Three performances cracked the top 10 national list for boys. A freshman phenom stormed to a state-leading time and nation-No. 3 ranking among ninth-graders in the 300-meter dash. Add in three teammates soaring beyond 23 feet in the long jump and a pair of 55m finals decided by nothing more than a perfectly-timed lean, and you begin to grasp the show put on for spectators at Saturday’s MSTCA Coaches Invitational.
Simply put, it was that good.
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McGrath Turns Preview Prediction Into Reality
In our preview leading up to this weekend’s meet at Reggie Lewis, we noted that former Oliver Ames standout Andy Powell’s meet record of 9 minutes, 6.54 seconds for the two mile run could be in jeopardy.
Boston College High’s Greg McGrath proved us right.
The Eagles’ talented senior was all in from the start, cruising to a PR and nation No. 2 time of 9:02.95. Finishing a distant second was Hopkinton’s Sean Finnegan with a best of 9:17.54. Early in the race, McGrath was locked in a tight battle with Falmouth’s Silas Gartner (fourth, 9:20.38), with the two sharing pacing duties through the opening stages. That partnership lasted roughly 800 meters before McGrath surged to the front for good, closing with strong negative splits over the final mile to better his previous record by more than three seconds.
The BC High standout was competing in his first all-out race of the indoor season. It was something that was planned from the start of the winter campaign.
“We are changing up training,” he said. “I am not racing a lot early. Really just a few big races on the calendar. This one, divisional states, nationals. Just seeing what I can do later in the season.”
A few of his goals later in the season include an individual crown at the Meet of Champions and a possible assault on the state 2M record.
“I’ll put in out there. I was thinking of 8:48 state record,” McGrath said. “That’s going to be tough but I think if I get into nationals in a loaded heat, it’s possible.”
The current indoor two-miler record is 8:49.60 by Hall-of-Famer Franklin Sanchez of the now-defunct Lynn Vocational for the 1999 All State Meet.
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Diagne’s Rapid Rise Continues In The 300m
She ran the first race of her track career just over a month ago at a Great Boston League meet on Dec. 12. It would be safe to say that there’s a bright future ahead for Malden freshman Khadijah Diagne.
The soccer player turned sprinter captured the 300m with a head-turning 38.60. Diagne held off senior Chloe Elder down the stretch with the Natick speedster clocking a lifetime best of 39.01 for second.
Competing in just her fifth meet of the season, Diagne is already setting her sights high, perhaps a state record in the not-so-distance future. That mark is 37.44, set 40 years ago by Boston Tech’s Tasha Downing.
“I think realistically by the end of the season, maybe like a 38 (second) low,” she said. “If I don’t break the state record this year, hopefully in years to come.”
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Photo Finish In Girls’ 55m
Diagne also competed in a highly competitive 55-meter dash that saw the top three finishers separated by just five hundredths of a second. She placed third behind Lauren Quarm and Sharon’s Nini Kyei-Aboagye.
In their first meeting since Kyei-Aboagye edged her rival in the 100 meters at last spring’s Meet of Champions, Quarm kept her unbeaten streak intact this season with a winning time of 7.10. Kyei-Aboagye followed with a personal-best 7.11, while Diagne crossed the line in 7.15, also a PR.
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Sweep Success For Pulpi In Sprints
The margin of victory in the short dash was just as tight for the boys.
The state’s No. 2 and No. 3 ranked sprinters, Reading’s Ryan Pulpi and Clinton’s Sean Blaze, delivered an exciting finish, with Pulpi crossing the line just a hundredth of a second ahead, at 6.46. Essek North’s Mikalo Bey finished third in 6.51.
Pulpi, the state leader in the 300m, added a second gold to his day by claiming individual honors in his specialty with a meet record of 34.44. He held off Catholic Memorial’s Jameson Booker, who also ran under 35 seconds with a personal best of 34.73.
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Final-Round Drama Decides Boys’ Shot
You couldn’t ask for more in the boys’ shot. An expected battle between Hopedale’s Ari Levine and state-leader Mitchell Callender of Oliver Ames came down to the final throw with Levine coming through with the clincher on his six attempt, a PR of 62-3.5, just a half inch further than Callender.
“I’ve always been a big closer at meets. I thrive around five and six (attempts),” Levine said. “I knew I still had it in me even though he pulled ahead on his second to last throw. I put it together in the final round with a huge clap from the crowd.”
The Hopedale shot-putter moved up to No. 8 in the national rankings, Callender currently is at No. 7 with his state best of 62-7.25 from a Hockomock League meet on Jan. 15.
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A Long Jump Sweep For The Ages
We’re fairly confident it’s a feat that has never been accomplished in the state—and we know for certain it’s something that hasn’t been done anywhere in the country this year.
The Catholic Memorial trio of Amar Skeete, Jelani Semper, and Booker swept the top three spots in the long jump, combining for an astonishing 70 feet, 11 inches!
The historic sweep was fueled by PR performances of 24-3 by Skeete, 23-7.5 from Semper, and 23-0.5 by Booker. All three surpassed the previous meet record of 22-11.25, set in 2024 by Mansfield’s Chamberlain Guthrie.
Skeete’s winning leap moved him to No. 4 in the national rankings, just five inches shy of national leader Joseph West III of Round Rock Stony Point (TX), who jumped 24-8 at the recent VA Showcase.
