It’s common for runners to achieve PR performances when matched up against elite competition. It comes with the territory.
But a 10-second personal best? In the mile, that’s almost unheard of.
Try telling that to Michael Mohoric.
A late entry into the invite-only seeded mile at Friday’s BSR Elite Scholastic Meet, the Newburyport senior left little doubt he belonged on the starting line. Taking control not long into the race, Mohoric delivered an absolutely dominant performance before a sizable crowd at UMass-Lowell’s Cushing Field.
The Clipper standout didn’t just break the existing meet record – he shattered it, clocking a winning time of 4:05.77. His effort erased the previous mark of 4:07.60, set in the meet’s inaugural year in 2023 by former Saint Raphael Academy standout Devan Kipyego.
Even more impressive, Mohoric’s time was more than 10 seconds faster than his previous personal best of 4:15.46, which he ran while placing third at the Meet of Champions this past winter.
“I had absolutely no idea I could run that fast,” Mohoric said. “Everyone in this field is super elite. We were all going for sub-4:10. I felt really good and just went for it. I had nothing to lose. I felt awesome.”
The Newburyport standout wasn’t the only runner to break 4:10 under nearly perfect conditions, with early drizzles giving way to cool, 70-degree temperatures by race time. Falmouth’s Silas Gartner, who was chasing Mohoric down the backstretch of the final lap, also delivered a breakthrough performance with a four-second best of 4:08.70.
Twelve of the 14 runners in the field finished under 4:17.
With the aid of a pacer through the first two laps, Mohoric took control from the outset. He hit his opening 400-meter split in just under 62 seconds and came through 800 meters in slightly over 2:03.
Mohoric made a bold surge with about 600m remaining, creating separation on the stretched-out field. Only Gartner was able to pose any kind of threat on the final lap, but the MIT commit answered with a powerful closing sprint over the final 100m.
Mohoric admitted afterward that he felt completely prepared for the performance he delivered at the nighttime meet.
“My coach is excellent, and we work together super well,” he said. “He gives me amazing training. Overall, I wanted this really bad. I worked really hard for it, and I’m really, really happy about it.”
Finishing third was David Hayes of Bishop Hendricken High School, who lowered his previous mile best by six seconds with a time of 4:10.48. Mohoric, Gartner and Hayes all broke 60 seconds on their final laps, with the Hawks senior closing fastest at 58.81.
Also clocking sub 4:15 performances for the Bay State were Brookline’s Theodore Butty (4:12.93), Natick’s John Bianchi (4:12.93) and Billerica’s Shane Leslie (4:14.38), who took the eighth through tenth positions.
As expected, top seeds Alexis Paterna of Exeter (NH) and Chase Gilbert of Lyme-Old Lyme (CT) turned the girls mile into a two-runner race. Running stride for stride, Paterna led the duo through an opening 800 meters in 2:22, five seconds ahead of the chase pack.
Gilbert, the indoor mile champion this past winter at the CIAC State Open, took over with about 600m remaining and held on for the win in a personal-best 4:46.80. Paterna crossed the line in 4:47.49.
With a breakthrough performance, Lauren Raffetto of Canton placed third with a huge PR of 4:50.34. Her previous best of 5:06.53 came at the MSTCA Invitational & Pentathlon on April 24.
Freshman Lucy Downin of Holliston was sixth with an all-time best of 4:52.37. Her time currently ranks No. 4 nationally among ninth-graders.
All seven Massachusetts entrants broke five minutes, led by Billerica’s Kylie Donahue, who placed eighth in 4:53.24. Also under five minutes were Billerica’s Evelyn Wesling (ninth, 4:54.49), Concord-Carlisle’s Maria Chopas (10th, 4:54.68), Needham’s Greta Hammer (12th, 4:55.45) and Westford Academy’s Emily Wedlake (13th, 4:55.77).
Abby Hennessy of Westford Academy continued her strong season by winning the 800m in a PR of 2:07.15. Hennessy was in contention from the start and took a lead she would not relinquish around the 300mark.
Coming down the homestretch, the University of Washington signee held off a strong late charge from Mikita Barry of Bedford (NH), who finished second in 2:07.49.
Rounding out the top five were Lexington’s Amelia Whorton (third, 2:09.28), Connecticut’s Sarah Roberts of Mercy High School (fourth, 2:09.63) and Needham’s Madison Roach (fifth, 2:12.81).
“I was pretty disappointed I wasn’t able to come away with a bigger PR. I’m capable of a lot more, especially with how good the weather was,” Hennessy said. “I was really hoping to leave it all out there on the track. I had a lot more left in the tank. I feel like I could go out there and race it again right now.”
Brookline’s Harry Flint also came out on top in a close boys’ 800m race with a best of 1:52.71. Flint led the pack through an opening 400m of 54 seconds. He lost the lead briefly over the last 300m only to regain it when it counted a strong spurt the last 30m of the race. The Warriors senior finished just 0.05 seconds ahead of Joe Gustavson of Pinkerton (NH). Arlington’s Nico Puekert was third with a near best of 1:53.15.
In the girls’ 400m, Natick’s Chloe Elder came out on top with a fast, early-season time of 54.71. No. 2 seed, Lauren Kropo of Naugatuck was second in 55.43. Placing third at 57.90 was Central Catholic freshman Avery Strickler.
Reading’s Ryan Pulpi took runner-up honors in the boys’ 400m with a PR of 47.31. It was his first time breaking the 48-second barrier. Pulpi’s previous best was 48.08.
