Warriors crowned Freedom division champs for first ever M.L. title

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THE WMHS girls’ indoor track team captured the Middlesex League Freedom division championship last night to finish the dual meet season with a perfect 5-0-0 record. It is the first league championship in the history of the program. (Donna Larsson Photo)

Published in the January 25, 2017 edition

LEXINGTON — The Wakefield Memorial High girls’ indoor track team has never been a league champ and the last thing the Warrior wanted to do was share the crown.

Wakefield won its first ever Middlesex League title outright as it finished first in the Freedom division with a 56-30 triumph over Watertown in the dual meet finale last night in the fifth block of M.L. meets run at the Lexington Field House.

Wakefield finished the dual meet season with a perfect 5-0-0 record and secured its first M.L. banner ever.

“The girls were very elated to no end,” said veteran head coach Jim Duff. “There was a big celebration and Wakefield was the last team to leave Lexington. Parents were taking pictures and I believe they went to the Ninety-Nine afterward. It was a joyous celebration.”

There were many good performances through the meet. The clinching points, however, came in the 45 yard as the Warriors captured first and second place. Ana Lucas, a junior, and Taylor Messina, a senior captain, finished first and second with times of 6.13 seconds and 6.28 seconds.

Wakefield earned a second and third place in the 300 meter dash. Senior Kelsey Czarnota was edged out in a close race for the top spot by Watertown’s Gabriella Cacia, 47.59 seconds to 47.81 seconds. Taking third was Morgan Haggerty, a junior, with a time of 50.02 seconds.

Abby Harrington, a senior captain, easily won the 600 meter run as she clocked in at 1:47.14. Getting a key point was freshman Abigail Mondello with a third place time of 2:01.10.

Watertown has a standout runner in the 1000 meter run and that individual, Emily Koufas, got the first place in a time of 3:14.55. But the Warriors got the second and third behind the efforts of senior captain Cassie Lucci (3:26.77) and sophomore Isabella Kehoe (3:45.76).

In the mile, freshman Olivia Lucey earned a second place finish in a time of 5:55.58.

The Warriors grabbed a first and third in the two mile. Gillian Russell, a junior, won easily with a time of 13:33.77. Maeve Conway, a senior, secured third in a time of 14:32.04.

Senior captain Christina Freni and senior Marissa Hoffman claimed first and third in the 45 yard hurdles as they clocked in at 7.70 seconds and 7.80 seconds.

In the high jump, Wakefield got a big five points as freshman Olivia Fetherston won the event. She cleared 4-8.

The Warriors got a big nine points with a sweep in the shot put. Eadeen Beck, a sophomore, had a winning distance of 32-4. Junior Julia Brown was second with a throw of 29-0. Coming up with a big point was freshman Claire Curry as she took third with a distance of 26-6.

The icing on the cake for the newly crowned M.L. Freedom division champs came in the final event, the 4×400 relay. Wakefield won in a time of 4:38.09 and the four runners included Czarnota, Lucey, Lucci, and Harrington.

“Winning the title came as a surprise. Burlington usually has a very tough team and they’re tough to beat,” said Duff. “We performed well. Our four captains led the way. Freni came in first in the hurdles. Harrington won the 600. Lucci has been steady for us all season in the 1000. Hoffman came in second to Lucas in the dash which were the clinching points for us. Also, Olivia Fetherson, a freshman, got us a big win in the high jump.”

There were also some good performances by the non-scoring athletes as well.

Jasmine Pina, a senior, ran a time of 6.58 seconds in the 45 yard dash.

Also running the 300 were sophomore Christina LeBlanc and freshman Alexis Comeau as they posted times of 53.19 seconds and 55.28 seconds.

In the 600, Sophia Tremblay, a freshman, ran a time of 2:09.37.

Retta Carroll, a freshman, also ran the 1000 and posted a time of 3:49.71.

Junior Yvonne Lucas and freshman Meghan O’Rourke ran the mile and clocked in at 6:15.77 and 6:19.38.

In the hurdles, Theresa Fallon, a senior, ran a time of 8.03 seconds.

Meghan Powers, a junior, also competed in the high jump and cleared 4-2.

In the shot put, junior Samantha Nimblett had a throw of 23-6.