Records, records, and more records.
Based on the entries for Sunday’s MSTCA Distance Classic, that phrase could be heard repeatedly throughout the day at the Reggie Lewis Center. Nearly every distance event features top-seeded athletes who have already run faster—or gone further—than the current meet records.
Here’s some of the events we feel have the best to chance for a new record etched in the books.
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BOYS’ 800m
The current meet record of 2:01.22 was set in 2019 by former Brookline standout Myles Liss-Riordan. That mark could be under immediate pressure, as the top two athletes in this field have already broken two minutes, while the next three enter with seeds in the 2:01 range.
As the first track event of the day, this race could be where the records begin to fall.
Leading the field is top seed Jaisyn Fasser of West Springfield. The Terrier senior owns an 800m best of 1:57.67 from his fourth-place finish at last spring’s MIAA Div. 3 Championships. Fasser has already shown the potential for an early-season sub-2 effort inside Reggie, clocking 1:26.12 for 600m last Sunday at the MSTCA Speed Classic—good for seventh overall in a tightly contested race.
The No. 2 seed in this race is Jackson Deady of Joseph Case, who brings a best of 1:59.92 to the line. The next three are also within reach of the record based o what they’ve done in the past – Foxboro teammates Timothy Chase (2:01.30) and Eamonn Kelly (2:01.66) and Haverhill’s Tyler Campbell (2:01.76).
GIRLS’ 800m
With a seed time more than eight seconds faster than her closest rival, North Quincy’s Maddy McGillicuddy enters as the clear favorite. All signs point to a potential record-breaking performance.
The meet record of 2:20.32 was set in 2019 by Shepherd Hill alum Emma Sullivan. McGillicuddy frequently dipped under the 2:20 barrier during last year’s outdoor season and owns a PR of 2:15.50 from the Meet of Champions. Her most recent race was a dominant victory in the 600 meters at a Patriot League meet, where she clocked 1:42.74 and won by nearly four seconds. This could be another solo effort as she takes aim at the record.
BOYS’ Mile
This race has the potential to come down to the final stretch, with the top five seeds separated by just four seconds and all owning bests between 4:33 and 4:37.
The top seed is Benjamin Duffy of Wachusett Regional. In his lone race this season, Duffy ran a near personal best of 4:33.86 at the BU Mini Meet on Dec. 13. He owns a PR of 4:33.35, set at last winter’s Div. 1 Championships.
Patrick Orbon of Portsmouth (RI) holds the second seed at 4:35.00, followed closely by Hudson’s Jason Blake (4:35.00), Wachusett’s Brady Bartley (4:35.36), and Cooper Johnston of Burnt Hills (NY) at 4:37.80.
The meet record stands at 4:32.30, set by Walpole’s Shane Grant in 2018. With this kind of depth at the front, that mark could be under serious threat this weekend.
GIRLS’ MILE
Wachusett Regional’s Naomi Witt is the clear favorite in this event. She enters with a seed of 5:15.40 but has run considerably faster. The talented junior owns a PR of 4:59.09 from the Central Massachusetts Division 1 Championships.
Even if Witt isn’t quite in sub-five shape at this point in the season, she has more than enough ability to challenge the meet record of 5:13.96, set by Hopkinton’s Schuyler Gooley in 2018.
BOYS’ 2 MILE
The meet record of 9:41.50, set in 2018 by Seekonk’s Andrew Cabral, appears likely to fall. Top-seeded Ethan Owen of Burnt Hills (NY) owns a personal best of 9:15.81, while Beverly’s Jason Provost has also eclipsed the record with a best of 9:36.32 from last winter’s Meet of Champions.
GIRLS’ 1,000m
Addison Cyr of Burnt Hills (NY) leads the field with a PR of 3:05.05. Less than three weeks ago, Cyr ran close to that mark, clocking a winning 3:05.67 at the Ithaca College Bomber Invitational.
The meet record of 3:05.58, set by Burlington’s Julia Havasse in 2018, could be on borrowed time this weekend.
SHOT
Both the boys’ and girls’ meet records are in serious jeopardy.
In the boys’ competition, Lunenburg’s Ray Breadmore leads the field with a PR of 59-3. He has surpassed the meet record of 54-9—set last year by Hopedale’s Ari Levine—multiple times across the indoor and outdoor seasons and could do so again on Sunday.
On the girls’ side, West Springfield’s Nahla Williams enters as the top seed with a best of 40-2 from her victory at last spring’s Division 3 Championships. The meet record of 35-0.5, set last year by Burnt Hills’ Sophie Chevalier, has already been eclipsed by Williams this winter. She owns a season best of 37-3.5 from a PVIAC meet on Dec. 14.
