Reading Track Splits with Arlington
This article was written by resident Tom Grant, a parent of a student-athlete.
(6-8 minute read)
Girls lose 72.5-63.5, Boys win 81-55
The Girls’ and Boys’ Jump Teams led the way, featuring some top performances by sophomores Annabelle Repucci and Ryan Audley
Repucci racked up 13 points and qualified for D3 state champs in High Jump
Audley won the Long Jump and Triple Jump, tallying 10 points for the Rockets
Coming off a cold and rainy State Relays meet just two days prior, Reading’s track team took on Arlington in decidedly different conditions. The temperature hit highs over 80 degrees, and winds ranged between 15-20 mph during the meet. The change in conditions added complexity to every event, whether it was a poorly timed cross-wind in high jump or the stifling heat for distance runners.
While personal bests were few and far between, the boys pulled out a victory on the strength of their field athletes, and the girls were one relay away from stealing the victory. After three meets in seven days, the Reading teams will finally have some time to rest before they gear up for invitational meets this weekend.
Reading Girls’ Track falls 72.5-63.5 to Arlington
The Reading girls’ track team battled back and forth with Arlington throughout the meet on Tuesday. After a difficult start on the track in the 400H and one mile, seniors Isabelle Lightbody and Kamryn Encarnacao won the 100H and 100m, respectively, to get the girls back in it. Meanwhile, on the field, the opposite scenario played out, where an early lead from the long jump and triple jump teams, led by Lightbody and sophomore Annabelle Repucci, was clawed back by Arlington in the discus and the shot put. After the first four track events and field events, Arlington led 39-33.
The field team cut into Arlington’s lead, as sophomore Maya Beaulieu threw a personal best of 81-09 to take first in the javelin, and Repucci (5-00.00 - first place) and senior Danielle Bowers (4-08.00 - tied for third place) both jumped personal bests to tally 5.5 points in the high jump. However, Arlington’s 400m and 800m runners outscored Reading 11-7, pushing their lead back up to 57.5-50.5.
With just the 200m and the two-mile left, Reading needed a big performance from their sprinters. Encarnacao and Repucci knew they had to fight a huge headwind on the homestretch in the 200m, but they delivered, finishing first and second and tying up the meet at 58.5 each. Arlington’s two-mile squad took the lead back with a sweep, meaning Reading had to win both relays to take the victory. Reading’s 4x100 quartet of Alexa DeMarco, Danielle Bowers, Rachel Grady, and Kamryn Encarnacao smashed Arlington’s relay team by almost three seconds. However, Arlington saved their best for last and closed out the victory by taking the 4x400.
Reading girls’ track scorers.
Despite the loss, the Rockets showed again that they can lean on their senior leaders when needed. Encarnacao delivered two individual first-place finishes and one relay win, totaling 11.25 points. Meanwhile, Lightbody continued her impressive season by winning the 100H and triple jump and finishing second in the long jump, amassing 13 points. Danielle Bowers also placed in all three events she competed in, taking third in the triple jump and high jump (tie) and first in the 4x100 for a total of 2.75 points.
Runners who posted personal bests and scored for the Rockets are:
First place and personal best
Maya Beaulieu - javelin - 81-09
Annabelle Repucci - high jump - 5-00.00 - qualifies for Division 3 State Championships
Third place and personal best
Danielle Bowers - high jump - 4-08.00
Reading Boys’ Track wins 81-55 over Arlington
After being edged out by Lexington in their dual meet last week and losing to Walpole in the State Relays by just four points on Sunday, the Reading Boys’ Track team was itching to return to their winning ways. While the first two races on the track - 400H and one mile - did not go the Rockets’ way, senior Karmani Mirville (16.18) and junior Will Gallegos (17.87) took first and third, respectively, in the 100H to right the ship. Junior Zalen Puff (11.78) and freshman Brady LaMontagne (11.81) then went 1-2 in the 100, putting Reading back into the lead, 19-17.
While the first four track events were happening, Reading and Arlington were battling it out in the high jump, discus, and shot put. Senior Levi Emmanuel won the high jump with a huge personal best of 6-04.00, easily qualifying him for the Division 3 state championships. Arlington claimed 8 of the 9 points in the discus, but in the shot put, junior Jamie Dudley (40-11.00) and sophomore Harrison Farnum (40-00.00) took first and third, respectively, with Dudley winning by less than an inch. This was Farnum’s first throw to reach 40 feet. Still, Arlington outscored Reading 14-12 across these three events, meaning the meet was all tied.
The next two events were back on the track with the 400 and 800, in which Arlington took both first and third. At this point, the Spy Ponders were up six points and surely thinking an upset was in the works. However, things began to turn as senior Luke Rogerson won the javelin by almost 50 feet. Then sophomore jumper Ryan Audley had the best meet of his life. Audley stepped up to win the triple jump with a leap of 41-03.50, just half an inch off his personal best, and take the long jump with his first ever jump over 20 feet at 20-01.00. From this point on, the Rockets never looked back as they swept the 200 with Ryan Pulpi (22.51), LaMontagne (23.72), and Puff (24.05), and took first and second in the two-mile with Andrew Princic (10:07.6) and Max King (10:11.3). Princic qualified for the Division 3 state championships with his effort. At this point, the outcome was decided no matter what happened with the relays, and each team won one of them.
Reading boys’ track scorers.
Runners who posted personal bests and scored for the Rockets are:
First place and personal best
Levi Emmanuel - high jump - 6-04.00 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Ryan Audley - long jump - 20-01.00
Second place and personal best
Sebastian Orsini - 800m - 2:03.71
Jack Millerick - 400m - 52.03 (qualifies for Division 3 state championships)
Third place and personal best
Declan Grant - one-mile - 4:39.80
Harrison Farnum - shot put - 40-00.00
Travis King (14), Colin Herlihy (sunglasses), Colin Carroll (next to Herlihy), and Declan Grant (pink headband) take the starting line for the one-mile race. Photo by Tom Grant.
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