THE NRHS girls’ and boys’ track and field teams combined forces to win the Henry Sheldon Invitational at Triton High. Pictured from left to right is coach Sotirios Pintzopoulos, coach Kirsten MacLellan, Abigail Lilley, Sabrina Mini, Georgia Robarts, Julia DeAngelis, Madison Vant, Kaio Pancini, Nikolas Laverdiere, Noah Schifano, Torin Nickerson and coach Tom Ledoux. (Eric Evans Photo)
Published May 16, 2024
Hornets win Henry Sheldon Invitational
NORTH READING — It was a banner day for the Hornet girls’ and boys’ outdoor track and field team on May 7 at NRHS. The boys’ team came up with a clutch, 75-70 over Newburyport to force a tie with the Clippers for the CAL championship. The girls’ team beat Newburyport 89-56 to win their 10th consecutive CAL title.
The boys were 2-1 while the Clippers were 3-0, having beaten Triton, the team that beat the Hornets, weeks earlier. The Hornets knew winning the meet would take everyone they had performing at their best.
The top Newburyport sprinter was injured during the meet, which allowed the depth of the sprint squad to capitalize. Kieran Miller and Seth Evans led the charge with Miller, Evans and Blaine Evans sweeping the 100 Meters and Seth Evans, Blaine Evans and Brendan Trentsch sweeping the 200 Meters. Miller, Evans, Evans and Noah Schifano also added another 5 points with a victory in the 4×100 Meter Relay.
Torin Nickerson picked up a valuable 2nd in the 400 Meters as well as a 3rd in the 400 Meter Hurdles. Gerard Jorda (3rd in the 800 Meters) and James Dillon (3rd in the One Mile) added two more points to the team total against a talented Clipper distance squad.
The Hornets knew they were in the driver’s seat with a sweep in the 110 Meter Hurdles with Daniil Baranetski, Nico Johnson and Kaio Pancini.
On the track, the Clippers took the lead 44-38. But with only a six-point deficit, the Hornet field event athletes knew they had a shot as that was an area they had been focusing on.
In the Shot Put, Otto Indelicato and Leo Romanski had huge personal best throws to go 1-2. Romanski also won the Discus while Nikolas Laverdiers and Michael Murphy went 1-3 in the Javelin. Barenetski added another point with a 3rd in the High Jump while Miller and Schifano went 2-3 in the Long Jump and Schifano won the Triple Jump.
To seal the deal, Nico Johnson and Brian Conlon went 1-2 in the Pole Vault. This meant the Hornets bested the Clippers 37-26 on the field, making up the six-point deficit and winning the meet 75-70.
The girls’ team made it 10 in a row as they won six out of seven field events and six out of nine track events to win the meet.
Leading the team to victory were Giuliana Ligor and Hayden MacLellan who scored 15 points a piece. Abigail Lilley added another 13 points with Madison Vant (9.25), Callie MacLellan (9), Sabrina Mini (7), Georgia Robarts (6), Julia Scammon (4.25), Alanna Hannon (3), Sophia Gallivan (3), Kate Denehy (1.25), Julia DeAngelis (1.25), Adelyn Kelly (1), and Giuliana Auciello (1) rounding out the scorers at the meet.
THE SENIORS celebrated their final regular season meet in style, both earning victories over Newburyport to claim the CAL title. (Eric Evans Photo)
Ligor was a triple winner in the 400 Meter Hurdles, 400 Meters and 200 Meters with her 200 Meter time of 25.18 breaking the School Record of 25.0h (25.24c) set by Alexis Capozzi in 2008. Hayden MacLellan was also a triple winner taking the 100 Meter Hurdles, Long Jump and Pole Vault. Lilley won the Shot Put and Discus Throw and took 2nd in the High Jump. Callie MacLellan won the High Jump, took 2nd in the 400 Meter Hurdles and 3rd in the Pole Vault. Robarts won the 100 Meters and took third in the Triple Jump. Vant won the Triple Jump, took 2nd in the Long Jump and was part of the winning 4×100 Meter Relay along with Julia Scammon, Julia DeAngelis and Kate Denehy. Scammon also took 2nd in the 100 Meters.
Mini took 2nd in the Discus Throw and Shot Put and 3rd in the Javelin Throw. Alana Hannon was 2nd in the Pole Vault, Sophia Gallivan was 2nd in the Javelin Throw and qualified for the state championship. Adelyn Kelly picked up 3rd in the Two Mile and Giuliana Auciello picked up 3rd in the High Jump.
All four teams will meet again this Friday, May 17 at North Reading High School as the Hornets host the Cape Ann League Championship where all nine teams in the league will compete to see who will take home the trophy for the outright league championship. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at gofan.co and searching, North Reading.
Sheldon Invitational champs
In a program history first, the boys’ and girls’ teams combined forces at the Henry Sheldon Invitational. Triton has hosted this event, named after a former Triton track and field coach Henry Sheldon, for the past decade but this was the first time the Hornets attended the meet having competed at the Andover Boosters Meet in previous years.
The Sheldon Invitational drew the attention of coaches and athletes as it had the unique structure of combining the team scores from both the boys’ and girls’ programs to determine the meet winner. The winning team gets to bring home an impressive Viking Trophy and they also select Track Event Athletes of the Meet, Field Event Athletes of the Meet and Outstanding Athletes of the Meet. When all was said and done the Hornets brought home the team trophy and two individual awards.
The Hornets won the meet with 195 points, just .5 points ahead of runner up Newburyport (194.5 points) and well ahead of third place Triton (168 points). Rounding out the team scores were Amesbury (151.5), Lynnfield (98), Pentucket (95), Essex Tech (87), Ipswich (77) and Winchester (39)
Madison Vant was named Field Event Athletes of the Meet for her double victory in the Triple Jump and Long Jump.
Hayden MacLellan was named Outstanding Athlete of the Meet for her victories in the 100 Meter Hurdles, Pole Vault and 4 x 100 Meter Shuttle Hurdle Relay.
The Co-Ed 4×400 Meter Relay set a new school record as this was the first time the event was contested. The team of Torin Nickerson, Ariana Demetri, Gerard Jorda and Shea Farmer ran a 4:10.92.
Lastly, Callie MacLellan had a huge improvement in the High Jump, increasing her personal best from 5’ 2” to 5’ 5” and tying a school record in the process. She now shares the school record with Erin Guthrie who set the record in 1997.
