Thorstad and Gorgenyi set school records
Published July 1, 2021
WESTON — Having won the last four state championships from 2016-2019, two in Division 4 (2016-2017) and two in Division 3 (2018-2019) the NRHS girls’ track and field team has showcased itself as arguably one of the best track and field programs in the state of Massachusetts.
Having not been able to compete last year due the cancelled season, the Hornets set their sights on repeating again as champions. This time however, due to MIAA modifications due to COVID restrictions, the Hornets would compete in the Division 2 North Championship at Weston High which brought all Div. 3 and Div. 4 schools that are north of Boston and the Mass Pike.
The Hornets had a strong showing, amassing 92.5 points but fell short of winning the championship as they were bested by talented Pentucket which scored 98.5 points. The Hornets had beat Pentucket head to head in the regular season to go 7-0 and win the Cape Ann League Championship and also won the CAL Open Championship the week before, besting Pentucket by only eight points 143 to 135 but this time, Pentucket came out on top.
The young Hornet squad (19 of the 22 athletes that competed in the meet are underclassmen) caps off what was nearly a perfect season despite being young and inexperienced in a shortened season. In eight weeks, this young squad went undefeated in the regular season, won the CAL Open Championship, the MSTCA State Relay Championship and were finalists in the MIAA Division 2 North State Championship. Look for these girls to come back again next year even stronger.
Leading the team was senior captain Katelyn Gorgenyi, who won three individual state championship titles and scored 30 points, the first time anyone in school history has done so. Her three titles came in the Pentathlon, (3030 points) Long Jump (18’ 10.5”), and 100 Meter Hurdles (14.82 seconds). Her performance in the Pentathlon set a new school record that had stood since 1985 when Sonja Priest scored 2890 points. Katelyn scored 3030 points with the following five event performance (100 Meter Hurdles = 15.34), (High Jump = 1.41 meters), (Long Jump = 5.33), (Shot Put = 9.91 meters), and (800 Meters = 2:43.39). Katelyn also improved on her Long Jump school record she set earlier in the season by several inches, going 18’ 10.5” which is the farthest jump in the state this year and qualified her for the National Championship in Eugene Oregon.
Fellow senior captain Ashley Rabbitt rose to the occasion scoring 10 points by winning a state championship in the Pole Vault, as teammate Jess Hill who was ranked first leading into the meet was injured in a training session just days earlier. Ashley is now the seventh straight pole vault state champion for North Reading High School (Kristy Conway 10’, Kristina Martin 11’, Jessie Valenti 12’, Julia Valenti 13’-16’, Rachel Hill 17’ Isabella Parrett 18’-19’). Kayla Hannan also stepped up for her team going 8’ 6” and tieing for third in the event. Kayla is ranked 10th all time in school history in the event.
Freshman Madison Vant scored 9.5 points for her team taking 5th place in the javelin throw (98’ 7”) and tying for 3rd in the Pentathlon were her performances were as follows (100 Meter Hurdles = 18.27), (High Jump = 1.41 meters), (Long Jump = 4.94 meters), (Shot Put = 8.57 meters), (800 Meters = 2:46.61) (Total Score = 2462 points). She is currently ranked 4th all time in school history listed only behind school record holder Katelyn Gorgenyi, former record holder Sonja Priest and former state champion Ali Grasso. As this is only her first year on the team Madison clearly has a bright future ahead of her.
Kayla Budny picked up 9 points for the team, taking 4th in the Triple Jump (33’ 10”) and as part of the second place 4 x 100 meter and 4 x 400 meter relay. Joining Kayla in the 4 x 100 meter relay was Ella Mazzei, Ava McIntyre, and Sam Patch. Their time of 50.92 was a .7 second personal best and good enough for second place and 8 points for the team. Budny also led off the 4 x 400 meter relay along with Madison DiNapoli, Margaret Fortin, and Julia Thorstad. Their time of 4:10.01 was an 8 second personal best and picked up 8 more points for the team with a second place finish.
Julia Thorstad also picked up another six points for her team, going 2:19.89 in the 800 meters and picking up third place. Her performance set a new school record, lowering the mark set by Nicole Roberts in 2013 at 2:20.26, Adding points in the mid distance events was the 4 x 800 meter relay team made up of Annie MacLellan, Madison DiNapoli, Karleigh Budny, and Margaret Fortin picked up 5 points for the team with a 4th place finish in 10:16.63. Annalise Butler took 6th in the two mile run and scored 3 points with a 12:13.76 performance.
Also scoring points were Ava McIntyre who took 8th in the 200 meters (27.61), Kayla Hannan who took 8th in the 100 meter hurdles (17.76), and Georgia Robarts who took 8th in the Pentathlon with 2134 points. Also competing in the meet were Sam Patch and Ella Mazzei (100 meters), Ashley Rabbitt (Pentathlon and 400 meter hurdles), Brooke Harrington (Long Jump), Georgia Robarts and Ava McIntyre (Long Jump), Ella Monteleone (High Jump & 100 meter hurdles), Emma Mini (Shot Put), and Samantha Magner (Discus Throw).
Katelyn Gorgenyi and Madison Vant qualifed to compete in the Pentathlon at the All State Meet of Champions last weekend where the top athletes from all divisions across the state will compete who is the champion of champions.
Gorgenyi also compete in the Long Jump and 100 Meter Hurdles.
Also competing at the meet was Ashley Rabbitt in the Pole Vault and the 4 x 100 Meter Relay (Ella Mazzei, Kayla Budney, Ava McIntyre, Sam Patch) and 4 x 400 Meter Relay (Kayla Budny, Madison DiNapoli, Margaret Fortin, Julia Thorstad). Results will appear next week.
