Results Courtesy of Speed Sport Timing
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Competition could not be cooled by the weather which presented a cloudy sky with temps in the 50s and a sea breeze on the back stretch at the 2023 Black Bear Invitational presented by HOKA. Hardly perfect conditions for any event, but the athletes saw to bringing their own heat as 6 meet records were still set!
On the Track
The girls 3200 set the tone for the day as PEA’s Daria Ivanova set the early pace with only Oyster River’s Mackenzie Cook giving chase. Cook would essentially be Ivanova’s shadow for the entire race, as Ivanova crossed in 11:04.00 to Cook’s 11:06.65. Cook’s teammate Haley Kavanagh would be 3rd in 11:29.36 and CBNA’s Sheldyn Fisher would be right behind her placing 4th. The boys 3200 played out accordingly as CBNA’s Aidan Cox took to the lead immediately towing the rest of the field going through the mile in 4:28. Phillips Academy’s Tam Gavenas would give chase, never quite out of it eventually catching Cox heading into the final lap. Cox countered and actually unleashed a kick closing in 64 crossing the line first in a meet record of 9:02.75 to Gavenas’s 9:05.35, also under the meet record. Gilford’s Patrick Gandini would be 3rd in 9:18.96, Leb’s Birhanu Harriman 4th in 9:28.86 and BG’s Matthew Giardina was 5th in 9:29.33.
The High Hurdles was the next final contested on the track. Concord’s Morgan Doherty took the win here on the lean (15.42to 15.44) as PEA’s Willa Hock competed through the proverbial tape. The boys were not as close as Hock’s teammate Max Li took the win in 15.76. Souhegan’s Cole Henderson was second in 16.06.
As forecast, the girls 100 was one of the more competitive on the day. South’s Soraya Ross took the win here compfortably in 12.48 but the next 3 were separated by a scant .04. Portsmouth’s Lily Jenkins took second in 12.60, North’s Jhanelle Thomas 3rd in 12.61 and CBNA’s Anushka Chavda was 4th in 12.64. On the boys side, PCA’s Tim Kelm won in 11.24 over Oyster River’s Ty Dorow who crossed in 11.32. Dorow had himself a day as he would come back to place 3rd in the 400, but also win the 200 in 22.83.
The 1600s seeded finals followed. PEA’s Tenley Nelson battled with Phillips Academy’s Emma Hagstrom 5:08.87 to 5:11.74. The boys side say another PEA athlete come out on top as Max Lacombe ran uncontested to win in 4:26. Souhegan’s Owen Stine was second with a 4:30.17 outleaning Alvirne’s Nick Marcotte’s 4:30.98.
The Middle School Mile returned to Black Bear with Ethan Fischer and Madeleine Lane both winning!
South girls combine to break the meet record in the 4×100 posting a 49.16 on a cold day. Note: the state record is 48.68. Concord took the boys 4×100 in 45.02.
Central’s Harriet Barber ran to a comfortable win the 400 in 60.48, while PEA’s Bennett returned to the track to break the meet record with a 49.63. Barber would be a double winner as she rolled to the win in the 200 meters in 25.59 just ahead of Thomas’s 25.90. Sanborn’s Brady Ash was second in 50.44 to the aforementioned Dorow’s 50.53.
PEA’s Hock returned to win the 300 Hurdles with a 46.13, but Oyster River’s Erin Carty got pulled to a 46.60 to place second. HH winner Doherty took third in 47.76. The boys side saw South’s Rory Olsen roll to a 40.20 win. HH winner Li took second in 41.45.
The 800s were simply FAST. PCA’s Brianna Malone took a shot at Hannah Parker’s meet record of 2:13.17. She wasted no time getting after it, going out in 65 and change. She crossed in 2:13.27, agonizingly close. She should keep in mind however, Parker went on to run 2:06 later in the season!
The boys side was the absolute race of the day ast PEA’s Oliver Brandes set a scorching opening pace going through the 400 in 53.986 with only CBNA’s Gavin Demas giving chase. Demas ran an extremely patient race waiting until the final straight to make a bid for the lead. He crossed in a scorching meet record of 1:52.64 to Brandes 1:54.38. Kudos to both athletes as Brandes made sure it would be fast also breaking the meet record. Demas’s time is the 4th fastest in NH history. Portsmouth’s Jake Haley was 3rd in 1:57, with OR’s Chris Jernigan crossing in 1:58.05 for 4th.
The relays then took over for the final 2 events as PEA won the girls 4×800. The Coe-Brown boys would run uncontested to another meet record in 8:06.60. Exeter girls would win the 4×400 in 4:16.32 to North’s 4:17.39. PEA won the boys version in 3:33.34.
On the Field
Kearsarge’s Amelia Lefebvre was the surprise winner in the High Jump clearing 4’10” winning on misses over Concord’s Ella Goulas and Somersworth’s Savanna Comeau. Also a surprise of sorts Oyster River’s Cameron Faulkner, Daniel Doherty and Winnasquam’s Aidan Donahue all cleared 6’0″ with Faulkner taking the win on misses. PEA’s Ina Mason took the girls Pole Vault win clearing 10’2″ while Winnacunnet’s Wyatt Patterson won the boys clearing 13’2″. He is only a junior.
South’s Iyana Braswell won the girls Long Jump leaping 17’9.25″. Merrimack’s Kailey Dillon was 2nd with a mark of 17’4.75″. West’s Edwen Rodriguez won the boys flying to a 21’0″ mark. Concord’s Goulas would rebound nicely to win the Triple with a mark of 35’11.5″. Her teammate Caroline Cooper was second by only a quarter inch over CBNA’s Josie Malloy. Gilford’s Anthony Haddocks won the boys side with a mark of 40’10”.
North’s Madelyn Novak was the story in the throws as she won the Discus with a 118’4.25″ throw, javelin with a meet record toss of 125’05”, and placed 3rd in the shot put. MV’s Victoria Leak was second in the Discus. Newfound’s Malina Bohlmann was 2nd in the javelin also breaking the former meet record with a mark of 122’7″. Salem’s Bella Colizzi won the shot with a 35’0 mark with Milford’s Kylie Allen placing 2nd.
On the boys’ side, the seeds held true with Zachary Bistany winning the discus with a mark of 141’0.25″. Newport’s Kyle Ashley won the javelin with a 168’5″ throw while North’s Toby Brown won the shot with a toss of 54’1.25″.
Congrats to all! Special thanks to the Coe-Brown Community on another great Black Bear! This was the 21st version.
