Event Spotlight
This time of year always presents an interesting dynamic because there is such a diverse perspective regarding the post season. Some athletes have adjusted their training cycles to peak for the New England Championships, and others opt-out of the meet all together. The release of the entries list on Monday put an end to the speculation regarding who will compete on Friday, but it still left many questions unanswered.
Seed times provide some insight, but each qualifying time or mark comes with its own set of complicating factors. Different rules for each state meet, different distances, and different levels of competition can make side-by-side comparisons difficult at best. Some athletes didn’t have to run very hard to win their state championship; some were pushed to the bitter end. Some athletes competed in two (or three) events at their state championship; some have had their focus narrowed down for weeks. Some athletes viewed their state championships as the unofficial end to their season; some are focused on regional and national titles. One thing is for sure……there will be no easy wins this week. In the end, those athletes with prior experience at the New England Championships and the ones who made a conscious effort to seek-out the best regional competition during the season will be at a distinct advantage.
Relays
4x200 Meter Relay – Defending champion Andover is the top seed (1:31.65) after holding off a late charge by New Bedford to win the Massachusetts State Championship. But, New Bedford got the best of Andover the previous week at the Division 1 Championships and won that event in 1:31.60. The two will need to look beyond their own heated rivalry as La Salle Academy (RI) and Mansfield (MA) pose formidable challenges. La Salle Academy is seeded 3rd after posting a season best time of 1:32.65 to win their state championship meet. Lurking in 4th is Mansfield (MA) who will depart from their season long emphasis on team points and reduce the number of events their relay athletes are competing in. Mansfield finished in 3rd at the Massachusetts State Meet, but for the first time in weeks, they will have a completely fresh team of athletes.
4x800 Meter Relay – Westwood (MA) posted a US#10 time of 7:57.59 to win the Massachusetts State Championship and is the top seed in the event. We have watched their times drop each week for the past month and they can certainly run under 8 minutes again. Mansfield ran a US#14 time of 8:00.10 and finished second at the Massachusetts State Meet, but they had a very tired Josh Lampron and Shayne Collins in their rotation. Lampron won the mile earlier in the meet at 4:15.16 and Collins was second in the 2 mile at 9:09.33. Lampron still split 1:52.0 for his leg of the relay, and Collins will not be running an individual event at the New England Championships. Scarborough (ME) has only run the 4x800m once this year. Their time of 8:17.98 was good enough to win the Maine Class A Championships, but may not be indicative of their talent. The goal that day was to run just fast enough to win, but they have a combined individual times that equate to 8:06.4. If they can run under 8:05.00, they will find themselves in a very large pack containing Andover (MA), Acton-Boxbororo (MA), Lowell (MA), Staples (CT), Hamden (CT), Peabody (MA), and Bishop Hendricken (RI) who will all be fighting for a podium spot.
4x400 Meter Relay – Staples High School (Westport, CT) was third in this event in 2010 and returns everybody from that relay team. Although they are seeded third in 2011 at 3:27.76, they won the Yale Track Classic in 3:24.90 and successfully held-off Rhode Island State Champion Bishop Hendricken that day. Mansfield was second in 2010 and returns three from that squad, but a year of training and experience has done them wonders. They won the Massachusetts State Meet in a US#9 time of 3:21.78 and currently hold the top seed by over 4 seconds. In addition to Staples and Bishop Hendricken, they will be challenged again by Somerville who is anchored by two-time Massachusetts State 600 Meter Champion Andre Rolim.
Sprints / Hurdles
55 Meter Dash – Jerickson Fedrick of Salem High School (NH) is #11 in the nation and the top seed at 6.39. He won the New Hampshire State Meet by almost three-tenths of second (an eternity in the world of 55m races). Fred Gobewole of Shea High School (RI) was 7th in 2010 and is the only returner who made the finals last year. His state championship winning time of 6.43 makes him the second seed. Brett Buskey (Blackstone-Millville, MA) and Phito Gondre (New Bedford, MA) will continue their very competitive rivalry as the 3rd and 4th seeds. Buskey won the Massachusetts State Meet in 6.51 after setting a Division 4 record of 6.52 the week before. Gondre ran 6.52 to finish second in Massachusetts, but ran 6.46 earlier this season at the Boston Holiday Challenge. The Connecticut threat will come from Nainy Bah of Morgan High School. Bah won the 55m and the 300m at the Connecticut State Championships and will compete in both events this weekend.
