By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
BOSTON — Last winter, the Lynnfield High boys’ indoor track and field team finished at 0-4. Seven seniors from that squad gradated as eighth-year head coach Christine Smith returned seven veterans when winter practice opened on Nov. 27.
Two of those veterans are this year’s senior captains: Joey Cucciniello is a sprinter and high jumper who will be going to Trinity College next year to compete in the high jump. Davius Chan is the other senior captain and he will be doing the 55-meter hurdles and some distance events.
The big off-season news is that the Pioneers have changed divisions this season. Although Essex Tech has been in the league in indoor track for several years, the Hawks became a full-fledged member of the Cape Ann League back in September in all sports.
The Hawks, who were in the CAL Baker (small) Division last year are now moved up to the Kinney (large school) Division as they have an enrollment of over 1,400 students.
“That is huge for us,” admitted Smith, about the move down. “It makes a big difference because of the low amount of kids we have on our team.”
The Pioneers’ roster is 29 members this year.
Smith has a lot of new athletes as most of them were on the LHS boys’ spring team.
“Things are looking up for us,” said Smith, who teaches at Tewksbury High. “Our strength this year is our sprinters and in the field events.”
It was a great season opener for the team on Dec. 12 as they beat Hamilton-Wenham, 57-33, at The Track at New Balance in Brighton.
“It felt amazing,” stated Smith, about the win. “The kids, especially who were with us last year, were exuberant.”
The Pioneers had several first-place finishes. Eli Mendese had three wins in the shot-put (33-3), high jump (5-8), and long jump (18.7).
“Eli was very impressive,” said Smith, about the junior newcomer. “He played basketball his first two years and switched to track just this year. I wish he was with us his freshman and sophomore year.”
Cucciniello had wins in the 55-meters (6.9) and 300-meters (39.11) while Nick Groussis captured first in the 55-meter hurdles (9.2).
The 4×400 relay team also won with a time of 1:41.89.
Lynnfield swept the high jump as Ethan Francis was second (5-6) while Jessie Dorman was third (5-2).
Francis was also second in the long jump (17-10) while Mike Murphy was third (16-2.5).
In the shot put, the Pioneers also swept as Jack Kouyoumojian was second (30-9.5) and Slate Lopilato was third (29-9).
In the 55-meter dash, Lynnfield swept the top three in that event as well as Charles Morgan was second (7.18) and Dorman third (7.19).
Chan placed second in the 600 at 1:39.28 and was third in the 55-meter hurdles at 9.93 seconds.
The next event will be on Dec. 27 at the Holiday Challenge back at The Track at New Balance as Cucciniello and Mendese will be competing.
The next day, Mendese and Dillon Reilly are slated to go to the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston to compete in the Pentathlon.
Both events are to start at 8:30 a.m. with it being school vacation week.
