This weekend the Granite State hosts the 73rd New England Championships for the first time since 2001. For this occasion, the state is pulling out all the stops as
University of New Hampshire is the host with its amazing new stadium and scoreboard, which will be in full use! We welcome all five of the other New England states to our corner of the woods! Below is what to watch for with regards to the competition! NHTF.com will be there in force snapping pics, interviewing, and tweeting updates! Visit our meet hub for updates over the subsequent days!
Below are some things to look for in events where NH seems the strongest!
Girls
Let’s start with where NH is strongest and Exeter’s Jackie Gaughan. Word is Jackie may actually be taking a red-eye from Brook’s PR in Seattle, Washington to defend her New England title for the 3200. You can actually watch her race live tomorrow evening via this link! She already is considered the fastest ever in NH at the 3200, so this would only add to her legend if she can pull off winning the New England title within 24 hours of rolling the same event at and elite meet on the left coast! If she is unable to make it, look for the future in CT’s freshman phenom Katherine Wiser from Pomperaug.
West’s Julia Robitaille is ranked 2nd in the 1600 at 5:00.21 and again is just rounding into form as she made it look easy last week. Top seed is Lauren Moore from Danbury, but she had plenty of company as Jacqueline Guerra (Guilford), Angela Saidman (Immaculate), and Kate Hedlund (Manchester) were definitely nipping at her heels clocking 5:00-5:02.
NH’s other second seed is Coe-Brown’s Kathleen Collins in the Discus with her MOC mark of 133’6″. If you have been following Collins, you know she has been in the mid to high 140s throughout the season. With Tiana Bazie from Dennis-Yarmouth as the top seed at 134’1″, expect Collins to certainly contend.
For 4 years, Collins’ friendly rival has been Leb’s Kath Merchant. She comes in ranked 9th in the shot but 3rd in the Javelin at 136’0″. She does have a tall order to contend for a title though as the top seed is Shira Stoller (Sharon, MA) at 156’10”. Erin McMeniman from Dracut, MA is the second seed while Jadah Adams from Oxford Hills, ME is the 4th seed close by at 135’7″.
NH’s best long sprinter, Concord’s Grace Devanny is 3rd ranked in the 400 at 56.28. She has stated her goal is to break 56. She will have help with this endeavor as Newtown, CT’s Carly Swierbut and Berverly, MA’s India Ingemi are the top 2 seeds at 55.48 and 55.87 respectively. Devanny has risen to the occasion before, expect the same here. Sanborn’s freshman, Kristina Allard is ranked 10th. Devanny returns in the 200 as the 16th seed in 25.96.
In the High Jump, as with most New England meets, many are tied at numerous heights. South’s Sydney Lewis is tied for 3rd by virtue of her 5’6″ MOC clearance while Pelham’s Mia Herrling is tied for 4th at 5’4″. Both have been very consistent, and anything can happen in the high jump even though the top seed is sitting at 5’11”, Nyagoa Bayak from Westbrook, ME.
The hard working, Oyster River 4×100 meter relay will find themselves in the fast heat come Saturday as they are ranked 5th at 49.40. As with many track and field events, anything can happen, especially in a 4×100. Amesbury, Massachusetts is the top seed at 48.41. The Lady Bobcats also have the top NH seed at 15th with a 4:06.21 in the 4×400. Souhegan shares the same seed number in the 4×800 coming in at 9:37.34.
New Englands is phenomenal in the fact we get to witness just how competitive our region of the country truly is. Bulkely, CT sophomore, Terry Miller is testament to this as she is the top seed in the 100 in 11.72. South’s Crismeily Borg is NH’s top seed sitting at 14th in 12.52. If she just runs a tenth faster, she could make finals.
In the 800, Samantha Friborg of Acton-Boxboro, MA has to be the considered the favorite as she has posted a national caliber time of 2:07.27. It will be extremely interested to see what kind of time the field can pull Raymond’s Anna Harmon to, as she is ranked 10th at 2:14.82. She will have familiar faces with her as West’s Corinne Robitaille is ranked 11th (2:15.70) and BG’s Caroline Fischer, who is battling a medical condition, neurocardiogenic syncope, a complication of Lyme disease, is ranked 13th (2:16.71).
In the high hurdles, Anoush Krafian (Belmont, MA) is the top seed at 14.26. Portsmouth’s Acadia Momm-White is NH’s top seed at 15.67. The 300 Hurdles sees Elise O’Leary of Milton, MA as the top seed at 43.48, while Souhegan’s Elise Lambert entered with a 47.42 seed time.
Hanover’s Anna Stafford is NH’s top seed in the pole vault sitting at 9th. The girls pole vault will be contested indoors inside the Paul Sweet Oval. North’s Alana Choate is the top Granite Stater in the Triple ranked 18th while Viankah Williams is sitting at 11th seed in the Long Jump. Williams had to pull up in the 200 last week, so it would be a surprise if she competed. Here’s to hoping she has healed enough to do so.
Boys
Defending New England Champion and new state record holder Billy Powers of Winnacunnet is the top seed in the 110 High hurdles and the 3rd seed in the 300 hurdles. Powers became the first NH hurdler to break the 14 second barrier last week. He did it once in the preliminaries with a 13.98 and then again with a 13:93 in the finals. The New England record is 13:90 set in 1995 by Tony Ortiz of Crosby High School in Danbury Ct. a time that is well within his grasp. Powers placed second last year in the 300 intermediate hurdles at New Englands but has run 37.98 at D1’s. The top seed is Aren Seeger of Naugatuck, CT. at 38.00. Coe Brown’s Orion Clachar and Pinkerton’s Adam Spencer are ranked 6th and 8th in the 110’s and 6th and 7th in the 300 intermediate hurdles respectively. Both putting up times that would easily win state championships most other years.
