Hirsch, Wheelock crowned league champs; States on Sat.
GOING THE distance. MHS crowned two league champs last week with Kevin Wheelock and Elizabeth Hirsch placing first in the 1 mile and 2 mile, respectively. (file photos)
Published in the May 27, 2016 edition
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE — Melrose and distance running go hand in hand, (consider the city’s Marathon winners) and in 2016 the MHS Red Raider outdoor track team has showed a a deep speciality in distance running, which was capped off last week when two MHS runners were crowned league champs.
Kevin Wheelock and Elizabeth Hirsch became Middlesex League champions on Tuesday, May 17 at the 2016 Middlesex League Championship held at Regis College. Wheelock, the current Div. 3 State Champ in the two mile, took the league title in the mile race with a time of 4:31.61 while Hirsch clinched the two mile title with a time of 11:18.35, a personal best.
Melrose enjoyed several top spots, including an impressive silver medal performance by Anne Morrison in the long jump, two second places finishes for the high jump team of Emily Donovan and Haley Moss, a bronze medal finish by Sean Conlan in the 800, a bronze in the two mile by Adam Cook and a breakout fourth place finish in the 100 meter by promising freshman Issac Seide. Overall, both teams finished seventh (boys) and sixth (girls).
Melrose cracked the top 10 in several races and events including Steve Abbott in the 800 (8th), Joe Brach in the 400 (8th) Rob Hanlon in the two mile (6th), the 4×800 relay team of Conlan, Cook, Hanlon and Wheelock (5th), Brooke Barriss in the 100 meter, Holly Cohan in the mile, the girls 4×100 relay team, 4×400 relay team of Emily Donovan, Holly Moore, Sarah Herron and Elizabeth Hirsch (8th), Molly Clark in the discus (7th) and shot put (10th) Meghan Cincotta in the javelin (8th), Sarah Denning in the triple jump (10th), Bianca Jean in the shot (10th) and discus.
Other impressive finishes included Jon Lavina in the 400, Nick Chan and Liam Rittenburg in the high jump, Will Hanlon in the 800 (14th), Steve Stromski in the mile (22), Sarah Herron in the 400 (12th), Holly Moore (12th) in the 800; Grace Mercer in the 400, Maddie Hughes in the 800, Mykayla Olvert in the mile, Griffin Barriss in the 400, Tara O’Shea in the two mile (11th), Sarah Denning and Haley Moss in the 100 hurdles, Sabrina Peters in the 400 hurdles, Collin Casey and Jaret Botelho in the shot put, Nick Anderson, Katie Donovan, Antonio DiFronzo in the javelin and Steven Abbott in the long jump.
This weekend qualified athletes on the teams will compete in the MIAA Div. 3 State Championship held at Burlington High. Look for several athletes to compete for top spots. Wheelock’s time of 4:31.61 in the mile makes him a serious medal contender while Hirsch’s time of 11:18.35 will make her neck and neck with last year’s Div. 3 state champ Abigail Long of Bishop Feehan. Action starts at 9 a.m. in Burlington.
