Another week, another strong showing by the Lynnfield track teams. Saturday at Triton Regional High School, the boys finished fifth overall at the Henry Sheldon Invitational with 95 points. The girls team also found success with nine top-six finishes and several girls establishing personal bests.
Junior Nick Kelter had a meet to remember and was named Field Event Athlete of the Meet. All he did was win gold in the triple jump with a leap of 43–07.5, shattering his personal best by more than a foot-and-a-half and coming within two inches of knocking off the second-oldest school record in the books, 43-09.5 set by Glenn Hitchens all the way back in 1976. Kelter’s mark was also just one-half inch off the meet record.
Zahir Mitchell also had a strong day. He finished second in the 100-meter (11.56) and third in the long jump (20-03). Eli Mendese matched his personal best in the high jump (6-0) and finished second. Trinity College-commit Joey Cucciniello finished third in the triple jump (42-02.5). Ryan DeBenedictis (9-06) and Matthew Squadrito (9-0) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault.
Jesse Dorman (11.62) placed fourth in the 100 and Srivanth Tudi (10.51.32) finished fourth in the 2-mile run. Brady Field set a PR and finished fifth in the javelin (111-11) and Davius Chan (63.99) finished sixth in the 400 hurdles.
While they didn’t place in the top six, several Pioneers established new PRs. Daviuis Chan set new marks in the 400 hurdles (63.99) and 110 high hurdles (19.71). Ryan Nguyen knocked nearly 12 seconds off his previous mark in the mile (5:14.36). Brady Field (111-04) and Maximus Nastari (108-04) set new marks in the javelin.
On the girls’ side, senior captain Emilie Bell turned in the top performance with a runner-up finish in the discus with a throw of 100-05. She also finished fourth in the shot put (27-02.5). Senior captain Viola Wertz finished third in the 2-mile (13.06.54). Abby Lopez finished fourth in the javelin (86-11) and Shaelyn Moore finished fourth in the pole vault (7-06).
Lauren Mattia, Wertz, Lopez and Gabby Bottaro finished fourth in the 4×800 relay (10:51). Elliana Moretti finished fifth in the shot put (27-01.5). Bottaro also finished fourth in the 2-mile (13:17.19). Alison Maddocks set a PR in the long jump (14-10) and Audrey Manning did likewise in the triple jump (30-05.5).
The Pioneers are back in action Friday at the Cape Ann League Championship at North Reading High.
