The Eagle-Tribune’s indoor track record books may not be as extensive as the spring track records that Michael Muldoon so meticulously maintained for so many years, but there is no denying, this was a record-setting winter for area athletes.
And it was the girls that made the biggest splash (check out our final Winter Track Honor Roll on page D4).
Haverhill High’s Lauren Downer broke a whopping four school records this season. Last Saturday at New Balance Nationals, she shattered the Hillie record in the 800-meter (area-best 2:15.35), besting local legend Rebecca Stabile‘s mark (2:16.43) set back in 2010. Downer also set new school records in the 600 (area-leading 1:33.89), 1,000 (area-best 2:52.63) and sprint medley relay (4:16.91).
Fellow Haverhill High star Maddie Goncalves broke her own Hillie schools record in the shot put with a 43-0. That would rank third best in area history on our outdoor track All-Time Honor Roll — and the best in more than 20 years — behind just Timberlane’s Jess Cegarra (43-3.5 in 2003) and Andover’s Karen Hodgkinson (43-0.75 in 1986).
First-year hurdler Arianna DiPietro setting the MVC Meet record in the 55-meter hurdles (8.31) is especially impressive because the previous record was held by fellow Central Catholic superstar Katharine Duren (8.33) — a three-time Eagle-Tribune MVP who is now starring for Division 1 University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Both are also from Haverhill, which has produced some impressive hurdlers in recent years. Also in that group is former Haverhill High star, Eagle-Tribune MVP and Duren’s neighbor/rival Jayla Kitchings.
Just a sophomore, Timberlane’s Danielle Bates is already among the best high jumpers in area history. Her 5-7.25 at New Balance Nationals would rank third best all-time in our outdoor Honor Roll. Only Andover’s Moira Cronin (5-10 in 2011) and North Andover’s Sarah Lavery (5-8.75 in 2018) have gone higher in the spring.
The Methuen High 4×200 relay of Bella Fiore, Kiera Fitzpatrick, Alysha Santana Sosa and Lauren Quarm set a school record (1:43.82) at New Balance Nationals. Quarm ran a 6.97 in the 55-meter dash — just off her own school record of 6.95 — while taking second at New Englands.
And Windham’s Brynn Johnson set a Jaguars school record in the shot put (34-10.25).
The boys season may not have been quite as historic, but there were some very notable performances.
Fresh off leading the Pinkerton Academy football team to the Division I state title, and earning Eagle-Tribune defensive MVP, Matt Morrison was once again a force on the track. He led the area in the 55-meter dash (6.42) and 300 (35.29) and was third in the 55-meter hurdles (7.61). Leading the way in the hurdles was Colby Crear (7.48), who was also tops in the 200 (22.83).
The boys distance events were owned by residents of Andover. Phillips Academy’s Tam Gavenas was tops in the 1,000 (2:31.52) and 2-mile (9:04.03), Andover High’s Kyle Haskell was the area leader in the mile (4:19.26), while Golden Warriors James Gallaudet (second in 1,000, 2:35.61), Landon Zoss (second in mile, 4:22.53) and Ryan Todisco (second in 2-mile, 9:22.72) also shined.
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