One win from league title

Published June 10, 2021

NORTH READING — The North Reading boys’ spring track team improved to 6-0 last Wednesday evening on Senior Night, with a 80-65 victory over a solid Triton team. This win puts the Hornets one win away from an undefeated regular season campaign and a league regular season title. The Hornets have claimed the CAL League title three times in school history (2013, 2016 and 2017).

Leading the charge for the Hornets were eight individual event winners, 10 second place finishers and 10 third place finishers to balance out the attack. The throwers led the Hornet point scorers as they took down the Vikings by a score of 25-2 in the shot put, javelin and discus.

THE SENIORS on the NRHS 2021 boys’ spring track and field team were honored on June 2 during their victory over Triton to move to 6-0 on the season. (NRHS track and field Photo)

In the shot put, the Hornets swept all three places with senior Zach Sampson taking first with a toss of 45’ 9, senior captain Peter Wyatt and sophomore Garrett Arden took 2nd and 3rd places with tosses of 37’ 5.25” and 36’ 2” respectively. In the javelin, Wyatt and Arden had huge days as they took down the top javelin thrower in the league as they went first and second with tosses of 145’ 1” and 138’ 9” respectively. Wyatt’s toss was strong enough to be number 10 in NRHS history in the event. In the discus, junior Casey O’Connor and Sampson took first and second with tosses of 123’ 3.5” and 107’ 0.5” respectively.

“Our throws squad has come up huge for us all season and today was certainly no exception,” said Hornets head coach Ryan Spinney. “They have been consistently improving each meet and we have a number of kids who are among the best in the league in their events due to the hard work they have been putting in all season.”

Senior captain Grayson Budny won the 100 meter dash in a converted time of 11.30 to improve his mark on the season. Junior Alex Carpenter took 3rd in a time of 12.0. Senior captain Ryan Good captured the 200 meter dash victory by a nose in a time of 24.10. Junior Quinn Riesenberg scooped up 3rd place with a time of 24.7.

Junior Spencer Beane took home the 400 meter dash victory in a time of 53.60 and junior John Jennings and senior Kyle Rabbitt tied for 3rd place in a time of 55.9. In the 110 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles, the Hornets took 2nd and 3rd place overall in each. In the 110 event, junior Jacob Mikulski lowered his season best time to 16.8 for 2nd place and senior captain Garrett Butler took 3rd in a time of 17.70. In the 400 meter hurdles, senior captain John “Jack” Murphy took 2nd in a hard fought race but dropped his personal record to 58.50 and that is now 4th all time in NRHS history. In the same race, freshman Brandon Eng took 3rd in a personal best time of 62.80 which is now 10th all time in NRHS history.

“What Jack and Brandon did in the hurdles today was amazing,” said Spinney. “Two athletes having school all time best efforts in the same race is absolutely incredible.”

Murphy continued his all time streak as he took 2nd in the 800 meter run with a personal best time of 2:03.00 which is 7th all time in school history. In the one mile, junior Aidan Nadeau took the victory in a time of 4:51.3 and sophomore Nick Fabrizio kicked in for 3rd in a time of 4:57.1. Junior Anthony Petrosino took 3rd in the two Mile in a time of 11:17.6.

In the jumping events, the pole vault trio of Carpenter, Murphy and junior Patrick Tannian took the sweep again as they vaulted 12’ 0”, 12’ 0” and 10’ 0” respectively.

“A lot of attention has been paid to Alex and Jack this season but Patrick has quietly become a major force in the event in his own right,” said Spinney. “His vault of 10’ 0” is the 3rd best in the league and he is making quite an impression. It is quite a thing to watch all three vaulters at work.”

In the high jump, sophomore Jacob Duval continued his strong campaign as he improved his best to a jump of 5’ 8” to take 2nd overall in the event.

“Jacob has been a wonderful addition to our jumping unit,” said Spinney. “He has vastly improved over the season and coach Joe Davis has been so impressed at how coachable and meticulous Jacob is at trying to improve his high jump technique.”

In the triple jump, Jennings improved to 38’ 6” and he took 2nd overall in the event. In the long jump, Budny and Good continued their strong season in the event as they took 2nd and 3rd with jumps of 19’ 2.25” and 19’ 0.5” respectively. The Hornets looked to cap off their regular season campaign in style as they traveled to Lynnfield on Wednesday, June 9 after press time for their last meet of the regular season.