By Nate Leveille
New Hampshire Winter Track League Hub
Welcome to our first season preview of the 2025 season! NH Indoor Track and Field started this past week and teams are already preparing for the first week of the NH Winter Track League Meets this coming weekend. Reminder to all, WTL Hub contains schedules, rules, notes to coaches, qualifying standards, facility maps and more! Kudos to Mike Lyford, Amy Sanborn and crew for all the preseason work to continue the most user friendly season on the calendar! Seriously, yes they take care of the traditional league meets, but lets not overlook the JV meets as well on the schedule. These meets are overlooked regarding their importance to kids.
Girls Team Preview:
Bedford won last year’s indoor championships behind the dominant performances of Anika Scott (state record in the Long jump and D1 record in the hurdles) and Mikita Barry (3rd at New Englands in the 1000m). The bad news for the rest of the state is that both those athletes return to Bedford this winter. Surprise runner-up finisher last year Exeter returns a solid middle distance and distance crew and point scorers in the fields. Pinkerton finished 3rd last year and is coming off a cross-country state title this fall. Those three teams look like the early favorites on paper as they return the most point scorers from a year ago.
Top Returners:
Anika Scott (Bedford): The first girl to go over 20 feet in the long jump. She is a multiple-time place winner at New England and All-American outdoors in the long jump. She was named Gatorade Athlete of the Year last year. Hurdles/sprints/ jumps, she can do it all. She is entering the conversation as one of the best track and field athletes the state of New Hampshire has ever produced.
Jhanelle Thomas (Nashua North): Jhanelle has led Nashua Norths sprint crew the past few years to dominant relays and sprint performances. The Titans rely on her for multiple races every state meet and she always seems to come up big.
Mikita Barry (Bedford): She is coming off a state championship in her first-ever cross-country season which is massively impressive. In the past, she has run anything from 300m up with her bread and butter being the 1000m where she earned all New England honors last winter while placing third. She’s a dominant middle distance, distance and relay member for the Bulldogs.
Anique Poulin (Dover): Anique had an exciting battle with Barry in the 1000m last winter. She is coming off an All-New England performance this past fall. She looks prime to be a dominant force in the middle distances this winter.
Danica Caron (Exeter): Dani is coming off an all-state field hockey season. She is the top returning runner in the 600 meters finishing 3rd this past year. She has a unique blend of toughness and athleticism.
Leanny Ortiz-Blanco (Salem): Last year 7 of the top 8 finishers in the dash were seniors. Leanny is the top returner with a fast time of 7.37 in the dash last winter. This could be a breakout season.
Laura White (Nashua North): Laura was runner-up in the 1500m last winter by less than half a second. She is coming off a runner up D1 cross-country season and a model of consistency. She will be a major factor in the distance events.
Eli Cross (Exeter): Returning state champ in the 3000m last winter. Ran a 10:23.45 as a 9th grader with a blistering kick. Eli has range from 600 meters up, and will be a major point scorer for the Bluehawks.
Ella Goulas (Corcord): Ella has dominated the jumps since entering high school. She is the returning high jump champion and place winner in the long jump.
Lucille Beem (Exeter): Lucille is prime for a breakout season after her runner-up performance and 34’ throw a year ago. She is the top returner in the shot.
Boys Team Preview:
Pinkerton Academy put on a display last winter amassing 111 points for 39 point win over runner-up Bedford. Looking through the returning athletes, Pinkerton may even have a chance to score more points than they did a year ago with no clear-cut second-best team. On paper, Bishop Guertin or Nashua South appears to have the inside track to a runner-up performance based on potential point scorers.
Top Returners:
Matthew Morrison (Pinkerton): Hard to top his performance in the D1 championship football game, but he might be able to do that on the track. He is the top returner in the dash, 300m and 55 hurdles. He was a New England finalist in both the dash and hurdles this past winter and will score many point for the Astros.
Ryan Zumbach (Winnacunnet): Ryan is the top returning runner in the 1000m with a respectable 2:36 and change. He can go up to the 1500m or down to the 600m. He will factor into the middle-distance events.
Theo Beattie (Portsmouth): Theo continues to improve in the middle distances. He ran excellent 400’s outdoors and looks prepared to take the next step.
Matthew Giardina (Bishop Guertin): Matt is coming off a dominant cross-country season qualifying for both Nike Nationals and Footlocker Nationals. He has solidified himself as the top distance runner in the state, top returner in the 1500 and defending champion in the 3000m. The D1 3000m record is in trouble this winter if he remains healthy.
Cameron Williams (Windham): Cameron is the top returning and lone jumper to have cleared 6’ from last year. He finished tied for 3rd a year ago.
Chase Burris (Memorial): Chase had a monster jump at D1 last year with a runner-up leap of 21’7” and a 7th place finish at New Englands.
Darius Smith (Nashua North): Darius is the defending champ in the shot put with a toss of 53’3.25”. He will look to repeat as well as make a run at a podium finish at the New England championships.
