New name, same momentum.
The fourth annual BSR Eagle Invite – formerly the Mid-Distance Classic – returns Friday at St. John’s Prep, drawing more than 600 entries.
The meet, which will be live-streamed by Bay State Running, features several intriguing matchups.
Beginning with the boys’ events, the sprints include a rematch of the 100-meter dash from the Catholic Conference Jamboree two weeks ago at Boston College High. The top three finishers from the April 10 meet — St. John’s Prep’s Dayvlan Sullivan (10.77), BC High’s Mikey Frost (10.78), and St. John’s Prep’s Ahmir Hykel (10.91) — are all scheduled to compete, along with SJP’s Andrew McMahon (10.87).
All four are also entered in the 200m, with Frost leading the group at 21.87 from the Jamboree. The others, along with St. John’s Prep’s Ethan Stefanovich, have posted times between 22.10 and 22.40.
Frequent competitor La Salle Academy (RI) will be without several of its top athletes, who are competing this weekend at the Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia. Still, the Rams bring enough depth to contend for multiple titles.
The last three years, the 400m has been won by La Salle’s Garrett Giroux Pezzullo. The senior standout is at Penn and will miss this year’s event. Teammate Brad LaForest will look to continue the tradition – and possibly dip under 50 seconds for the first time in his career. LaForest is the No. 1 seed at 50.90, with five other entrants seeded under 53 seconds, including BC High’s Naol Adugna (51.31) and Pentucket’s Gabe MacLeod (52.00).
The 800m features three runners who have broken the two-minute barrier, setting up what should be a race decided in the final meters. Xaverian Brothers’ Jack Weintraub is the top seed with a PR of 1:57.06 from the Rising Stars Youth Championships on March 7. A week later, he clocked 1:57.43 at New Balance Nationals. Joining him is teammate and Division 1 indoor 1,000m champion Marco Petrino (1:57.40), along with Newburyport’s Michael Mohoric (1:57.61).
In the mile, the top four seeds are under 4:30. St. John’s Prep’s Henry McDonnell leads the field at 4:22.00, though the junior has run faster, posting a PR of 4:17.72 to place fifth at the Division 1 Championships this past winter. Teammate Mateo DeOrio is the No. 2 seed at 4:24, followed by Saint Raphael Academy’s Joseph McFarland (4:27.0) and Marshfield’s Tucker McNamee (4:28.0). Seven more entrants are seeded under 4:35.
On the girls’ side, St. Raphael sophomore Francesca Justin enters is the top seed in both sprint events with times of 12.50 (100m) and 24.99 (200m). Her top challenger in the 100m is Essex North’s Nyla Palmer, the only other runner seeded under 13 seconds at 12.93. Palmer is also ranked No. 2 in the 200m at 26.75.
Like the boys’ race, the girls’ 400m could produce another La Salle champion. The Rams hold the top three seeds with a young trio – sophomore Olivia Tucker (59.80), freshman Lena Reilly (1:01.90), and sophomore Torri Charello-Ingegneri (1:02.20).
Defending champion Susan Wisniewski of Pentucket will look to repeat in the 800m. On paper, she holds a clear edge with a PR of 2:18.11 from her fifth-place finish at last spring’s Division 5 Championships. Masconomet’s Savannah Stevens is the No. 2 seed at 2:22.29.
In last year’s mile, just 0.09 seconds separated the top two finishers, with Bromfield’s Evelyn Wool edging St. Raphael’s MacKenzie Lickert in 5:10.91. A similarly close finish could be in store Friday. Lickert returns with a best of 5:11.0, while Bishop Feehan’s Sophia Shaw leads the field at 5:10.0. Bay View Academy’s Jackie Mattos (RI) is seeded third at 5:13.0.
The 400m hurdles could also produce a tight finish, with La Salle’s Jillian Lewis (1:09.50) and Milia Miller (1:10.0) holding the top two seeds, and Beverly’s Grace Corbett close behind at 1:12.12.
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The Pentathlon kicks off the meet at 9 a.m. The remaining track events and the shot start at 3 p.m.
SCHEDULE
Pentathlon – 9 a.m.
Running Events – 3 p.m.
Girls’ 400m IH
Boys’ 400m IH
GIrls’ 100m
Boys’ 100m
Girls’ 400m
Boys’ 400m
Girls’ 800m
Boys’ 800m
Girls’ 200m
Boys’ 200m
Girls’ Mile
Boys’ Mile
Boys’ 4x400m
Girls’ 4x400m
Field Events – 4 p.m.
Boys Shot
Girls’ Shot
