Merrimack Meet Hub
Girls Accepted Entries Courtesy of Lancer Timing
Boys Accepted Entries
Traditionally one of the more competitive meets in the state of NH, the Merrimack Invitational is Thursday. With a little over 2 weeks to go until the Division State Championships, many teams and individuals use this meet to improve their seeds going into the seeding meetings. Below is what to watch for!
Sprints & Hurdles
Concord’s Morgan Doherty and Alvirne’s Petrina Ofori are the top 2 seeds in the High Hurdles as both have been in the 15s. Expect a hotly contested final to kick things off tomorrow. Souhegan senior Cole Henderson will be looking to fend off Pinkerton sophomore John Child in the 110 High Hurdles which has gotten ‘young’ this week with only 1 senior seeded in the top 6 and only 3 in the top 13.
Thus far this season, South’s Nyah Musa has been simply tough to beat and comes in as the top seed tomorrow. Teammate Soraya Ross, no stranger to finals and performing on the big stage, is seeded 2nd. Concord’s Grace Saysaw and Pinkerton’s Eva Roberts will be looking for a path to crack the top 2. On the boys’ side, expect a tight battle between Memorial’s AJ Sebastien and Windham’s Kevin Brooks, with Pinkerton’s Caden Michaud looking for the upset of sorts. Brooks is actually the top seed in the 200 towards the end of the meet with a seed time of 22.57. South’s Ethan Schnyer is a close #2 seed with a 22.61. On the girls side, North’s Jhanelle Thomas is the top seed with Portsmouth’s Lily Jenkins the #2 with .14 separating them.
By 200 meter time, Thomas would have run, and probably won, the 300 Hurdles as she is a comfortable top seed by a full 3 seconds sitting at 43.92. She probably is in the 4×100 which has 3 teams within a half second of each other with North, South and Pinkerton. On the boys’ side Alvirne’s Joey Marcotte is the top seed by over a second with Souhegan’s Henderson sitting at number 2. Finally in the 400, fresh off her win over Frosh-Soph weekend, Timberlane’s Charlotte Beaudoin is the top seed on the girls side with Alvirne sophomore Shane Plumley the top seed on the boys side. This could be quite competitive as North sophomore Gavin Sucheki is ranked only .01 behind Plumley. Per usual, Pinkerton sits as the top seed in the 4×100, but watch for South which is another school sitting in the mid 43s.
Mid-Distance & Distance
The 1600 will be the lead off of distance events on Thursday and seems to be one of the more competitive events. Souhegan freshman Samantha Swanbon is the top seed here with a 5:18, but do not rule out veteran names like Merrimack’s Melanie Bedard (on her home track) as well as Pinkerton’s Contessa Silva and Isabelle Groulx. The boys race could be super competitive with 5 competitors within 3 seconds of each other. Expect Salem’s Brock James, Coe-Brown’s Sanjith Nomula, South’s Andrew Byrne as well as Souhegan’s Finley Irvine and Taloosh Anderson to battle.
The 800 sees Dover’s Anique Poulin as the top seed and then several names doubling back from the 1600 like Swanbon, Silva and Groulx. We could be in for a treat on the boys side as Exter’s Nathan Mikulsky is the top seed at 1:57.0 with Coe-Brown’s Jamie Lano the 2 seed. Expect these 2 to pull away and then a battle between Exeter’s Gavin Malark, CBNA’s Luc Kerouac and possibly South’s Camdon Brien to ensue. The 3200 meters will end the night with Concord’s Shelly Smith and Souhegan’s Owen Stine the top seeds.
Jumps
If the season is any indication, head over to girls High Jump to watch Alvirne’s Ofori, Concord’s Ella Goulas as well as Timberlane freshman Danielle Bates. Seeded at 5’4″ and 5’3″, clearing new heights on the first attempt may determine the winner in this one. Goulas is a contender in the Triple Jump as she is the top seed, but do not sleep on Merrimack’s Alexis Best competing on her home track. The pole vault will be a Londonderry and Concord show as athletes from both schools occupy the top 4 seeds so watch for Londonderry’s Lily Haggett and Amanda Robinson as well Concord’s Madeline Muller and Kendall Barton. Watch the long jump competition as the top five seeds are separated by only 4 inches. So look for Londonderry’s Alexandra Pena, South’s Sarah Witte, Exeter’s Martelle McBride and Memorial’s Hannah Rodriguez.
On the boys’ side, the High Jump will be most likely determined by who can clear 6′. Exeter’s Brady Rogers is the top seed followed by North’s Gavin Sucheki. The pole vault will be a competition to 12′ or so! Concord’s Colby Nyhan and Portsmouth’s Leo Guarricino have the best shot at this as both have cleared 12′ already this season. South’s Marcell Perry is the top seed in the Long Jump at 21’0″. With Alvirne’s Colin Fay only 1 inch behind as well as Concord’s Alain Twite less than 5 inches behind. Twite is the top seed by nearly 3 feet in the Triple.
Throws
As the 2 athletes seeded above 33′, Merrimack’s Mia Getchell and CBNA’s Isabelle Grenier are the co-favorites in the shot put. The heavy favorite in the Discus is Portsmouth’s Maria Akalonu as she has close to a 9 foot cushion. The javelin looks as if it will be Coe-Brown’s Emma Zeblisky v. Exeter’s Rachel Poulin, but do not be surprised if Zeblisky’s teammates Annika Gunderson and Jaqueline Heilshorn also contend.
On the boys’ side we see 3 names, in the same order as the top seeds in both the Shot and the Discus. North’s Darious Smith, Coe-Brown’s Elias Warner, and South’s Elyza Mercado will go back and forth in both events. Get your popcorn ready! Also save some for the javelin as 183’6″ thrower, Concord’s Nick Reynolds is the top seed by more than 25′.
Good luck to all!
