MIAA Division 6 Championship – Boys
Site/Time: Westfield State University – Thursday, 3 p.m., Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Schools: Abby Kelley Foster Regional Charter, Abington, Academy of the Pacific Rim, Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter, Amesbury, Athol, Atlantis Charter, Ayer Shirley Regional, Bartlett, Baystate Academy Charter, Blackstone-Millville Regional, Boston Collegiate Charter, Boston Preparatory Charter, Bourne, Brighton, Bromfield, Brooke Charter Mattapan, Calvary Chapel Academy, Carver Middle/High, Charlestown, Clinton, Codman Academy, Cohasset, Community Charter of Cambridge, David Prouty, Dearborn STEM Academy, Douglas, East Boston, East Bridgewater Jr/Sr, Easthampton, Edward M. Kennedy Academy, Excel, Excel Academy Charter, Franklin County Tech, Frontier Regional, Gardner, Green Academy, Greenfield, Hamilton-Wenham Regional, Hampden Charter School of Science, Hampshire Regional Middle/High, Holbrook Middle-High, Hoosac Valley Middle/High, Hopedale Jr/Sr, Hull, Innovation Academy, Ipswich, John J. Duggan Academy, Keefe Technical, KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate, Leicester, Lenox Memorial Middle & High, Littleton, Lunenburg, Mahar Regional, Mashpee Middle/High, Match, Maynard, Millbury Memorial, Millis, Mohawk Trail, Monomoy Regional, Monson, Monument Mountain Regional, Mount Everett Regional, Mt. Greylock Regional, Murdock, Mystic Valley Regional Charter, Narragansett Regional, Nashoba Valley Technical, Neighborhood House Charter, New Heights Charter, New Mission, Northbridge, Oxford, Palmer, Parker Charter Essential, Pioneer Charter, Pioneer Charter II, Pioneer Valley Regional, Prospect Hill Academy, Quaboag Regional Middle/High, Randolph, Rockland, Rockport, Roxbury Prep, Salem Academy Charter, Sandwich, Seekonk, Snowden International, South Hadley, South Shore Charter, Southbridge, Southwick Regional, Springfield International Charter, Sturgis Charter West, Sutton, Tahanto Regional Middle/High, Tech Boston Academy, Turners Falls, Tyngsborough, University Park Campus, Uxbridge, Wahconah Regional, Wareham, West Bridgewater Mid/Sr.
Top Events To Watch: The sprint events include one of our state’s best with Sean Blaze entered in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. The Clinton senior is the top seed in both events with a state-leading 10.57 seconds for the 100m and ranks No. 3 in the 200m at 21.91. In the short sprint, Blaze will face a field that has seven other sprinters under 11 seconds, including No. 2 seed Alex Bermudez of Southbridge with a time of 10.72. His top competition in the half-lapper appears to be Abington teammates Nazie Paulding (22.14) and Nathan Calcano Da Silva (22.24)…Look for Calcano Da Silva’s twin brother Aiden to generate excitement in the hurdle events, particularly the 400m IH where he’ll be chasing the one-year-old state record of 51.72, set by former Westford Academy standout Ryan Kyle. The Abington senior ran an all-time best of 52.37 to capture the individual title at the MSTCA Coaches Shore Invitational. He’s the overwhelming favorite with a time that is four seconds faster than his closest rival. In the 110m HH, the talented hurdler comes in with a best of 14.54. His top challenger is Narragansett Regional’s Jordan Baumann at 14.97...The twin brothers are also part of what could be a very competitive 400m race. Aiden is the clear-cut favorite with a seed of 48.20. Right behind him are eight other quarter-milers that have broken 51 seconds! The next two seeds are Lunenburg’s Matthew Agnese (50.12) and Nathan Calcano Da Silva (50.21)…The shot features Cohasset’s C, who is No. 1 in the state this spring with a season best of 62-8.75, just 1.5 inches farther than indoor state titlist Mitchell Callender of Oliver Ames. Askjaer will have some competition during Saturday’s competition. The No. 2 seed is Hopedale’s Ari Levine with a season best of 58-6.75 from the Division 6 Relays...Askjaer and Levine should be battling it out in the discus, too. The talented duo rank Nos. 1 and 2 in the state with distances of 180-5 and 173-11, respectively…The high jump includes the state No. 2 and No. 3 leapers with Millbury’s Jayden Delaleu (6-9) and Wahconah Regional’s Cooper Calvert set to compete…Monument Mountain’s Siddy Culbreth leads the field in the triple jump with a seed of 48-8, currently No. 2 in the state.
