with be answering the gun on Sunday. Methuen’s Lauren Quarm is the top seed with her season-best of 7.08 from last month’s Boston Holiday Challenge. The defending 55-meter state titlist, who owns a best of 6.95, will not have it easy in what should be her toughest race so far this season. Occupying the next three seeds are Wellesley’s Annie Comella, Sharon’s Nina Kyei-Aboagye and Natick’s Edozien. Kyei-Aboagye is coming off a victory at the Hockomock League Championships where she narrowly-beat Mansfield’s Chloe Guthrie with a PR of 7.14. Comella has a best this season of 7.26 and right behind is Edozien at 7.27.
Girls’ Mile
We’re expecting the winner of this race to break five minutes. In fact, there a good chance we could have more under the mark this weekend. The fastest of the bunch is Needham’s Greta Hammer. The Rockets’ talented junior has not competed much this winter after an extended cross-country that included a Division 1 title at the Meet of Champions and a trip to the Nike Cross Nationals. In one of her few individual races this season, Hammer ran a PR of 5:03.18 for the mile at the Bay State Conference meet, a race she won by 18 seconds. Newton North’s Ciara Evans, who has an all-time best of 5:00.19 from her win at the Div. 1 Championships last spring, has not competed in the mile yet this season but just a few days ago ran a state-leading 2:54.30 for the 1,000m at a Bay State Conference meet. Both should be ready to race in what could turn into one of the more exciting competitions of the day. Other runners were can’t forget in this race are Taunton’s Emersyn DePonte, Central Catholic’s Madeline Courtemanche, Wellesley’s Emma Tuxbury and Cambridge Rindge & Latin’s Sophia Juanes Seto. All have PRs under 5:10, but only Juanes Seto has done it this year with a 5:09.15 season best on Jan. 15.
Girls’ 600m
Just like the Small Schools’ meet a day earlier, this race has the chance to be a record-breaker. The No. 1 seed is Framingham’s Sasha Lamakina, who ran a state-leading 1:34.39 at the beginning of the month. Lamakina is enjoying a superb season so far, one that’s included PRs of 5:09 for the mile, 2:55 for the 1,000m and 2:14.45 for the 800m, which she did last weekend at the GBTC Invitational. The Flyers’ junior will be ready to rock on Sunday and has the competition to push her to another PR and potential meet record, which is 1:32.95. Among those competitors are Newton South’s Emily Frawley, Haverhill’s Lauren Downer and Wellesley’s Kayla Bohlin. Frawley could be the biggest threat. The gritty junior owns a best of 1:36.74 from last year’s MOC where she was fourth overall. She looked very impressive in winning the 800m at the Northeast Invitational where she was timed in a season best of 2:16.34.
Boys’ 1,000m
Three in this race have run 2:34 and three more have done 2:35. This is a race could come down to the final lap, perhaps the last straightaway. Marshfield teammate Graham Heinrich and Matt McCabe occupy the top two seeds. Heinrich owns a PR of 2:32.67 from last year and ran a season best of 2:34.66 in his only 1K this season back on Dec. 20. This past weekend at the GBTC Invitational, Heinrich clocked an all-time best of 4:16.07 for the mile. That’s a time that proves he’s ready for a low 2:30 on Sunday. McCabe also proved last weekend at the GBTC Invite that an early-season injury is behind him with a PR of 2:34.61 for the 1,000m. Could we have a 1-2 finish by the Marshfield tandem? Maybe, but it won’t come easy with the level of talent expected to answer the gun. Other top runners that could make things interesting are Lincoln’s Sudbury’s Ethan Sholk (2:34.66), Reading’s Chris Barbato (2:35.28), Andover’s James Gallaudet (2:35.30) and Cambridge Rindge & Latin’s Alejandro Stefan Rojas-Pratt (2:35.26).
Boys’ 300m
This one should come down to the final few meters with a number of sprinters capable of winning this weekend. The top two seeds are Winchester’s Daniel Killian and Xaverian Brothers’ Mitchell Kisgen. Killian has a best of 34.82 from last year and has run a season best of 35.74. Kisgen comes in with a PR of 35.12 and has a best this winter of 35.50. Eight more runners in this field have gone under 36 seconds with Reading’s Ryan Pulpi the fastest of the crew this season at 35.34, currently No. 6 in the state.
Boys’ 4x800m
There’s a chance we could have our first sub eight-minute effort of the season in this race. The top five teams have seeds under 8:10 with Reading holding the No. 1 spot with an 8:05.36, a time that ranks No. 2 in the state. Chelmsford (8:06.53), Lexington (8:07.78), Andover (8:08.17) and Brookline (8:08.18) should make this race competitive.
Girls’ Shot
The state’s top shot-putter will be in the circle this weekend with Haverhill’s Madeline Goncalves set to compete. Goncalves has thrice gone over 42 feet this season with a best of 43-0 from the Bostin Holiday Challenge last month. Her top challengers appear to be Bishop Feehan’s Brooke Serak and Arlington’s Bella Hayes. Serak has an all-time best of 41-8.25 from her win at the Meet of Champions in 2023. Her best this season is 37.50. Hayes is No. 2 behind Goncalves in the state rankings with a best of 39-4.
Boys’ Shot
This event features the nation’s best with the metal ball, Peabody’s Alex Jackson. The gifted senior will be looking to improve on his best of 66-6.25 on Sunday. Six more in the field have exceeded 50 feet with Shrewsbury’s Darius Gibbons the next best this season with a PR of 51-10.25.
