The Lynnfield boys and girls track teams opened the spring season on Wednesday, April 10 against Ipswich at the Lynnfield Middle School with mixed results.
The boys team placed first in 12 events and coasted to a 93-52 victory.
Despite a very strong performance in the field events with first-place finishes in five of six events – and two 1-2-3 sweeps – the girls came up short, 86-59. The Pioneers led 45-27 after the first eight events, but a strong finish by the Tigers sealed it.
In the boys meet, the Pioneers swept the 100-meter, shot put, and long jump. Juniors Jared Bernabei and Eli Mendese were double winners with Bernabei placing first in the shot put (36-10.5) and discus (107-09) and Mendese doing so in the long jump (20-06) and high jump (5-10). Mendese also finished second in the shot put (41-06). Junior Dillon Reilly won the 200-meter (23.2) and placed third in the 400-meter (56.5). Sophomore Zahir Mitchell won the 200-meter (23.2) and placed third in the long jump (19-02).
Junior Jesse Dorman, Reilly, senior Joey Cucciniello and Mitchell won the 4×100 relay (45.2).
Other Lynnfield winners were senior Ryan Nguyen (mile, 5:06), senior Srivanth Tudi (2-mile, 11:22), sophomore Nick Kelter (triple jump, 40-10), Quinn Hardisty (javelin, 156-10) and senior Ryan DeBenedictus (pole vault, 9-06).
Senior Evan Chan placed second in the 400 hurdles (65.3) and third in the 110 high hurdles (19.2). Dorman finished second in the 100-meter (11.5) and 200-meter (23.7). Cucciniello finished second in the triple jump (40-01) and third in the 100-meter (11.6). Junior Chris Duprey finished second in the discus (101-03) and third in the shot put (33-06).
Senior Ethan Francis finished second in the high jump (5-10) and junior Matthew Squadrito finished second in the pole vault (8-06). Also contributing points with third-place efforts were freshman Brendan Reilly in the 400 (56.5) and junior Max Nastasi in the javelin (96-08).
Mendese and Hardisty qualified for states in their respective events.
On the girls’ side, junior Chase Carangelo (4-08), freshman Alison Maddocks (4-06) and freshman Kate Shrewsbury (94-06) swept the high jump and senior captain Emilie Bell (89-09), senior Adriana Buccilli (61-07) and freshman Elliana Moretti (59-11) swept the discus.
Moretti won the shot put (26-07.5) and Maddocks won the triple jump (30-10.5). Sophomore Abby Lopez won the javelin (85-08) and senior captain Viola Wertz won the 2-mile (13:56).
Senior captain Melissa Caprio (15-01.5) finished second in the long jump (15-01.5), while freshman Audrey Greenleaf (14-08.5) and senior captain Olivia Goguen (14-08.5) tied for third. Greenleaf also finished third in the 100 hurdles (18.20), while Goguen finished third in the 400 hurdles (75.5).
Senior captain Emilie Bell (shot put, 26-03.5), sophomore Shaelyn Moore (pole vault, 7-00), junior Gabby Bottaro (mile, 6:04.3) and Lauren Mattia (800, 2:56.3) contributed three points each with second-place finishers. Freshman Audrey Manning (triple jump, 29-11), sophomore Aislin McCormack (400, 72.6) and freshman Ava Freni (200, 30.30) finished third in their respective events.
Both teams are back in action on April 24 against Hamilton-Wenham at the Lynnfield Middle School.
