Published in the May 18, 2017 edition
Junior Rachel Hill easily clears the bar on this pole vault attempt. (John Friberg photo)
By SOTIRIOS PINTZOPOULOS
NORTH READING – In a season hindered with rainy cold days the girls’ track and field team capped off the regular season with their 4th straight Cape Ann League Championship. The Hornets hosted Ipswich and Lynnfield on May 10th besting Ipswich 106 to 39 and Lynnfield 114.5 to 30.5 ending the regular season 7-1 and earning a Cape Ann League co-championship in the Baker Division with Amesbury High School. Earlier in the season the Hornets lost to Pentucket but beat Amesbury, who beat Pentucket earlier in the year which makes all three teams 7-1 for the season. Pentucket is the champion in the Kinney Division while Amesbury and North Reading share the championship in the Baker Division. This Saturday, May 20th at the Cape Ann League Open Championship all three teams will be competing to determine who the overall champion of the league truly is.
Leading the way for the Hornets this season have been tri-captains Claire Finnegan, Nicole Shedd, and Kristina Copelas who finish with a 32-1 record in regular season competition over the past 4 years. At the meet on May 10th Copelas who has been injured the past 3 seasons capped off her high school athletic career competing in the javelin. Nicole Shedd led the team in the throws placing 2nd overall in the shot put (27’ 7.5”) and discus (81’ 4”). Claire Finnegan ran a personal best in the 800 meters (2:36.4). Juliette Nadeau was the top point scorer taking first in the long jump (16’ 11.25”), triple jump (34’ 10.5”), and 100 meters (13.2h) and running second leg of the winning 4×100 meter relay. Nadeau led a sweep in both the long jump and triple jump. Megan Lawlor took 2nd in the long jump (16’3”) and third in the triple jump (33’ 6.5”). Kaitlyn Shevlin took 2nd in the triple jump (33’ 9”) and Victoria Grasso (15’ 11.75”) took 3rd in the long jump. Ali Grasso (67.8) and Lindsay MacLellan (71.4) took 2nd and 4th in the 400 meter hurdles. Sam Martel took 2nd in the Mile (5:54.4). Kerry O’Brien (5’3”) and Riley Brunner (4’10”) took 1st and 2nd in the high jump. O’Brien’s jump of 5’3” was a new personal best and is one of the top jumps in the state this season. Kirsten Bradley ran a personal best of 26.9 in the 200 meters followed by Lawlor and Nicole Bruzzese who tied for 3rd and ran 28.3. Bradley also won the javelin (87’9”). Lindsay MacLellan won the two mile (12:05.1) and Julia Tatone ran a season best of 12:58.5 taking 3rd place. Maggie McCarthy (16.3) led a sweep of the 100 meter hurdles, followed by Ali Grasso (17.0) and Jerlin Kaithamattam (17.6). Olivia Esposito (2:31.9) took 1st in the 800 meters and Meredith Griffin (63.7) was 2nd in the 400 meters.
Capping off the meet were two season best performances in both the 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relays. The 4×100 meter relay of Kaitlyn Shevlin, Juliette Nadeau, Kirsten Bradley and Talia Monteleone ran 51.9 while the 4×400 meter relay of Mia DeNofrio, Emily Davis, Olivia Esposito and Meredith Griffin ran 4:19.0.
Come cheer on the team at Triton High School on Saturday, May 20th (9 am-2 pm) as they compete for the Cape Ann League Open Championship.
