By Pat Scott
Think track and field season is over? NO WAY. It’s THAT time of the season again. Time for the New Hampshire State Decathlon and Heptathlon. THIS is when we crown New Hampshire’s best all around track and field athlete in the summer classic.
The 68th Annual New Hampshire Decathlon Championships and the 38th Annual Heptathlon Championships will be held at Nashua South High School on Saturday, June 21st and Sunday June 22nd.
With last year’s champion, Oliver Duffy of Winnacunnet, having graduated, the decathlon throne is up for grabs this year. Dana Mussleman of Phillips Exeter has to be considered the top contender having finished second last year with over 5000 points. As his imposing last name might suggest, Dan crushes the throws.
We’ll keep an eye on Merrimack Valley’s Mychal Reynolds (5th last year) and Max Scopel (6th) of Oyster River to challenge Mussleman for the title. Reynolds hurdling has improved even more this year and distance running runs in the family. Scopel is a terrific all-around athlete without any glaring weaknesses.
But wait! After a year hiatus, Conant senior Ben Sawyer may be back for more. He will attempt to win his 3rd decathlon title. That’s right: ‘old man’ Sawyer first won this event as a freshman in 2022!
The 2024 heptathlon engagement was Maddox Lovely’s time to shine after placing 3rd in her freshman and sophomore years. She dominated the field by over 600 points last year. Her status may be uncertain, but if she does return, look for Maddox to crest 4000 points and claim a second title in her senior year.
Otherwise, the heptathlon competition is a toss up. Pay attention to Sarah Witta of South (4th) – a hurdler by trade but an all-around strong athlete – to improve on last year’s 3070 point performance. Windham’s Kelly Wright (5th) relies on her throwing technique to make her a serious challenger. And we’ll watch for Bow’s Hannah Pawlowski (6th) to make a strong points surge in the final event – the 800 meters – to catapult her to near the top.
All these predictions are great but one rain shower affecting the wrong event can dash the hopes of even the strongest competitors. Experience is important in the multi-event competition but who out there will surprise us with their dark horse athleticism and make a run for the crown? It’s like a box of chocolates every year.
If you’re interested in the event, you can find more info here: https://www.upstarttiming.com/decathlonheptathlon
Hurry now. Entries close Wednesday afternoon.
