MOC Meet Hub
For the first time since 2019, the best the state of New Hampshire has to offer will converge at UNH this Sunday trying to punch their tickets to the New England Championship the following weekend by placing in the top 6 in their respective events. Not only is this a New England Qualifier, but it is simply the most competitive track and field meet on NH soil up to this point. The best of the best settling the annual question, “Who is the best in the state of NH?” By the way, for the first time since 2018, New Englands is a home meet (also held at UNH)! Yep that will be 2 consecutive weeks of the big board!
Sprints & Hurdles
Can anyone remember a time when the top 7 seeds in the 100 were all in the 10s??? We can’t, but that is what we have this Sunday in the boys’ 100 meter dash. D3 champ Bishop Brady’s Joshua Gentchos leads this contingent on paper with a 10.65. D2 Champ, Hollis/Brookline’s Samuel Bruneau is the 2nd seed at 10.77, and that is the largest cushion between the seeds. The next 4, Trinity’s Nehemiah Oyaronbi, PCA’s Tim Kelm, Con-Val’s Kendrick Edwards, and Windham’s Kevin Brooks are separated by only .06. Throw in Trinity sophomore Anthony DiGiantommaso as well as D1 Champ Keene’s Chris Stevens, and we all better have our popcorn ready.
The girls side may not have 7 contenders but the top 3 seeds are only separated by .02 on paper! Defending champ, Kennett’s Aida Wheat along with South teammates Nyah Musa and Soraya Ross all come in with seed times of 12.27, 12.28, and 12.29. There will be fireworks on display in this one as well.
The last 2 weeks, Pelham’s Colby Crear has certainly separated from the pack as the D3 Champ laid down a time of 14.37. While this was wind aided, it still is nearly a half second up on our 2 seed. However our 2 seed is none other than D1 champ Bedford’s Christopher Chong who comes in with a season’s best of 14.80. Throw in Monadnock’s Gavin Lombara and Winnacunnet’s Oliver Duffy, and this will also be a tight affair. On the girls side, Bedford’s Anika Scott is the fastest ever in the high hurdles breaking the state record last week with a 14.19. Also one of the best ever in NH, Oyster River’s Erin Carty is ranked 2nd with a 14.69. With Concord’s Morgan Doherty, the Granite State has their top 3 as sub 15 seeds.
The same cast of characters from the boys’ 100 appear in the 200 but this time Bruneau is the top seed. South’s Ethan Schnyer is the 2nd seed by only .01. Then watch out for Gentchos, Brooks, Stevens and Kelm. The girls side sees a showdown of sorts with Central’s Harriet Barber and Kennett’s Wheat will be facing off again. D1 v. D2. This is the same as last year as Barber will once again be coming off the 400 where she is the heavy favorite by more than 2 seconds. Wheat won last year, excited to see what happens on Sunday. Look for Windham’s Brooks and John Stark’s Logan Montgomery to face off in the boys 400 as both are in the 49s with their seeds.
Scott and Carty are once again the top seeds in the 300 Hurdles, but watch for North’s Jhanelle Thomas, Alvirne’s Petrina Ofori and Hollis/Brookline’s Grace Dow to also factor in as they are in the 46s. The boys side sees Crear, Chong, Duffy, and Lombara once again set to battle here as well.
Middle Distance & Distance
The 1600 kicks off the individual distance events and both the girls and boys are wide open for New England qualifiers. On the girls side, Oyster River’s Haley Kavanagh will be tough to beat and is the strong favorite. Hanover’s Lea Perreard is the second seed with Souhegan freshman Samantha Swanbon. It will be interesting to see what Hopkinton’s Maddie Lane does here. The freshman is now a double D3 Champ.
The boys’ side sees Pinkerton’s Finn Christensen-Kraft, Exeter’s Gavin Malark, and South’s Andrew Byrne are the top 3 seeds. However, it will be interesting to see how fast PCA’s Jonas Teeter will be this week. After all, he completed the impressive triple crown at the D3 meet last week. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with less on his plate.
