Reading Track and Field has Two State Champions at the MIAA Meet of Champions
This article was written by resident Tom Grant, a parent of a student-athlete.
Ryan Pulpi (far right) brings home a school record in the 4x100. Photo by Casey Johnson-Houlihan.
(2-minute read)
Pulpi is fastest in the state at the 200m and the 400m
Rogerson is the state champion in the javelin
Emmanuel finishes fifth in the high jump
Boys 4x100 finishes fourth and sets new school record
With the Division 3 state championships behind them, Reading’s Track and Field athletes changed their focus from helping their team win a meet to competing individually against the best in the state. On Thursday, June 4th, and Saturday, June 6th, a select few Reading athletes competed in the MIAA Meet of Champions (“MoC”), the highly selective final meet of the season in Massachusetts. Reading’s stars continued to shine as more school records were broken, specifically the boys’ 200m and the boys’ 4x100. As a result, three athletes - Levi Emmanuel, Ryan Pulpi, and Luke Rogerson - will compete at the New England High School Outdoor Track Championship (“New Englands”) on Saturday, June 13th, in North Berwick, ME.
The Reading girls 4x100 team at the MoC. From left to right: Kamryn Encarnacao, Rachel Grady, Annabelle Repucci, and Isabelle Lightbody. Photo by Nancy Madden.
On the girls’ side, seniors Kamryn Encarnacao (100m, 200m, 4x100) and Isabelle Lightbody (long jump, triple jump, 4x100), represented the best of what Reading has to offer on the track at the MoC, as they have all season. They were joined by sophomore Annabelle Repucci (long jump, 4x100) and junior Rachel Grady (4x100). Encarnacao placed 12th in the 200m (25.66) and 13th in the 100m (12.50), Lightbody finished 15th in the long jump (17-11.25) and 18th in the triple jump (35-08.00), Repucci finished 12th in the long jump (18-01.75 - personal best), and the 4x100 team finished 9th in 49.56. The 4x100 team’s time was a season best and just missed finishing 8th (and getting on the podium) by one one-hundredth of a second.
Ryan Pulpi’s incredible season continued at the MoC. After shattering the school record in the 200m last week at the D3 state championships, where he won by over half a second, it seemed the biggest question was not whether he would win, but whether he could break his own record again only a week later. However, Pulpi’s qualifying time for the final was only sixth-fastest, raising questions about how the final would play out. Pulpi quickly erased any concerns that had arisen from the qualifying rounds by running 21.06 to set another school record and win easily. Pulpi has the fastest time in New England in the 200m and will be the favorite should he choose to run that event next week.
Cam Gigler (right) receives the baton from Max King (left) in the 4x800. Photo by Casey Johnson-Houlihan.
Pulpi was not done after winning the 200m. Since the 200m was held on Thursday and the 400m on Saturday, he had the opportunity to focus on doing his best in each event without holding anything back in either. It was a good thing too, as this 400m field was the fastest Pulpi has faced all season. After a tight first 300m, Pulpi’s closing speed in the last 100m won the day. He ran a 47.33, only two-hundredths of a second off his personal best, to become a two-time MoC champion this year. Pulpi has the third-fastest time in New England in the 400m, meaning there is an incredibly fast 400m coming this weekend at the New England Championships, should he choose to participate.
Luke Rogerson has not lost all year in the javelin, and on paper, the MoC presented his stiffest test yet. However, the only other thrower in Massachusetts to throw over 200 feet this year did not enter the MoC. This left Rogerson in the same position he has been all season - the huge favorite to win. Rogerson delivered again and kept his unbeaten streak going as he won by over ten feet with a throw of 197-09.00, becoming Reading’s second state champion. Rogerson has the second-farthest throw in New England this season, and should be the favorite to win the New England Championships next weekend.
All Reading track participants in the Meet of Champions.
Levi Emmanuel has one of the most amazing stories in high school track this season, going from never having done high jump in his life to winning the D3 state championship. Emmanuel’s story is not done, however, as he set a new personal best of 6-06.00 at the MoC, tying him for fifth and sending him on to the New England Championships. There are 12 jumpers in New England who have jumped higher than Emmanuel this season, but in this season of incredible improvement for him, one cannot rule Levi Emmanuel out until the last jump is over.
The last boys to place in the top eight were the 4x100 team of freshman Brady LaMontagne, junior Zalen Puff, junior Matthew Dougherty, and Pulpi, who finished fourth in 42.31. Despite not winning, the team set a new school record, making it the fourth school record Pulpi has set this outdoor season.
The boys’ 4x800 team finished 14th, a ten-place improvement from their seeding at 24th. Junior Finn Johnson-Houlihan, junior Max King, senior Cam Gigler, and junior Sebastian Orsini brought home their best time of the season at 8:08.66.
Senior Levi Emmanuel finished tied for fifth in the high jump with a personal best of 6’6”. Photo by Miriam Katenda.
Senior Ryan Pulpi was state champion (all divisions) in the 200m and 400m. Photo by Casey Houlihan-Johnson.
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