300 Meter Dash – The top contenders in the 300m have shown tremendous speed at 55 meters also. Jalen Young of La Salle (RI) won the 300m at the Rhode Island State Championship in 35.24, but he also finished 3rd in the 55m at 6.67. The same is true for Connecticut’s Nainy Bah of Morgan High School. Bah also won the 300m at his state meet (35.72), but he has run 6.47 for 55 meters. Standing in their way is Charles Ruffin of King Philip High School (MA). Ruffin is the Massachusetts State Champion at 300m and the second seed at 35.72. It should be a very exciting last 50 meters if the three maintain contact in the final corner.
600 Meter Run – Sophomore sensation Andre Rolim of Somerville is the two-time Massachusetts State Champion at 600m and is top seed at 1:21.29. He led a very talented Massachusetts contingent last week that now occupies 5 of the top 10 qualifying spots. This race may end up being a replay of that race, with Patrick Brekka (Quabbin Regional, MA) and Jon Horstman (South Hadley, MA) seeded second and third respectively. But Mason Mann of Keene High School (NH), and Andy Sakovits of Bishop Hendricken (RI), have established respected reputations at larger distances and hold-up very well when the pace is pushed early. Hiding in the pack is Raphael Ray of Staples High School (CT) who was 5th in 2010 at 1:22.54 and did not have many races under 1:24.00 prior to that point.
55 Meter Hurdles – New Hampshire will provide a very strong contingent of hurdlers in 2011; led by State Champion D’Mahl McFadden of Merrimack Valley High School. Along with McFadden who is the top qualifier at 7.49, Jon Hanninen (Monadnock), Eric Muite (Nahua North), and Nick Athanasopoulos (Monadnock) all hail from New Hampshire and will occupy 4 of the top 8 spots. Trying to break-up the New Hampshire sweep will be Zachary Langs of Windsor High School who won the Connecticut State Championship at 7.55, and Massachusetts All-Time record holder Greg Boursiquot of Stoughton High School. Boursiquot is currently #5 in the nation at 7.36 but is seeded at 7.53.
Distance
1000 Meter Run – Billy Looney of Bishop Feehan (MA) knows a little something about close races. Last weekend a well timed lean at the tape by Joel Hubbard of Marshfield cost Looney his first state title in the 1000m. Looney and Hubbard both finished with identical times (2:31.31), and a long look at the finish line photo was needed to determine the winner. Although Hubbard is not running this week, Looney is once again joined by an athlete with a near identical time. Alex Levine is the Connecticuit State Champion, the second seed (2:31.65), and will certainly be in the hunt for the win. Levine has a very diverse running background; having experienced success in everything from the 800m to the steeplechase. That background, coupled with his 4:19.99 mile PR, illustrates his strength and willingness to push the pace. The winner will most likely have to run under 2:30.00; something Looney did two weeks ago to win the Massachusetts Division 3 Championship. Joining Looney and Levine will be Ezra Lichtman (Newton North, MA) at 2:32.08, Cam Kelly (Methuen, MA) at 2:32.71, and Dan Kilcoyne (Chariho, RI) at 2:33.04. Kilcoyne ran the 1500 and the 1000m as the Rhode Island Class Championships but dropped the 1500m at the state championships which resulted in a 1000m PR for the junior. As if the field wasn’t strong enough already, hiding at #15 on the seed list is Zachary Fraielli of La Salle High School (RI) who was 3rd in this event last year at 2:32.55.
