MIAA Division 4 Championship Preview

MIAA Division 4 Championship-Boys

Site/Time: Bridgewater State University Thursday 5/28 3:00PM, Saturday 5/30 2:30PM

Teams: Agawam, Barnstable, Blackstone Valley Reg Voc/Tech, Boston Latin Academy,
Bristol-Plymouth Reg Voc Tech, Canton, Chicopee Comprehensive, Dartmouth, Doherty
Memorial, Greater Lowell Tech, Greater New Bedford RVT, Hingham, King Philip Regional,
Longmeadow, Lynn Classical, Malden Catholic, Mansfield, Marshfield, Masconomet Regional,
Melrose, Milford, Milton, Minnechaug Reg, Montachusett Reg Voc Tech, North (Worcester),
North Attleborough, O’Bryant, Oliver Ames, Plymouth South, Putnam Voc/Tech, Reading
Memorial, Sharon, Shawsheen Valley Tech, Shepherd Hill Reg, Silver Lake Regional, Somerset
Berkley Regional, Somerville, South High Community, Southeastern Reg. Voc/Tech, Springfield
HS of Science & Technology, Stoughton, Walpole, West Springfield, Whitman-Hanson Regional,
Whittier Regional Voc Tech, Worcester Technical.

Events to Watch: Mile: Mohoric vs Gartner. Newburyport’s Michael Mohoric completely reset the distance hierarchy in Massachusetts when he stunned the crowd at the BSR Elite mile with a 4:05 performance. Since then he soloed a 9:01 Two Mile at his league meet. The closest runner to him at BSR? Silas Gartner in 4:08. The Falmouth Senior is the only other MA runner under 4:10. As luck would have it their both in the same division and are both running the mile this week. Gartner is also entered in the Two Mile, and Mohoric will be running the 800m as well as a relay, as he helps his team chase the overall title. 400mH: Another Newburyport athlete will look to star in the 400m Hurdles. With a best of 55.74, Kyle Lisauskas leads a field with 4 under 57 and 11 under 60. On his heels will be Alec Piepergerdes, 56.23, of Westfield, Evan Buonopane-Cohen, 56.37, of Wakefield, and Colin Hart, 56.48, of Marblehead. Lisauskas is also the top seed in 110m Hurdles. Long Jump: Like Mohoric, Wakefield’s JaMauri Belmer reset the rankings, and almost the record books, when he tied the state record of 24’11” at the Middlesex League Championships. He leads the long jump field, as well as the Triple Jump and High Jump. 30 Points is a lot to ask of one athlete, but if anyone can do it, it’s Belmer. Shot Put: Westwood Junior Morghan Cox will battle Pembroke’s Nick McCarthy. Cox has a best of 54’1″ this season, while McCarthy, who won Division 4 Indoors, has thrown 53’3″. Cox is also the top seed in the discus. 400m: The top three seeds have all cracked 50 seconds this season. Westwood’s Jayden Pillard leads the way at 49.47. Pillard was runner up indoors at 300m in Division 3. Joshua Moret of Ludlow was runner up in the same event in Division 4 and has run 49.60. Watch out for Amherst-Pelham’s Owen Platt, who has more of strength background, focusing on the 600m indoors and even running the 4x800m.

Team Outlook: This should be a great battle between Newburyport and Wakefield. Both teams are deep and also have a lot of star power to balance them out. Make sure you stick around for the 4x400m. Westwood, Newburyport, Wakefield, and Amherst-Pelham are all seeded between 3:27-3:28.

MIAA Division 4 Championship-Girls

Events to Watch: 400m: This one may be one of the best of the weekend. Up front the race features State #2 Ololara Baptiste of Amherst-Pelham with a PR of 55.89. While she’s the presumptive favorite, the race for second is up for grabs. 13 girls are entered under 60 seconds and four under 59. Baptiste’s teammate Ella Austin has run 58.48. Bedford Middle Distance star Zadie Buckley has run 58.56, and Patriot League Champion, Riley Earle of Duxbury, has run 58.84. Shot Put and Discus: State #1 Isabel Zukowski of Auburn will be throwing today. She’s thrown an outdoor best of 42’3.25″ this season. Zukowski is also the #2 seed in the Discus behind Holliston’s Reis Pirelli at 121’11. Both girls are top ten in the state. 800m: Holliston’s Lucy Downin is the top seed at 2:14.58, but the 4:52 miler could be capable of faster. She may need too with Groton-Dunstable’s Meghan McEleney. She’s seeded at 2:21, but the talented senior ran 2:14.90 at the BSR meet setting up a great showdown. Sophia Warnetski of Ashland is the #2 seed at 2:17.35 with a total of five girls under 2:20 here. Downin and McEleney will also feature in the mile as well. 200m: Bedford Freshmen Maya Iorgulescu will look to steal the show. She’s the top seed at 25.24 from a dual meet at against Boston Latin. She’ll have her work cut out for her with Foxborough’s Lauren Bober. She’s run a state #9 25.44 this season and is also the top seed in the 100m at 11.94. 400m star Ololara Baptiste is also in the field with a best of 25.50. In total nine girls are entered under 26. 400mH: The long hurdles will feature state #2 Sazie Wrentmore of Wayland. She’s run 1:02.18 and was the Division 4 600m champion indoors. 4x400m: Like the boys field, the girls final event will be fantastic as well. Duxbury enter’s as the top seed at 4:01.52 and based off their depth at 400m, they’re capable of sub four. Bedford and Amherst-Pelham are seeded between 4:02 and 4:03.

Team Outlook: The 4x400m matters because all three teams should be in it for the title. Bedford and Duxbury finished third and fourth indoors in Division 3, and Bedford won the D4 Relays.