Reading Track Posts Victories on Senior Night Against Woburn
This article was written by resident Tom Grant, a parent of a student-athlete.
Girls win 88-47, Boys win 84.33-51.67
(7-9 minute read)
Hannah Kenton (right) and Tessa Rock (left) go 1-2 in the 400m. Photo by Tom Grant.
Girls won 11 of 16 events, boys won 10 of 16
Seniors Ryan Pulpi and Luke Rogerson broke school records
Senior Isabelle Lightbody won three individual events
With season- and personal-bests galore, multiple athletes qualified for Div 3 states
Reading’s meet against Woburn on Tuesday, May 12th, was significant in three ways: 1) it was the final dual meet of the season; 2) it was the only home meet of the season; and 3) it was Senior Night. Reading’s track teams made it count, as both the girls and the boys delivered big wins over Woburn. Fittingly, the seniors led the way, with multiple victories, season-best and personal-best efforts, and two school records. In recognition of the excellence on display by the senior class, two tables listing every senior who participated in this meet are available at the end of the article.
Reading Girls Beat Woburn 88-47
Reading’s seniors set the tone early in their victory over Woburn. Of the first four track events, seniors Annabelle Shanley (400H - 1:17.79), Isabelle Lightbody (100H - 15.84), and Kamryn Encarnacao (100m - 12.52) won three of them. Lightbody and Encarnacao both achieved season-best times, and Lightbody’s time was the 18th fastest in the state this year.
Annabelle Repucci wins the high jump. Photo by Tom Grant.
Lightbody had to squeeze that victory in the hurdles in between the long jump and the triple jump - both of which she won. Her long jump of 17-05.00 was her best this season. With two season-best performances plus her victory in the triple jump (36-10.00), Lightbody achieved the impressive feat of winning three individual events in one dual meet and tallying 15 points for the team.
Lightbody’s performance in the jumps pointed the way to a massively successful day for Reading’s jumpers. The Rockets swept all three jumping events, as Encarnacao (16-04.50) and sophomore Annabelle Repucci (15-10.00) took second and third in the long jump, respectively, and seniors Danielle Bowers (34-00.00) and Katherine Savio (33-01.25) did the same in the triple jump. As a demonstration of their depth and strength in the jumps, Reading took fourth place in the high jump and triple jump as well.
While Woburn’s throws teams were talented and deep on this day, taking 26 of 27 possible points, Reading kept up its winning ways on the track. Senior Hannah Kenton took first in the 400m (1:02.61) just ahead of fellow senior Tessa Rock (1:02.68). Juniors Rachel Grady (200m - 26.80) and Allison Juffre (two-mile - 13:07.02) also took home victories. Grady’s time qualified her for the Division 3 state championships. Reading had the victory in hand as the meet came to the final two track events, the 4x100 and 4x400. However, the Rockets did not take their foot off the gas and easily won both the relays.
Reading girls’ track scorers.
Runners who posted personal bests and scored for the Rockets are:
First place and personal best
Rachel Grady - 200m - 26.80 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Hannah Kenton - 400m - 1:02.61 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Second place and personal best
Eva Kirkwood - one-mile - 5:40.70
Third place and personal best
Mia Smart - 100H - 17.80
Reading Boys Beat Woburn 84.33-51.67
Ryan Audley gives it his all in the triple jump. Photo by Tom Grant.
Reading and Woburn traded the lead back and forth over the opening track and field events. In the 400H, Woburn took first and second place, but Reading immediately matched that effort by taking first and second in the one-mile thanks to juniors Max King (4:36.60) and Andrew Princic (4:39.83). Despite senior Karmani Mirville running a personal-best 15.80 in the 110H, Woburn was too strong, taking first and second. However, Reading proceeded to sweep the 100m, featuring a new school record for senior Ryan Pulpi of 10.71. Pulpi continues to reach new heights at the end of his remarkable high school career, as his 100m time was faster than his previous school record set just last week by almost a tenth of a second. With four track events down, the Reading runners were up 19-17.
The opening field events of high jump, discus, and shot put were just as tight as what went down on the track. Senior Levi Emmanuel took first in the high jump at 6-00.00, but Woburn took first and third in both the discus and the shot. With Woburn taking 15.67 field points to Reading’s 11.33, the meet was leaning in favor of the Tanners with a score of 32.67 to 30.33.
Timmy Connolly brings home the win in the two-mile. Photo by Tom Grant.
The Rockets were not going to get beaten on their home track, however. Reading took back the lead by finishing first and second in the 400m as Pulpi ran 49.00, the second-fastest time in the state this year, and junior Domenic Pate delivered a personal best of 51.62. Pate’s time qualified him for the Division 3 state championships. Reading then poured it on in the 800m as junior Sebastian Orsini (1:59.39), senior Cameron Gigler (2:03.31), and sophomore Declan Grant (2:06.86) swept the event. With his personal best run, Orsini qualified for the Division 3 state championships. The wins kept coming on the track for the Rockets, as freshman Brady LaMontagne got his first-ever individual win with a personal best in the 200 (22.97), and senior Timmy Connolly won his last race on his home track, taking the two-mile in a season-best of 10:01.35. Connolly’s time qualified him for the Division 3 state championships.
Meanwhile, right around the time Reading started turning the tide on the track, senior Luke Rogerson had something special in store in the javelin. On his first throw, he set a new personal best at 194-01. His second throw went even farther at 198-07. Down to his final attempt on his home turf, Rogerson cracked the 200-foot barrier with a throw of 201-05 and established a new school record.
While Woburn took first in the long jump and triple jump, Reading won both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays to lock down the victory.
Runners who posted personal bests and scored for the Rockets are:
Reading boys’ track scorers.
First place and personal best
Ryan Pulpi - 100m - 10.71
Brady LaMontagne - 200m - 22.97 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Ryan Pulpi - 400m - 49.00
Sebastian Orsini - 800m - 1:59.39
Luke Rogerson - javelin - 201-05
Second place and personal best
Brady LaMontagne - 100m - 11.36
Domenic Pate - 400m - 51.62 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Colin Herlihy - Two-mile - 10:08.96 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Max Varney - discus - 122-08
Ryan Audley - long jump - 20-07.00 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Third place and personal best
Matthew Dougherty - 100m - 11.56
Matthew Dougherty - 200m - 23.54
Karmani Mirville - 110H - 15.80
List of senior girls that participated in the meet, along with listing personal and season best marks.
List of senior boys that participated in the meet, along with listing personal and season best marks.
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