1 Mile Run – This is the best mile field in New England since the New Balance Grand Prix back in early February and it’s no coincidence that many of the same athletes will be running in both. Josh Lampron of Mansfield High School (MA) is the top seed at 4:15.16 but he was not the top New England finisher at the Grand Prix. That honor went to Robert Allen of Cranston West High School who is the 2011 Rhode Island State Champion and just edged Lampron at the Grand Prix in 4:17.70. Massachusetts athletes hold 6 of the top 7 qualifying spots, but Daniel Nestor of Hand High School (CT) and Jack Terwilliger of Cheverus High School (ME) will join Allen and Lampron in the front pack. Nestor was 6th in 2010 and is the 4th seed at 4:19.84. Terwillinger is the Maine State champion and has run 4:15.6 outdoors.
2 Mile Run – John Murray (Shrewsbury, MA) is currently ranked #7 in the country and has the top seed by almost 12 seconds. Murray is not afraid to lead (actually he prefers it), and will force the chase pack to try and hold a grueling pace. Accustomed to Murray’s style is #2 seed David Melly of Newton South (MA) who was third last week at the Massachusetts State Championships in a US#16 time of 9:20.13, and Kieran Kinnare of Ipswich (MA) who was 4th in 9:29.70. But the 2 mile is one of the races where you need all of the information before you make your pick. Ryan Meehan of Bishop Hendricken (RI) was 7th last year in 9:24.80 and ran three events last week at his state meet! Meehan has narrowed his focus to one event this week and should be able to improve on his 9:29.52 seed time with fresh legs. Robert Allen of Cranston West (RI) also ran three events last week and is scheduled to run the mile and two mile at the New England Championships. Allen is currently US#8 at 3000m with a time of 8:43.20 and has run 4:17.70 for the mile.
Field
High Jump – The track may provide some very exciting moments, but the high jump might provide hours of entertainment because it’s going to take a long time to get the bar to 7 feet. Two athletes have the potential to break that barrier. Jamie Tabias of Bloomfield High School (CT) is ranked 8th in the country and is the top seed at 6’10.25”. Not far behind is Innocent Jacob of Chariho High School (RI) at 6’10” who is one of the most gifted jumpers in the country. Jacob is currently ranked 4th in the nation after his 6’11” jump at the Boston Holiday Challenge and should also contend for the long jump title. Nick Staley (Boston College High School, MA), Sam Yoder (Bishop Feehan, MA), and Divon Baily (Rogers, MA) are all seeded at 6’8” and may have a shot at the win if Tabias and Jacob are not at the top of their game. Staley is the top returner from 2010 (8th place) and has a PR of 6’10”.
Long Jump – Innocent Jacob (Chariho, RI) was 6th in 2010 at 21’6.25”. Oh what a difference a year can make. He is now #3 in the nation at 24’1” and is the only jumper to jump over 23 feet in qualifying. But, there are plenty of jumpers at 22 feet and most of them are from Connecticut. Amanze Williams (Naugatuk, CT) is the second seed at 22’11.75 and is #19 in the country at 23’3”. He is followed by Evan Rouse (Windam, CT) who is seeded at 22’10.25”, but has jumped a US#15 mark of 23’4.75”. Rounding-out the Connecticut group is Jake Scinto of Cheshire High School at 22’9.5” and Kevin Keller of Darien High School at 22’4.5”. Keller was 4th in 2010 with a jump of 22’0.5”. Other athletes to watch are Imadhi Zagon of Portland High School (ME) who was 3rd in 2010 at 22’2”, Phito Gondre of New Bedford High School (MA) who has jumped 22’4.5, Craig Langes of Woburn High School who is the Massachusetts State Champion at 22’5”, and Jahmar Gathright of Nashua North High School (NH)who jumped 22’10.25” at the Rhode Island Classic.
Shot Put – John Walsuk of Newton High School (CT) is the top returner from 2010 and the top seed at 58’7”. He is also ranked 13th in the country at 59’6”. He has a sizeable lead over Swardiq Mayanja of Newton North who was the Massachusetts State Champion at 56’2”. Josh Choquette of Plainfield High School (CT) is the only other athlete in the field with a mark over 54 feet. He was a distant second to Walsuk at the Connecticut State Championships with a mark of 55’4.75. Ben Keach (Exeter, NH), Don Caouette (Attleboro, MA), Tresley Dupont (Durfee, MA), and Michael Burgess (Greely, ME) are all capable of posting marks over 54 feet and will be in the hunt for a top 3 finish.
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