ROXBURY — Hours before the biggest track meet of her life began, Avery Strickler was already nervous.
The butterflies were understandable for the talented ninth grader, and only grew stronger in the early afternoon when the Merrimack Valley Conference Track Championship kicked off at the Reggie Lewis Center.
After a rocky start in the preliminary round of the long jump, Strickler was able to wash away the nerves, and not just win that event, but also take home the 300-meter title before finishing off her incredible day by being part of the winning 4×400 relay team.
Strickler’s 22.5 points helped lead the Raiders to their fourth straight meet title.
“Avery has inserted herself as a star from the second she arrived,” said head coach Shawn Dumas. “She is coachable, doesn’t let the moment get to her and is multi-talented and allows us to move pieces around her. Her impact is immense and it’s just the beginning.”
The Raiders fell behind to Billerica early, but started to peck away. Strickler’s two firsts along with senior Arianna DiPietro’s titles in the 55-meter hurdles (8.35) for the second straight year, the high jump (5-0), and as part of the second place 4×200 relay team, helped Central crush the second half of the meet, finishing with 131 points, compared to Billerica’s 92.
“The team worked hard start to finish and didn’t let a slower start get to them,” said Dumas. “We understood there were teams that were deeper in the distance events but we were steady and hit some key places to stay in it. That patience was what we needed and the girls rallies together every second they could. Great team win for sure.”
A great four-years, for sure.
“Four in a row comes with constant dedication from the team and desire to thrive for more,” said Dumas. “Every moment is a challenge and we are lucky to be in a very competitive league that pushes the girls to be their best. We have been fortunate to have girls come into the program every year and we want to better themselves and that growth helps us thrive.”
Strickler kept up a strong, steady pace throughout the entire 300 race, and after a short rest, she did the same when she joined sophomore Kyla Breslin, freshman Leighton Hickey and junior Dinaya Balborda to win the 4×400 relay (4:05.48).
“The relay was so much fun,” she said. “I love running with my team we were so motivated together and I wanted to finish the meet strong. I felt strong running it and was happy we pulled off a win. I’m so excited for what will happen in the post-season.”
Breslin also won the mile in 5:11.62.
“I’m very happy how today’s meet went. It was nice to compete with the best and help the team get the overall win. I’m looking forward to the rest of the postseason,” she said.
Four in a row for Quarm
Methuen High senior Lauren Quarm made it a perfect 4 for 4, winning the 55-meter dash all four years in the conference meet. This time she won it with a time of 7.25 seconds.
“I’m very proud to be an MVC champion for the fourth consecutive time,” said Quarm. “Today wasn’t about who I was competing against — it was about what I was running for. It was me versus the clock. Even though I didn’t run the exact time I was hoping for, I’m proud of myself and what I have accomplished.”
Central Catholic boys take second
Central Catholic, Lowell and North Andover were neck-and-neck throughout the entire meet, until Lowell scored 26 points in the three relay races, including winning the final race, the 4×400, to come away with 104 total points, with Central (101) and North Andover (98.5) taking second and third.
“No complaints about taking home the second place trophy,” said head coach Mike Leal. “The boys had an outstanding day. They fought hard for every single point. I am extremely proud of their performance this afternoon.”
Close friends Jeremiah Mateo Mora and Carlos Quintana, both juniors, enjoyed huge performances, including finishing first and second in the 55-meter hurdles with respective times of 7.72 and 7.73.
“Today was one of the most competitive meets I’ve participated in all season,” said Mateo Mora. “I was able to get first place in the hurdles alongside Carlos, who gave me a real good battle in the final. My time was a personal best. It wasn’t really a surprise seeing the time after the race. It just shows the hard work and dedication that me and my teammates put in.”
Said Quintana, “My favorite part was competing with my teammate Jeremiah. We were able to push each other to our best times of the year and two of the best times in the state.”
The two of them were also part of the winning 4×200 relay along with Jordan Baez and Yosuhar Diaz with a combined time of 1:32.56. Quintana also won the high jump (6-6).
The final first place came from senior Amado Ysalguez in the shot put (49-08.75).
“Winning felt extremely fulfilling after experiencing big ups and downs throughout the season,” he admitted. “I was able to put everything together when it mattered the most. It’s rewarding to see my progression from the bottom of the division to first place over the span of my high school career.”
Two winners for North Andover
The Scarlet Knights crowned two champions, seniors Nicolas Floresquero-Llamas in the two-mile (9:43.39) and Aiden Siwicki in the mile (4:30.15).
“I was having foot discomfort before today’s meet and didn’t know how well I was going to do because of that,” said Floresquero-Llamas. “But once I got here, I locked in and put in a winning mentality into my head. I knew that I could actually win.”
“I started out in a conservative manner, not trying to lead from the start. I felt good after the first mile, and tried to maintain calmness, and kept going at it. Once it was a two-man race, and we were approaching the conclusion of the race, I wanted to pass (Billerica’s Sahil Gandhi), but I knew it would be a risky move. I let him pass by and I could sense discomfort from him. I knew that I could win. As I was approaching the last lap, I sprinted and won (by over six seconds).”
Siwicki won the mile in 4:30.15, just beating out teammate Brogan Zwinggi (4:31.81).
“Brogan and I had the plan to make it more of a tactical race. When I went through 800 in around a 2:20 I knew that the next half was gonna speed up like crazy,” said Siwicki. “I’ve always been very confident in my kick so I just tried sticking with the top group and left it all out on the track with one lap to go.”
Siwicki made his move, and crossed the line first, but barely.
“I came across smiling because I was very proud of my self for achieving such an accomplishment. I then looked back and saw Brogan get second and we both gave each other a big hug,” said Siwicki.
Bateman leads Haverhill
The Hillies finished in sixth place and were led by senior Colin Bateman, who won the 55-meter dash in 6.68 seconds.
“I knew there was lots of competition going into this race, as I was seeded third and I knew I had to perform my best. In the prelims, I had a great start and I ended up being seeded first for the finals,” he said.
Moving up two spots put added pressure on Bateman.
“Although I was physically ready for the finals, I also had to be mentally prepared by visualizing myself before my race,” he said. “I felt strong and explosive coming off the blocks, and I kept that momentum throughout the race. After anxiously waiting to see my time, I was so pumped after seeing that I had won the race with a personal record of 6.68.”