The Gloucester girls track team wrapped up the spring season with one final meet on Tuesday: the state heptathlon.
And what a finish they had.
Led by another phenomenal showing from senior standout Aili Spencer, the Fishermen earned fifth place overall with 9,205 total points. It was the best team finish and score in program history, and they trailed only King-Philip (9,591 points), Masconomet (9,808), Canton (10,080) and champion Weymouth (10,933).
This result was even more impressive considering the new format of the marquee event, which now combined both the state’s North and South representing teams. There were 31 total squads competing, with numerous schools, including Gloucester, sending a “B Team” as well.
Spencer shined brightest in the long jump, her specialty, claiming third place overall with a leap of 17-08.25 feet. She was also eighth in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 16.94 seconds, ninth in the 200 (27.66) and 14th in the high jump (4-07.00 feet).
Collectively, Spencer totaled enough points to grab 10th place individually, nearly breaking her own school record for the event in the process.
In addition, Gloucester got a stellar performance from Cia Donohoe in the 800, where she finished 10th with a time of 2:33.83. Tess Taylor was 23rd in the 100 hurdles (18.50) and 21st in the long jump (15-03.50) to round out the top showings for Gloucester.
For GHS’s B Team, junior Hope Castellucci impressed with a sixth place showing in the 800 (2:31.80).
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On the boys side, the Fishermen competed in a decathlon, managing a solid 15th place finish out out of 33 teams with a total of 12,209 points. Medfield won the event with 15,978 points, followed by Milton (15,584) and Apponequet (15,451).
“The boys had a great showing with a lot of youth on the team showing promise in this event,” said GHS coach David Coleman.
Leading the charge for Gloucester was junior Jeferson Do Carmo, who snagged a sixth place finish in the 1500 with a time of 4:42.22 and was ninth in the 400 (PR of 53.32). Seamus Linehan was the leader in multiple events for his team, including the 100 (36th place, 12.05 seconds), the 110 hurdles (36th, PR of 17.94), the high jump (52nd, 5-01.00), the javelin (41st, 104-00), the triple jump (33rd, 37-03.00) and the shot put (89th, PR of 27-00.50). His best finish came in the 1500, where he came in just behind teammate Do Carmo in a time of 4:46.24 to snare 10th overall. Senior captain Dylan Smith was the other competitor for GHS.
On Gloucester’s B Team, 14-year-old freshman Vincent Mannone impressed, earning 39th in the 400 (55.82), 37th in the 1500 (5:01.40) and 46th in the javelin (99-07).