The MSTCA Division State Relays have arrived.
A majority of coaches will agree that this weekend’s meets represent a true team champion; where depth and talent play a more important role than next month’s championship meets. Throughout this week, we’ll provide a capsule of all five divisions. Who are the teams that will be facing each other this weekend and what are some of the top events and athletes that will be competing in their respective divisions?We’ll have it here. Below we feature the Division 4 State Relays, which will be held on Saturday at Reggie Lewis, beginning at 3 p.m.
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Division 4 State Relays – Girls
Day/Time: Saturday at 3 p.m.
Teams: Amherst-Pelham, Apponequet, Archbishop Williams, Arlington Catholic, Auburn, Bishop Fenwick, Bishop Stang, Cardinal Spellman, Chicopee, Cristo Rey Boston, Danvers, Dedham, Dover-Sherborn, Dracut, East Longmeadow, Falmouth, Fitchburg, Fontbonne, Foxborough, Gloucester, Greater Lawrence Tech, Groton-Dunstable, Hanover, Holliston, Holyoke, Lowell Catholic, Ludlow, Lynn Vocational Tech, Madison Park Tech, Marlborough, Medfield, Middleboro, Montachusett Tech, Nashoba, Nauset, Newburyport
Athletes & Events To Watch: Amherst-Pelham enters the Distance Medley Relay as the top seed at 12:27.0, a time that would put the Pirates comfortably under the New Balance Nationals qualifying standard. Lofty goal or the real deal? We’ll find out Saturday from a program that consistently produces a strong middle- and long-distance core—three-quarters of what makes a great DMR. Holliston, another school known for its long-range strength, sits as the No. 2 seed at 12:59, with always-strong Wakefield close behind at 13:00. Don’t overlook Whitinsville Christian, either. The Crusaders come in seeded at 13:25, a mark we expect they’ll significantly improve upon this weekend. Their lineup is bookended by the talented Flagg sisters, Abby and Emily, who should combine for 8:50 or faster across the 1,200m and 1,600m legs. With that kind of firepower, this is a foursome capable of running in the 12:30–12:40 range….The Sprint Medley Relay brings back the first- and third-place finishers from last weekend’s Northeast Invitational in Weston and Amherst-Pelham. Weston comes in with momentum after earning a New Balance Nationals qualifying mark, posting a state No. 2 time of 4:19.02 in a commanding victory. Amherst-Pelham finished four seconds shy of the 4:21.0 standard, running a season best of 4:24.99. Expect the Pirates to be hunting that mark this weekend—a pursuit that has the potential to turn this race into a tight battle down the stretch…Amherst-Pelham, a team very much in the mix to win Saturday’s meet, could pick up 10 crucial points in the long jump relay, where it enters as the top seed. The meet record of 49-04.5, set by North Reading in 2023, is also well within reach. Based on best marks from their trio of Tansy Warwick (15-7.5), Claire Fortin (17-3), and Juliana Albo (17-6.75), the Pirates could push beyond 50 feet if all three are at their best. That said, keep an eye on Nashoba Regional. The Wolves counter with Aubrey Christian (15-1.25), Lucy Rein (17-3), and Ella Kerr (17-0)—a lineup that’s capable of landing in the 49-foot range when clicking.
Division 4 State Relays – Boys
Day/Time: Saturday at 3 p.m.
Teams: Amherst-Pelham, Apponequet, Archbishop Williahs, Arlington Catholic, Auburn, Bishop Fenwick, Bishop Stang, Cardinal Spellman, Chicopee, Cristo Rey Boston, Danvers, Dedham, Dover-Sherborn, Dracut, East Longmeadow, Falmouth, Fitchburg, Fontbonne, Foxborough, Gloucester, Greater Lawrence Tech, Groton-Dunstable, Hanover, Holliston, Holyoke, Lowell Catholic, Ludlow, Lynn Vocational Tech, Madison Park Tech, Marlborough, Medfield, Middleboro, Montachusett Tech, Nashoba, Nauset, Newburyport
Athletes & Events To Watch: The meet record of 60–10 could be in serious jeopardy in the long jump relay. On paper, top seed Wakefield Memorial appears capable of reaching the 63- to 64-foot range behind a talented trio of JaMauri Belmer (23-6.75), Michael Mititchev (19-9.5) and Aidan Jones (21-0.5). Belmer, whose best leap came at last spring’s Division 4 Championships, currently ranks sixth in the state with a mark of 22-0.75…The SMR could also provide plenty of excitement, with at least two teams potentially dipping under the New Balance Nationals qualifying standard of 3:39.0. Middleboro (3:38.52) and Weston (3:39.16) have already met or come close to the standard, while Norton (3:40.17) and Gloucester (3:41.0) are also in striking distance in what shapes up as a race that could come down to the wire.
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