THE NRHS boys’ track team had an historic finish at the Div. 4 state relay championship, finishing as the runner-up to CAL rival Newburyport. (NRHS boys’ track Photo)
BOSTON — The North Reading boys’ indoor track team knew they would have to step up to compete with defending state relay champion Newburyport at the state relay championship. They answered the call in spades.
The Hornets placed first in two events with brand new school records, a second all time effort in another event and finished the meet with 34 total points, which was enough to place second overall in the state for the meet to back to back state Champion Newburyport, who scored 42 points.
“Everyone stepped up today across the board,” said Hornets Head Coach Ryan Spinney. “We had a very historic day for the program and to place second in the state for our division is a testament to our team depth and dedication to being the best we can be.”
The historic day began with a 3rd place finish in the 4 x 50 Yard Shuttle Hurdles as Jacob Duval, Nico Johnson, Kaio Pancini and Torin Nickerson ran a solid time of 29.54 for the event. The 4 x 50 Yard Dash team of Caleb Sands, Tanner DuPriest, Seth Evans and Ryan McGuire took 6th overall in a time of 23.05, which was outstanding in an extremely competitive field.
“Our hurdle and dash squads set a very solid tone for our team today,” said Spinney. “There was no doubt they gave it all they could and others would have to do the same for us to be in the mix for the team title.”
The 4 x 200 Meter “A” team took it to the next level as they not only crushed their school record time by nearly .5 seconds, they also took home first place in the event with their time of 1:32.84. The team of Sands, McGuire, Brodie Mann and Nathan Miller, lit up the track with their efforts and also rewrote the record books for the second time this season.
“Absolutely amazing to watch this team improve each meet,” said Spinney. “Our handoffs were much improved and the time dropped significantly across the board. This group is one that doesn’t come around all the time.”
The other champion relay squad for the Hornets was the Long Jump Relay squad of Miller, DuPriest and McGuire as they crushed the school record by 3 feet and won the event rather handily with their total jumps of 59′ 6.25″.
“Nate, Tanner and Ryan all had a great day at the long jump. Nathan took home the win in the event and Tanner especially shined with his huge personal best in the event and that put us over the top. He keeps getting better and better,” said Spinney.
The 4 x 400 Meter Relay team of Mann, Michael Hemme, Logan Lamont and Miller also had a historic day as they placed 3rd overall in the event and in the process, ran the 2nd fastest 4 x 400 Meter Relay time in NRHS history with a 3:37.21.
“All four of those guys ran their hearts out in the relay tonight,” said Spinney. “Each one ran incredible splits and did not let up until the baton was out of their hands. You can’t ask for anything more than that out of any athlete.”
The Sprint Medley team of Lucas Do Val, DuPriest, Lamont and Hemme scooped up a 6th place effort to pick up a point in the event for the Hornets with their 3:55.62 time. The Hornets also received strong efforts from their 4 x 800 Meter Relay composed of Nicholas Fabrizio, Christian DaCosta, Liam Rodger and Rocco Tammaro who ran a season best 9:29.23 to finish 16th in the event. The 4 x 200 Meter B team of Otto Indelicato, Pancini, Do Val and Evans took 17th with their time of 1:40.69. The 4 x 400 Meter B team of Johnson, Rodger, Nickerson and Gavin Brady took 18th overall in a time of 3:53.87.
The Distance Medley team of Cole Fabrizio, Brady, Benjamin Meier and Nick Fabrizio took 10th overall in a time of 12:24.66. Rounding out the Hornet competitors were the Shot Put relay team of Kyle McCormack (35′ 5.75″), Zachary Rosatone (33′ 0.5″) and Nicholas Whalen (30′ 8.25″), who all threw well in the event.
The Hornets had their shot at revenge on Tuesday evening after press time as they battled Newburyport in a dual meet at New Balance for the top spot in the Cape Ann League Kinney Division standings.