Both 800s will be wars. Bedford’s Fiona Lee, Dover’s Anique Poulin, and Newmarket’s Alanna Hagen are all seeded within a second of each other. Expect them to roll up front with Winnacunnet’s Charlotte Koutalidis and Concord’s Chloe Gudas in tow. With 8 guys seeded at 1:57 or faster, the 800 will be insane. Bedford’s Jacob Redman is the top seed at 1:53.09 and is the favorite, but we also have Coe-Brown’s Jamie Lano and Winnacunnet’s Ryan Zumbach, both in the 1:55 range right there. This will be the race of the day.
Oyster River’s Mackenzie Cook and her 10:36.50 seed time from Loucks Games headlines the girls’ 3200 this year. Expect her to set the pace to ensure getting into the fast heat at New Englands. Don’t be surprised to find Bedford’s Kelseigh O’Neil and Pinkerton’s Contessa Silva taking their shots though. With her breakthrough race last week, Concord’s Shelly Smith is poised to continue to improve, and then expect another battle for the final qualifying spots. On the boys’ side BG’s Matthew Giardina is the given. He is going to win, but needs to truly push hard for a viable seed time for New Englands. Behind him, expect a war as well. Con-Val’s Will Simard, the newly minted D2 3200m state champ will have his hands full with Keene soph Sully Sturtz and South’s Dante Castellano. Oh, and don’t look now but PCA’s Teeter will also be lurking. He is a headsy racer at this point, so expect him to qualify.
Relays
Just a note on relays. THEY SHOULD BE AWESOME! AGAIN! Usually, teams load up each relay and we witness some of the most drama filled races on the day. This year, state records could be on the line in the girls 4×100 and possibly the boys 4×800 if Bedford loads it up. Pinkerton has already broken the state 4×100 record, and their boys are getting close! The 4×400, Bedford boys and North girls are the top seeds. The 4×800 has Bedford as the top seeds in both girls and boys.
Jumps
Girls Pole Vault sees Bedford’s Ruby Kaupp as the top seed at 10’9″/ Londonderry’s Lilly Hagett and Concord’s Kendall Barton are next seeded at 10’6″. But this is the pole vault so don’t be surprised by anything. Boys Pole Vault sees numbers we haven’t seen in some time as Winnacunnet’s Wyatt Patterson comes in with a seed of 15’0″! In addition, Concord’s Colby Nyhan sits at 14’6″! This will be awesome. Completing the verticals, the High Jump sees the top 4 seeds at 5’4″ with Concord’s Ella Goulas, Goffstown’s Penelope Annis, Alvirne’s Petrina Ofori and Timberlane freshman Danielle Bates, last week’s surprise D1 state Champ.
Girls Long Jump will be Bedford’s Scott and Portsmouth’s Mariam Nada battling with both over 18′. Will there be more magic from Scott like with indoors? Memorial’s Chase Burris and his 22’2.25″ mark will do battle with Concord’s Alain Twite and his 21’11”. But with Duffy, Trinity’s Rere Edokpolo and Spaulding’s Cris Santana all at 21’8″, the LJ pit should be another destination for fans. The Triple Jump sees Concord’s Ella Goulas and Keene’s Isaac Nelson as top seeds with impressive marks, but this is the MOCs, so expect them to be pushed!
Throws
Of course we are going to start with what everyone is talking about, Concord’s Nick Reynolds and his new state record of 205’10” in the javelin! Last week was absolutely incredible but it will be tough to through into the woods at UNH. Definitely make it over to the jav area because not only will you see Reynolds, but Newport’s Kyle Ashley has unleashed a 190’10” throw this season as well. It is not set in stone Reynolds wins this one with Ashley there! North’s Darius Smith headlines the shot and the disc as its tope seed but look for names like Bedford’s Eli Goumas, Fall Mountain’s Tyson Patch, Coe-Brown’s Elias Warner and South’s Elyza Mercado to truly mix it up. Keep in mind, Mercado did some winning of his own last week!
Not to be overshadowed, the girls throws also promises to be dramatic. Mascoma Valley’s super soph Georgia Kondi is the top seed in both the Shot and the Discus. She will be challenged by Winnisquam’s Lauren MacDonald in the Shot and Portsmouth’s Maria Akalonu in the discus. Winnisquam’s Victoria Kelly is the top seed in the Javelin by about 9 feet, but don’t count out CBNA’s Emma Zeblisky or Moultonborough’s Sadey Sherkanowski.
Good Luck Everyone!
