NHIAA State Division Championship Meet Hub
Running Events Program – Courtesy of Lancer Timing
Field Events Program
TICKETS!
By Nate Leveille
Girls Teams
The girl’s team race on paper seems to be a runaway with Bedford having a commanding advantage closing in on around 100 points. They have a balanced attack across the fields, jumps, sprints, and distance. If they were to underperform in a couple different places then the teams chasing them appear to be Concord and Portsmouth. Portsmouth has solid relays and some big point scorers, while Concord scores the majority of their points in the field events. This is a meet that could come right down to the 4×400.
Sprints/ Hurdles
I feel like I have been saying this for a long time now but Soraya Ross of Nashua South comes in as the 100m favorite. She finished 2nd as a 9th grader, and has won the 100m the past two years. She will look to become a 3-time D1 state champ. Her closest competition is ironically her teammate Nyah Musa who enters as the top time. Others in contention are Lily Jenkins of Portsmouth and Eva Roberts of Pinkerton.
In the 100 hurdles Anika Scott of Bedford is the overwhelming favorite as she enters the meet with a season best 14.42 just two tenths of a second off the current state record. After her is another sub 15 effort Morgan Doherty of Concord. In the hurdles, anything can happen, so watch for Miriam Nada of Portsmouth who might have the fastest pure speed in the event. In the 200, Harriet Barber of Manchester Central is the favorite followed by Jenkins of Portsmouth, and Jhanelle Thomas of Nashua North. In the 300 hurdles, Thomas of North and Scott of Bedford will battle it out as the top two seeds. Thomas is the defending champ and narrowly missed the state record last year.
Middle Distance/ Distance
Barber of Manchester Central enters as the Division 1 record holder in the 400m and top seed. She is followed by Rayna Thompson of Exeter and Charlotte Beaudoin of Timberlane, Samantha Ducharme of Bedford, all seeded under 60 seconds. The 800 meter run is a loaded field including top seed Fiona Lee of Bedford. Right behind her and also seeded at 2:15 and change is Anique Poulin of Dover. Charlotte Koutalidis of Winnacunnet and Chloe Gudas of Concord are also seeded under 2:20, making this possibly the race of the day. In the 1600 its a bunch familiar faces as Lee is the top seed followed by Koutalidis and Kelseigh O’Neil of Bedford. O’Neil is the favorite in the 3200m over Contessa Silva of Pinkerton and Shelly Smith of Concord.
Relays
The Pinkerton girls 4×100 broke the state record a couple weeks ago and have been locked in all season. Following them is Nashua South and Concord. In the 4×800 Bedford is the defending champ and enters with a seed time 1 second off the D1 record. They are followed by Pinkerton and Exeter, but you never know what teams will use in the 4×800. In the 4×400 Exeter enters with a top time of 4:06, but North is right behind. It could take a sub 4:10 to place!
Jumps
Petrina Ofori of Alvirne and Ella Goulas of Concord enter the high jump as the top seeds at 5’4”. Goulas is the defending champ in the event. Concord owns the top 3 seeds in the triple jump led by Goulas followed by Ayva Mullen and Grace Saysaw. In the pole vault Ruby Kaupp of Bedford is the top seed followed by Lilly Haggett of Londonderry. There will be a state record watch over at the girls long jump as Scott of Bedford is the top seed and already owns in the indoor state record in the long jump. She is followed by Nada of Portsmouth and Goulas of Concord.
Throws
Autumn Fabiano of Exeter enters the shot put as the top seed followed by Jameson Trask of Pinkerton and Carolyn Kemp of Bedford. This is anyones competition as the top 6 seeds are separated by 13 inches. In the discus Maria Akalonu of Portsmouth is the top seed followed by Trask of Pinkerton and Kemp of Bedford. In the javelin Rachel Poulin of Exeter enters with the top distance of 115 feet followed by Makenna Knapp of Keene and Margaret Montplaisir of Portsmouth.
Boys Teams
Similar to the girls side, the Bedford boys are the favorites to win this years D1 championship meet. They enter with a variety of big time point scorers. The chase pack includes Pinkerton, South and Winnacunnet. Winnacunnet has solid relays and big point scorers, South has a little bit of everything with some dynamic sprinters and Pinkerton can and will score in almost every event. I see this as a race for second place in a tight team battle, but anything can happen.
Sprints/Hurdles
Kevin Brooks of Windham is the clear favorite in the 100m. He enters with a 10.86 and could make a run a the D1 and state record. He is followed by Caden Michaud of Pinkerton and AJ Sebastian of Manchester Memorial. In the 200, Ethan Schnyer of Nashua South is the top seed followed by Christopher Chong of Bedford and Brooks. The top 10 seeds in the 200m are all under 23 seconds. In the 110 Hurdles Chong enters with the top seed and only boy under 15 seconds. Oliver Duffy of WInnacunnet is the two seed and JJ Powers of Bedford the 3 seed. In the 300 Hurdles Chong of Bedford is the top seed and Duffy the two seed. They have split a couple of meetings during the regular season in this event.
Middle Distance/ Distance
Brooks of Windham enters the 400 as the lone boy under 50 seconds and the top seed. Barion Perry of Nashua South and Isaac Nelson of Keene is the third seed. The 800 features 9 boys that have gone sub 2. Jacob Redman of Bedford is the top seed. He is followed by Ryan Zumbach of Winnacunnet and Brock James of Salem. In the 1600, Redman of Bedford is the top seed and defending champ. He is followed by Sully Sturtz of Kenne and Zumbach of Winnacunnet. In the 3200 defending champ Matthew Giardina of BG is the top seed. Last year he held off a charging Redman for the title, this year could be a repeat as Redman is the two seed, but it will be his 3rd or 4th race of the meet.
Relays
Bedford and Pinkerton enter the meet with sub 8 minute 4×800s. You would have to think that both will probably not load them up and instead have some alternates on these teams. Following those two are Nashua South and Londonderry. In the 4×100, Pinkerton and South enter with seed times separated by .01. Following those two is Bedford and Manchester Central. In the 4×400, Bedford has a seed time just off the state record. Chasing them is WInnacunnet and Pinkerton.
Throws
Nick Reynolds of Concord is coming off a big season and enters with the second furthest throw in state history at 197’10”. He is only 3 feet away from the state record. Behind him is Owen Denio of Winnicunet and Joe Packowski of Pinkerton. In the Shot, Darius Smith of Nashua North enters as the top seed ahead of Eli Goumas of Bedford and Jordan Chick of Pinkerton. In the discus, Smith is also the top seed followed by Elyza Mercado of Nashua South and Goumas of Bedford.
Jumps
The pole vault should be a two way battle between Wyatt Patterson of Winnacunnet and Colby Nyhan of Concord both of which are over 14’. The long jump will be a rematch from the Seacoast Championships as Cris Santana of Spaulding is the top seed by 1” over Duffy of Winnacunet. Nelson of Keene is the top seed in the triple jump with a distance of 46’1” followed by two seed Alain Twite of Concord and Preston Bois of Nashua South. Paul Butler of Spaulding enters the high jump as the top seed at 6’6” following him is a bunch of jumpers that have all cleared 6’2”. This should be a very competitive event for some important points
