Girls 55m and 300m
Both events feature multiple time state champion Nia Kyei-Aboagye of Sharon in her invitational debut for the season. Kyei-Aboagye is coming a year for the ages as she claimed the 55m title and runner up honors in the 300m at the Meet of Champions Indoors. She followed that up by taking the 100m and 200m titles Outdoors. She currently has the #2 time in the state for the 55m, running 7.23 in her first dual meet of the season. Current #1 Lauren Quarm of Methuen will race at the same facility on Saturday so keep an eye out for those results. On Sunday, she’ll be pressed by out of state competitors, with Rhode Island’s Thea Jackson and Connecticut’s Kaydence Macko coming in under 7.30. Keep an eye on Minnechaug’s Natalia Clarke who comes in with a PR of 7.43.
While Kyei-Aboagye may only be seeded at 41.50 in the 300m, her competition will know better. She enters with a PR of 39.61 from her runner up performance at the Meet of Champions last year. In state rival Chloe Elder of Natick has already cracked the 40 second barrier, so expect the Sharon Speedster to duplicate the feat. Phoebe Cuneo of Franklin and Willow Herndon of Plymouth North are seeded in the fast heat as well. Both athletes have already run PRs this season and will look to continue that trend on Sunday.
Boys and Girls Shot Put
If throwing events are your preferred competition than Sunday will be a treat. The girls shot is set for great battle between two of the Bay State’s top returners. Auburn’s Isabelle Zukoski and Melrose’s Emiline Boyer are the #3 and 5 returners from last season. Zukowski has already set a PR this season, throwing 37’9.5” at the Winter Festival. Boyer enters with a season record of 37’.0.25”, but tossed a massive PR outdoors of 38’9.25 for runner up honors at the Meet of Champions. These two can raise the competition level of the field and hopefully push each to new distances.
Hopedale’s Ari Levine enters this season as the heir apparent in the boys shot put. Levine is the top returner from last year and already holds the state’s best mark. He launched a season record, and Indoor PR of 58’9.25”, at the Beantown Winter Classic. This weekend he will also be competing at the Holiday Challenge. Competing on back-to-back days, Levine clearly means business and will have his sights set on the 60-foot barrier.
Boys 300m
The Boys 300m features eight runners seeded under 37 seconds. As of this writing, the Bay State has seen five runners crack the 36 second mark, and we expect more to join them this weekend. Sunday will feature two sprinters that have already come within a hair of the benchmark. #1 Seed, Taran Lerra of Acton-Boxborough, has already run 36.05 this season, almost a full second faster than his best from last season. He’ll be joined by Littleton’s Seiji Friedman, who has had similar results thus far this season. Friedman has run 36.09, over a full second faster than his best from last season. The Track at New Balance is fast, so keep an eye on the clock as these two speedsters seize the opportunity.
Girls Mile
The girl’s mile field is set with nine runners seeded between 5:10 and 5:20. Distance powerhouse LaSalle Academy of Rhode Island will be in the house and has three runners seeded under 5:20, including Alyssa Parenteau at 5:10. The top Massachusetts seed is Maggie Joyce of Minnechaug. She comes in with a best of 5:15.27 from the spring. Given the competition, she’ll have a great opportunity to best that. The current state lead is 5:10.28 held by Meghan McEleney of Groton Dunstable. Freshmen Lucy Downin of Holliston enters with a PR of 5:20.68 from a Tri Valley League Meet. Last time we saw her she was finishing third at the Meet of Champions in the Division 2 race at Fort Devens in XC. The week before she won the Division 2B race. Could she upset the field here?
Boys 1000m
The top seed in the Boys 1000m is Sam Ryland of Xavier, NY at 2:33. He’s already run 4:21 for the mile this season, so he has the potential to bring the field along to some fast times. Seeded back at 2:40 is Brian Peters of Bridgewater Raynham. While it’s early in the season, that’s conservative for him. Peters is the #4 returner at 1000m with his PR of 2:34.52 from last season, and he’s coming off a strong XC season. Dylan Monteiro of Plymouth North enters the meet with a PR of 2:38.91 from a Patriot League Meet. Monteiro holds a PR of 1:56.64 in the 800m so he should be capable of more in the 1000m. Between the two of them, Peters and Monteiro should represent the Bay State well and hopefully give Ryland a run for his money.
