Kevin Wheelock is league champ, qualifies for National
Published in the February 10, 2017 edition
KEVIN WHEELOCK of Melrose is the Middlesex League champion in the one mile. (file photo)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High boys’ indoor track team is riding high after earning spots on the podium at the Middlesex League meet, where they crowned a league champ in senior captain Kevin Wheelock, who topped all the competition in the one mile on Monday, February 7 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
Wheelock, already a state champion in track, has also qualified on a national level for his two mile run of 9:27 after a recent race at the MSTCA Coaches Invitational.
“Kevin broke the elite 9:30 barrier,” reports coach Kevin Allison. “This is quite an accomplishment and certainly puts him among the greatest distance runners in Melrose history.”
Melrose placed 5th as a team at the event, earning 36.50 points. And Wheelock was not the only one on the podium. That honor also went to senior Sean Conlan who medaled third in the 1000 meter at 2:39.44, and Adam Cook who also took third in the 2 mile run.
Nick Chan impressed in the high jump, placing 4th in the event. Teammate Rey Guity came in 7th and Liam Rittenburg 12th. Griffin Barriss also performed strong, at the top of the pack in the 600 meter with a 4th place finish at 1:27.68. Melrose’s talented 4×400 relay team placed 6th behind efforts from Barriss, Conlan, Will Hanlon, Kevin Wheelock and Liam Rittenburg. Melrose’s shot put team was represented by Corbin White, Nick Anderson and Matt Starek.
Competing in the 55 dash were Nick Chan, Rey Guity. Competing in the 300 dash were Liam Rittenburg, Mike Muscarella; running the 600 meter was Will Hanlon and Ross Carroll; running the 1000 meter was Liam Gray and Charles DeMayo; competing in the 1 mile were Wheelock, Steve Stromski and Ethan Peet; competing in the 2 mile was Cook, Jerry Murphy and John Summersby. Competing in the 55 hurdles was Ryan Nagle and Andrew Benagh. Melrose’s 4×200 relay was run by Nick Chan, Mike Muscarella, Liam Talbot, Rey Guity, Griffin Barriss and Isaiah Andrade.
On Saturday, February 4 Melrose competed in the Last Chance to Qualify Meet at Reggie Lewis on Saturday. About twenty five Melrose athletes put in their best and final effort to qualify for this year’s Division 4 State final and only one athlete was able to join the elite group of athletes. That athlete was junior Steven Stromski, who met the qualifying mile time of 4:48 by running a 4:47.81.
Coach Kevin Allison was thrilled with the accomplishment.”Steve works extremely hard and has done some tremendous workouts over the last couple weeks. I’m very glad for him.”
Steve joins five other boys on the team who will be at the February 16th final. They are Nick Chan in the high jump, Griffin Barriss in the 600, Sean Conlan in the 1000, Kevin Wheelock in the mile, and Adam Cook in the two mile. In addition, the team has a high seeded 4 x 800 team who will compete. Liam Rittenburg, Will Hanlon, Sean Conlan, and Griffin Barriss will be running in that event.