The two top seeds are sophomores in the 100 meter dash. They both are from Massachusetts. Richmond Kwaateng of Lowell is the top seed at 10.70 and Ethan Clark of Westborough comes in with a 10.78. The fierce rivalry will continue in the sprints as Concord’s Dalton Mutz 11.07 and Pinkeron’s Jadyn Ruimwijk 11.10 are ranked 13th and 18th in the 100. Ruimwijk ran 10.98 at D1’s. In the 200 Ruimwijk is ranked 9th and Mutz 12th. Trinity’s Stephen Duckett will be fresh by opting out the 400 and could surprise everyone! Ranked 24th he recently ran a sub 22 at the 2018 Louckes Games. If he can duplicate that performance, he could be collecting some hardware.
Noah Woodman (Pinkerton) is ranked 1st in the 400 with a time of 48.42. He is looking to win a New England title and become the first NH runner to go sub 48 in the process. He will face a stiff challenge from sophomore Kymali Hay of University, CT and Dejury Amado of New Bedford MA. Both have times under 49 seconds.
Inter-Lakes Ian Daly had a break through race at MOC’S running a strong 1:54.98 ranking him 10th in the 800 meters. Spenser Sawyer of Windham and Colin Conery of Concord both running 1:55’s find themselves in the thick of it ranked 12th and 14th. Fun fact: Back in 2006 Manchester Central sophomore Matt Paulson and senior Alex Hall went into New England’s with times of 1:56 and 1:57. Paulson set a torrid pace running in the slow heat almost stole the show, but then Hall passed him in the closing moments of the race to win the New England title. Paulson placed second, both running 1:53’s and blowing away the rest of the field by 2 seconds! Maybe history can repeat itself. The top three seeds have all broken 1:53 led by Ken Little of Derby Ct. who ran 1:52.05.
Like a snake in the weeds, Max Ireland of Nashua North ran a tactically perfect 1600, patiently striking at the right time with a deadly finishing kick to win the MOC’s in 4:17.09. Teammate David Vorbach finished a strong 2nd in 4:17.70 while
Exeter’s Jacob Winslow was 3rd in 4:18.35. All were personal bests for the trio as they are ranked 9th, 10th and 14th. These boys are going to have dig even deeper this week because this is one of the deepest 1600’s in recent memory with Jeffrey Pederson of East Greenwich, RI leading the rankings with a 4:11.35 followed up by three 4:12’s.
Daniel Nichol of Danbury Ct. is the top seed at 9:09.91 in the 3200. Last year Nashua North’s David Vorbach ran 9:14 to finish 4th in New England and is ranked 12th in the 3200 this year with a time of 9:23.94. Vorbach ran 9:12 at the 2018 Loucks Games and should be considered a favorite, especially if decides to run only the 3200. Concord’s Forest MacKenzie is ranked 13th at 9:24.10. He will battle to the end as usual for every single place.
Keene’s Scott Rathbun has dominated the competition all year and is the #1 seed in the pole vault. His season best of 15’2″ is only 6 inches from the NH State Record. It would be awesome for him to win New Englands on a State Record jump of 15’9”.
Massachusetts Charles Smith of Milton and David Ajama of Lowell lead the way in the high jump with marks of 6’10”. All six of NH entries are between 6’-6’2” led by Jake Langevin of Exeter and Caleb Steever of Hinsdale ranked 22nd and 25th. Milton, Ma. Charles Smith also leads three 23 foot plus long jumpers. His leap of 23’9.50”is only a half inch better than his nearest competitor. Lucien Mumpini is NH’s top hopeful ranked 20th with a leap of 21’02.75”. A pair of Connecticut boys have posted marks better than 47 feet in the triple jump. Elijah Henry of Bunnell jumped 47’02” and Sean Dixon Bodie of Bloomfield leaped 47’00.75”. Manchester Memorial Dinebari Adumene has jumped 43’03.25 ranking him 23rd in the competition.
Aiden Felty of Innovation Academy is the overwhelming favorite in the shot put with a mark of 61’07”, almost 6 feet better than his nearest competitor. Londonderry’s Patrick Hagearty broke the 50 foot mark last week to win MOC’s and is ranked 17th. He easily could make some noise this week. Marcus Roper of Lebanon will look to get back on track this weekend a 50 foot toss. Hagearty, a junior, is also the top NH competitor in the discus, ranked 10th with a throw of 151’07”. Not far behind him is Exeter’s Jeremiah Swett ranked 17th at 148’02” and Newport’s Peter Thibault (24th 143’04”). Andover’s Matt McDermott is over 10 feet better than his nearest competitor with a throw of 169’01”. NH boasts the two best javelin throwers in New England this year. Last week the battle between Joey Fodor of Berlin and John King of Pinkerton was epic. With Fodor pulling out a slight victory with a throw of 187’03” to King’s 186’08”. The pressure is on as the stakes are a little higher this Saturday. Not to be overlooked is Orion Clachar of Coe-Brown and Scott Rathbun of Keene showing off their versatility.
In the relay events Concord is ranked 16th in the 4×100, Pinkerton is ranked 15th in the 4×400 and Winnacunnet leads the way for NH teams in the 4×800 ranked 17th.
New Hampshire!!! New England is coming to us, for the first time in many years! Let’s be more than gracious hosts while at the same time defend our home turf!!!
