Beginning on Wednesday and stretching to Saturday, we’re expecting some intense competition with the MIAA Divisional Championships. The individual and team battles with be fierce with the best of the best competing inside the confines of the Reggie Lewis Center.
Throughout the week, Bay State Running will be providing preview capsules of each division. Here we feature Division 3 girls.
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DIVISION 3 – GIRLS
Day/Time/Place: Friday, 4:30 p.m., at Reggie Lewis Center
Teams: Agawam, Amherst-Pelham, Billerica, Boston Latin, Burlington, Burncoat, Canton, Chelsea, Canton, Chelsea, Chicopee Comprehensive, Dartmouth, Doherty Memorial, Dracut, Duxbury, Fitchburg, Grafton, Greater Lowell Tech, Greater New Bedford, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Lynn Classical, Malden Catholic, Mansfield, Marblehead, Masconomet Regional, Melrose, Middleboro, Milton, Minnechaug, Nashoba, Northampton, Norwood, Notre Dame Academy – Hingham, Oliver Ames, Plymouth South, Putnam Voc Tech, Scituate, Shepherd Hill, Silver Lake, Somerset Berkley, Somerville, South High Community, Southeastern Regional, Stoughton, Tantasqua Regional, Walpole, West Springfield, Westfield, Westwood, Whitman-Hanson, Worcester Tech
Events To Watch: Billerica, Billerica and Billerica. That’s the order of the top three seeds with freshman twins Kylie (5:09.96) and Caitlin Doanhue (5:10.51) and sophomore Gianna MCGovern (5:11.85) in the mile run. The Indians are the overwhelming favorite to secure the team title, and here’s where they can score 24 quick points with a sweep. Norwood’s Natalie Martin might have the best chance to spoil Billerica’s part. She comes in as the No. 4 seed her PR of 5:13.40, which she did to place fourth at last month’s Northeast Invitational…A quick start out of the blocks might prove to be the difference. The top seed and favorite is Mansfield’s Chloe Guthrie, who was second at the recent Hockomock League Championship with a best of 7.21. Guthrie has been consistent all season with most of his efforts in the 7.2, 7.3 range. The next two seeds have also dipped under 7.3 with Oliver Ames’ Lavendar Kozaka (7.24) and Duxbury’ Liv Coperine (7.29)..Could we have a state No. 1 in the 4x200m? Amherst-Pelham (1:46.13) and Duxbury (1:46.27) rank No. 2 and No. 3 behind top ranked Methuen, which has a best time of 1:45.4`… The high jump should provide an interesting competition with Tantasqua’s Haley McCormack and Marblehead’s Paige Tredwell. McCormack ranks No.3 in the state with a best of 5 feet, 5 inches. Tredwell’s among nine others that are tied at No. 4 with her best of 5-4.
Teams Outlook: Billerica appears untouchable in the team competition. There’s a plethora squads that could be fighting for the other top placements.