Team Outlook: With the ability to score the bulk of its points in the sprints, hurdles and relays, Abington appears primed to win the team title on Saturday. Ayer-Shirley, Monument Mountain and Clinton could be fighting for the other top spots on the podium.
***
MIAA Division 6 Championship – Girls
Site/Time: Westfield State University – Thursday, 3 p.m., Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Schools: Abby Kelley Foster Regional Charter, Abington, Academy of the Pacific Rim, Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter, Amesbury, Athol, Atlantis Charter, Ayer Shirley Regional, Bartlett, Baystate Academy Charter, Blackstone-Millville Regional, Boston Collegiate Charter, Boston Preparatory Charter, Bourne, Brighton, Bromfield, Brooke Charter Mattapan, Calvary Chapel Academy, Carver Middle/High, Charlestown, Clinton, Codman Academy, Cohasset, Community Charter of Cambridge, David Prouty, Dearborn STEM Academy, Douglas, East Boston, East Bridgewater Jr/Sr, Easthampton, Edward M. Kennedy Academy, Excel, Excel Academy Charter, Franklin County Tech, Frontier Regional, Gardner, Green Academy, Greenfield, Hamilton-Wenham Regional, Hampden Charter School of Science, Hampshire Regional Middle/High, Holbrook Middle-High, Hoosac Valley Middle/High, Hopedale Jr/Sr, Hull, Innovation Academy, Ipswich, John J. Duggan Academy, Keefe Technical, KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate, Leicester, Lenox Memorial Middle & High, Littleton, Lunenburg, Mahar Regional, Mashpee Middle/High, Match, Maynard, Millbury Memorial, Millis, Mohawk Trail, Monomoy Regional, Monson, Monument Mountain Regional, Mount Everett Regional, Mt. Greylock Regional, Murdock, Mystic Valley Regional Charter, Narragansett Regional, Nashoba Valley Technical, Neighborhood House Charter, New Heights Charter, New Mission, Northbridge, Oxford, Palmer, Parker Charter Essential, Pioneer Charter, Pioneer Charter II, Pioneer Valley Regional, Prospect Hill Academy, Quaboag Regional Middle/High, Randolph, Rockland, Rockport, Roxbury Prep, Salem Academy Charter, Sandwich, Seekonk, Snowden International, South Hadley, South Shore Charter, Southbridge, Southwick Regional, Springfield International Charter, Sturgis Charter West, Sutton, Tahanto Regional Middle/High, Tech Boston Academy, Turners Falls, Tyngsborough, University Park Campus, Uxbridge, Wahconah Regional, Wareham, West Bridgewater Mid/Sr.
Top Events To Watch: The 100m is a race that could certainly be decided by a lean at the finish. It features three freshmen among the top five seeds. The top seed is David Prouty frosh Zoe Barnett with a time of 12.28. The next four seeds are Hampden Charter ninth-grader Omo Oratokahai (12.34), Neighborhood House Charter’s RaAnah Crawford (12.34), Seekonk’s Julianna Dutra (12.41) and Ayer Shirley freshman Roxanne McKenzie…Barnett and senior Olive McCann of Seekonk lead five 17-footers in the long jump. Barnett has a best of 17-9.5 with McCann at 17-8…The mile shapes up as one of the most competitive races of the meet with several athletes capable of taking home the title. Seekonk’s Hayden Robinson holds the top seed with a time of 5:09.64. Parker Charter’s Evelyn McKenna, an eighth-grader, is No. 2 with a best of 5:10.54. Other runners that could contend for the title are Sturgis Charter West’s Tallulah Clifford (5:11.44), Carver’s Hazel Butterworth (5:11.52), Sutton’s Annabellla Lamoreaux (5:12.17) and a few others…The high jump features the state’s No. 2 leaper with Tyngsborough’s Savannah Jansson leading the way with a best of 5-6. She’ll have some strong competition, particularly Littleton’s Bridgit Stevens (5-5) and Atlantis Charter’s Abigail Pineau (5-4)…Perhaps a 12-footer in the pole vault? It could happen. This event features the state’s top two vaulters – Parker Charter’s Kinsley Kline (11-9) and Ipswich’s Kameya Perron (11-7.25).
Team Outlook: Based on its depth, Douglas is the clear-cut favorite to take home the plaque. The Tigers have the ability to score more than a 100 points. Mount Greylock and Seekonk are among teams that should be vying for runner-up honors.
