Of course this season has been unique. Of course this season has seen numerous challenges from COVID protocols to windy, inconsistent weather. BUT! We actually have a season!!! First one in 2 years. So, obviously, lets take a look at how things stack up with a few weeks remaining before the state championships!
Girls
Beginning with the sprints, not a lot has changed when looking at the names towards the top of the 100 and 200. Hanover’s Ella Maclean has the top seed in the 100 with Pelham’s Gwenyth Dahlinger hot on her heels. Dahlinger happens to also be number 3 in the 200. Kennett’s Adia Wheat seems to be the new kid on the block with a 26.45 in the 200 as well as a 13.07 in the 100. Oyster River’s Charlotte Cousins is also among the leaders in the 100 and 200 posting times of 13.03 and 26.84.
The 400 has Windham’s Abby Hughes with the top time of 61.79 with Goffstown’s Maya Thomas at 62.08, and both Samantha Lemay (CBNA) and Kristina Pizzi (Bow) both posting a time of 63.54.
With the second fastest 800 meter time (2:22.38), Hughes has laid claim to top D2 middle distancer runner, but Coe-Brown’s
Addison Cox has the top time in not only the 800 (2:18.66), but also the 1600 and 3200 meters. So this could be a showdown of middle v. long distance, speed v. endurance! Souhegan’s Chloe Trudel has the 3rd fastest time at 2:28.31 followed by CBNA’s Lemay at 2:28.48.
As in XC, Cox and Trudel are 1-2 in the 1600 with Cox posting a mid-season blazing time of 4:55.89 solo this past Friday. Trudel has run 5:17.52 while MV’s Sophia Reynolds has the 3rd fastest time at 5:22.52. In 4th, Lemay once again appears with a time of 5:26.98. Cox, Trudel and Reynolds are the top 3 seeds in the 3200 as well. Cox has absolutely thrown down over the first half of the season as she dropped a 10:30.23 back in April. At the time this was the #25 time in the country!
The High Hurdles sees Oyster River’s Cousins at the top of yet another event posting a 16.26 along with her teammate Ella Stasko who is the only other athlete under 17 with a 16.77. Stasko actually is the top time in the 300m Hurdles flying to a 49.43. CBNA’s Olivia Noni has posted a 50.35 to split Bobcats as Kate Butcher has run 51.23.
No surprise Milford’s Leslie McGrath is the top seed in the High Jump clearing 5’4″ while her teammate, Olivia Vogel, is tied for first in the pole vault with CBNA’s Josie Malloy and Olivia Buzzell. Renee Wilson continues with Milford theme as the top seed in the Long Jump, but she faces a familiar foe as Sanborn’s Kayln LaChapelle is the second seed. Don’t count out the trio of Oyster River leapers occupying the next three slots with Shealee Dulin, Cousins, Nathalie Pare. Wilson and LaChapelle also have the best Triple Jump marks thus far with newcomer Anushka Chavda not too far behind with the third best leap of 2021. Dulin and Souhegan’s Abigail Robinson are also over 31′.
Coe-Brown’s Natalie Riley has the top mark in both the Discus and Shot Put so far. Plymouth Samantha Meier is second behind her in the shot, but has the furthest throw in the Javelin. Milford’s Rachel Gizzonio is the other thrower with a 30′ of further toss in the shot. She also happens to be ranked 2nd in the discus and javelin.
At this point it looks like the team competition will be among three programs. Coe-Brown, Oyster River and Milford seem to be the contenders for the 2021 team crown. With a couple weeks remaining, all teams have plenty of time to continue to improve and move some pieces. Regardless, the D2 meet will be extremely entertaining down in Pelham.
Boys
When one thinks boys D2 sprints this season, one should say Windham High School as they have the top 2 fastest times in both the 100 and 200 with Quinn Cerami and Landon Neal. Matter of fact with Braeden Manti’s 11.54, they have three of the top 5 times in the 100. MV’s Seth Baylus seems to be the one to step up and challenge the Jaguars as he has the 3rd best time in both sprint events.
In the middle distance events, Oyster River’s Owen Fleischer is at the top of the 400 and #3 in the 800. Hanover’s Pierce Seigne and Hollis/Brookline’s John Kotelly are the only other runners under 54 seconds. Coe-Brown’s Luke Tkaczyk and Carter Sylvester occupy the top 2 slots above Fleischer in the 800 with Tkaczyk being the only sub 2:00 guy thus far this year.
Tkaczyk has had a tremendous season as he also has the top time in the 1600 with a 4:17.59 clocking. His teammate, sophomore Aidan Cox has the second fastest time with a 4:21 followed by Windham’s Rohan Rai and Oyster River’s Andy O’Brien who have run 4:23 and 4:24 respectively. As Windham seems to be the dominant sprint crew, when one thinks of the 2 mile, one should also think of CBNA as they currently occupy 6 of the top 7 slots led by Cox, Tkaczyk and Sylvester. Oyster River’s O’Brien breaks up the Bears’ streak and is the other sub-10 guy thus far this year.
The hurdle events sees another Windham athlete at the top of both in the like of Jackson Bomba who has clocked 42.74 in the 300 Hurdles and 15.69 in the High Hurdles. Pembroke’s James Dupuis is next in line in the High Hurdles with a 15.86 clocking while Bomba’s teammate Cerami (all-everything) is 2nd in the 300 Hurdles rolling to a 43.16 so far.
Sanborn’s Max Lussier seems to be the majordomo In the vertical jumps with top clearances of 6’2″ and 14’0″! CBNA’s Parker Eaton is second in the Pole Vault at 11’6″ while Ian Solberg of Hanover is the only other high jumper to clear 6’1″.
Windham again appears at the top of the boards in the Long Jump with Chris Shattuck leaping 20’10.5″. Right on his heels, only a half an inch behind is CBNA’s Anders Larson. Also eclipsing the 20 foot barrier this season has been Milford’s Ryon Constable and Sanborns’s Brady Ash. Larson counters by occupying the top spot in the Triple Jump at 39’5.75″. He is flanked by Hollis/Brookline’s Kotelly who also is over 39′ at 39′ 3″.
Pembroke’s Dupuis also appears at the top of the Shot Put with a toss of 48′. Souhegan’s Ezra Darling checks in at 46’0.25″ while Milford’s Caden Zalenski has thrown 45’2.5″. Goffstown’s Peyton Strickland is atop the Discus list with a bomb of 156’5″. Souhegan’s Will Jacques is next in line at 135’0″ with a familiar name in Pembroke’s Dupuis at 134’10”. In the javelin, Jacques is actually 3rd while Oyster River’s Jayson Blaisdell has set the standard with a toss of 154’6″. Sanborn’s Nick Lucas is currently second at 146’11”.
Teamwise, we will obviously know more an a couple weeks after the seeding meeting. But right now, Windham and Coe-Brown are the standouts with sprinting/jumping being Windham’s strength and the distance crew being Coe-Brown’s. However, both have complete Track and Field teams if-you-will. This means it may come down to the supporting casts of each team rather than its stars. Regardless, Divisions will being exciting!
