THE NRHS girls’ track and field team are the 2022 MSTCA D5 State Relay Champions. (NRHS Track Photo)
SANDWICH — The NRHS girls’ track and field team traveled to Sandwich High School on Friday, April 29 to defend their MSTCA Relay Championship which is a meet they have won every year since 2016. The conditions were cold and windy but dry and the Hornets were fully prepared to defend their title. They scored in 14 of 15 events contested winning two events, taking 2nd in eight events, 3rd in one event, 4th in three events and even scooped up two 6th place finishes with B teams.
In the end, the Hornets scored a total of 104 points which breaks the previous school record of 84 points scored at the meet. They were well ahead of second place Weston (74) as well as Pentucket (54), Norwell (33), Old Rochester Regional (33), Austin Prep (23) Dedham (22), Norton (22), Medway (18) and Dennis Yarmouth (12) to round out the top 10 teams at the meet.
To start the day, the 4 x 1600 meter relay team took 3rd place with a time of 24:37.18. Annalise Butler (5:36) led off followed by Karleigh Budny (6:24), Grace Higgins (6:33), and anchored by Ava Collins (6:03).
The Shuttle Hurdles were up next taking second place with a time of 1:11.55. Annie MacLellan (18.2), Hayden MacLellan (17.2), Tiara Lamont (18.5), and Ella Monteleone (17.4) ran a smooth race with the 1st and 3rd hurdlers running into the wind and the 2nd and 4th hurdlers having a tail wind. At this point the Hornets had 14 points to Pentucket’s 12 and everyone was lagging behind. The Hornets would not give up the lead in the meet from this point forward.
The 4×100 meter relay gave the Hornets their first victory with a time of 51.49 seconds. Maddie DiNapoli (12.8) and Ava McIntyre (12.3) took the lead and Kayla Budny (12.7) and Samantha Patch (13.2) held on to first through the finish line. The Hornets showcased their depth in the sprints by also taking 6th place in the event with their B team which ran 54.22 seconds. This team was made up of Ella Mazzei (13.3), Madelyn Arian Aitchison (13.0), Kylie Gettings (14.2), and Belle Lazure (13.2).
Wrapping up the track events at the halfway point was the Sprint Medley Relay team that took 11th in 5:05.56. Ellie Heintz ran the first 200m leg in 31.3 as Pia Sfikas ran the second 200m leg in 30.7 followed by Ali Sfikas (1:09.9) in the 400m and Karleigh Budny (2:53.2) in the 800m.
At this point, the first wave of field event results were also coming in and the Hornets scored a whopping 26 points in three events. The High Jump team took first place with a new school record performance of 14’ 4”. Annie MacLellan and Abigail Lilley both jumped 4’ 7” and Ella Monteleone jumped a stellar 5’ 2” which was the best leap of the competition and new all time best performance tying her for 4th all time in school history. The previous school record of 14’ 2” was set in 2016 by Kerry O’Brien (4’ 10”), Lauren Gulbicki (4’ 8”) and Emily Roesch (4’ 8”).
SAMANTHA PATCH hustles through the finish line to seal NR’s first place finish in the 4×100 relay on Friday at Sandwich High. Patch also helped the 4×200 relay take 2nd. (NRHS Track Photo)
The Shot Put team also set a new school record and took second place in 93’ 1.25” inches (28.38m). Emma Mini went 33’ 7.5” as Madison Vant went 30’ 10.5” and Riley Cullen 28’ 7.25”. The previous school record of 92’ 1.5” was set in 2015 by Julia Valenti, Victoria Carlson, and Nicole Shedd. The Long Jump team also took second with a combined distance of 46’ 8.25”. Ava McIntyre (15’ 10.5”), Georgia Robarts (15’ 6.5”), and Madison Vant (15’ 3”) were all off of their personal best leaps of 17’ and they are all returning next year, so look for them to challenge the school record of 50’ 8.75” in the future.
North Reading took 4th in the 4×800 meter in 10:28.60 led off by Annalise Butler (2:35.1), followed by Annie MacLellan (2:38.9), Maggie Fortin (2:37.9) and anchored by Giuliana Ligor (2:36.1). The 4×200 meter was another 2nd place finish for the Hornets in 1:51.87. Maddie DiNapoli (26.6) and Ava McIntyre (26.6) gave the team a commanding lead and Kayla Budny (29.0) and Sami Patch (29.3) were able to hold onto second place. The B team took 6th in 1:55.75 with the following split times: Ella Mazzei (28.5), Madelyn Arian Aitchison (27.5), Belle Lazure (29.6) and Georgia Robarts (29.6).
Back at the second wave of field events the Hornets picked up another 20 points with a 2nd place finish in both the Discus Throw and Triple Jump and a 4th place in the Javelin Throw.
The Discus relay team had a combined distance of 76.40m with Abigail Lilley going 90’ 10.5”, Abigail Gerber at 82’ 8” and Emma Mini at 77’ 1”. The Javelin relay went 29.3m with Alyssa Demetri at 80’ 4.5”, Jacqueline Magner at 77’ 1” and Samantha Magner at 67’ 7”. The Triple Jump relay went 29.30m with Georgia Robarts at 32’ 10”, Giuliana Ligor at 32’ 6” and Kayla Budny at 30’ 9.25”.
The final two track events were run under the lights with the Distance Medley Relay taking 4th in 14:20.28 and the 4×400 Meter Relay taking 2nd in 4:18.62. The DMR was led off by Annalise Butler’s 4:12.9 1200 meter leg, followed by Julia DeAngelis running the 400 meters in 1:08.2 and Grace Higgins going 2:59.3 in the 800 meters and anchored by Ava Collins running the 1600 meter leg in 5:59.7. It was a tremendous feat from the 9th grader who bested her 1600 meter split run earlier in the meet.
The 4×400 meter relay was led off by Captain Madison DiNapoli who ran a speedy 1:01.5 followed by Madison Vant (1:05.3) and Tiara Lamont (1:08.2) with Giuliana Ligor (1:03.4) anchoring the event.
The following day at Weston High School the pole vault relay was contested. In this event, the Hornets had to settle for second place with a combined height total of 22’ 0” as Yasmin Farias went 6’ 6”, Julia DeAngelis, 7’0” and Hayden MacLellan, 8’6”.
It was a historic meet for a stellar team. The Hornets look to improve to 6-0 in the regular season tomorrow as they compete against Newburyport at Fuller Field.
