The selection process was probably a rather quick one to pick out the CAL boys track Athletes of the Year this spring.
Both Aiden Donovan and Joel Spaulding were pretty far above the rest.
Donovan, a recent Amesbury High grad, and Spaulding, who similarly just graduated from Pentucket, earned CAL MVP honors for the Baker and Kinney Divisions respectively. The awards were given out at the CAL Open Championship last month. Athletes who placed first in an event were named All-CAL, while those who finished second and third were named CAL All-Stars.
Donovan and Spaulding were both honored for their collective seasons.
But they certainly showed up at the CAL Open, too.
Donovan, our reigning Daily News MVP from a year ago, broke meet records in both the shot put (59-0) and discus (171-11) to lead the Redhawks to the CAL Open title. The UMass Amherst commit then went on to win both events at the Division 6 State Meet — again leading the Redhawks to the title — and finished up by placing third in the shot put at Meet of Champions (56-2.50). Teammates Michael Sanchez (400) and Maxx Rodrigues (800) both won All-CAL honors in their respective events.
And their coach, Ernie Bissaillon, was named the Baker Coach of the Year.
For Spaulding, there was simply no sprinter in the league faster than him this spring. He won both the 100 (10.85) and 200 (22.54) at the CAL Open, then also raced to first with the 4×100 relay alongside Luke Zavaski, Kade Dennis and Jack Foley (43.85). Spaulding went on to finish second in both events at the Division 5 State Meet — while winning again with the 4×100 — then placed 9th in the 100 at Meet of Champions (11.01), before ending his season placing 5th at New Balance Nationals in the Emerging Elite Division (10.89).
The Panthers also saw Tighe Hosman earn All-CAL in both the 100 and 400-meter hurdles, and Anthony Lee take home the title in the javelin.
Meanwhile, Newburyport had two All-CAL selections in Michael Mohoric (2-Mile) and Matteo Colombo (Triple Jump). The Triton boys also earned one with its 4×400 relay team of Jack Lyman, Scott Holscher, Andrew Doherty and Sam Abt, while coach Joe Colbert was named the Kinney Coach of the Year.
Here are the complete CAL All-Star lists.
All CAL
100 Meter: Joel Spaulding, Sr., Pentucket; 200 Meter: Joel Spaulding, Sr., Pentucket; 400 Meter: Michael Sanchez, Sr., Amesbury; 800 Meter: Maxx Rodrigues, Soph., Amesbury; Mile: Clark Glidden, Jr., Hamilton-Wenham; 2-Mile: Michael Mohoric, Soph., Newburyport; 100 Meter Hurdles: Tighe Hosman, Sr., Pentucket; 400 Meter Hurdles: Tighe Hosman, Sr., Pentucket; 4×100 Relay: Pentucket (Luke Zavaski, Kade Dennis, Jack Foley, Joel Spaulding); 4×400 Relay: Triton (Jack Lyman, Scott Holscher, Andrew Doherty, Sam Abt); 4×800 Relay Hamilton-Wenham; HJ: Eli Mendese, Sr., Lynnfield; LJ: Kiernan Miller, Jr., North Reading; TJ: Matteo Colombo, Sr., Newburyport; PV: Nicholas Johnson, Jr., North Reading; Discus: Aiden Donovan, Sr., Amesbury; Jav: Anthony Lee, Soph., Pentucket; SP: Aiden Donovan, Sr., Amesbury
CAL All-Stars
100 Meter: Michael Sanchez, Sr., Amesbury; Kiernan Miller, Jr., North Reading; 200 Meter: Tyler Brosch, Jr., Triton; Michael Coco, Soph., Triton; 400 Meter: Jalen Wise, Jr., Newburyport; Max Sanchez, Sr., Amesbury; 800 Meter: John Prendergast, Sr., Triton; Alex Lisauskas, Sr., Newburyport; Mile: Cole Regan, Frosh., Hamilton-Wenham; Duncan MacDonald, Sr., Triton; 2-Mile: Ben Rich, Jr., Hamilton-Wenham; James Regan, Jr., Hamilton-Wenham; 100 Meter Hurdles: Kalo Pancini, Jr., North Reading; Daniil Baranetski, Jr., North Reading; 400 Meter Hurdles: Ange Tshimbabme, Soph., Ipswich; Kyle Lisauskas, Soph., Newburyport;
4×100 Relay: Triton (Tyler Brosch, Michael Coco, William Hight, Sam Abt); Amesbury (Tristan Johnson, Benjamin Wood, Joseph Puleo, Anthony Aguilar-Lopez); 4×400 Relay: Pentucket (Grayden Wright, Aivyn Privitera, Owen Corkery, Tighe Hosman); Newburyport (William Downs, David Walker, Alex Lisauskas, Jalen Wise); 4×800 Relay: Triton (John Prendergast, Zach Lyon, Duncan MacDonald, Cassidy McBee); Amesbury (Brodie Hall, Brody Tonks, Josiah Fugate, Maxx Rodrigues);
HJ: Ethan Francis, Sr., Lynnfield; Jason Holscher, Jr., Triton; LJ: Matteo Colombo, Sr., Newburyport; Zahir Mitchell, Soph., Lynnfield; TJ: Nick Kelter, Soph., Lynnfield; Jalen Wise, Jr., Newburyport; PV: Damian Andrusyshyn, Frosh., North Reading; Brody Tonks, Sr., Amesbury; Discus: Leo Romanski, Soph., North Reading; Liam Kneeland, Sr., Triton; Jav: Quinn Hardisty, Jr., Lynnfield; Nikolas Laverdiere, Jr., North Reading; SP: Dylan Palen, Soph., Amesbury; Cade Pessolano, Sr., Newburyport
Miscellaneous Awards
Kinney MVP: Joel Spaulding, Pentucket.
Baker MVP: Aiden Donovan, Amesbury.
Coach of the Year (Kinney): Joe Colbert, Triton.
Coach of the Year (Baker): Ernie Bissaillon, Amesbury.
Sportsmanship (Kinney): Pentucket.
Sportsmanship (Baker): Lynnfield.