By Peter Najem
Buckle up! We will start with the Freshmen and Sophomore meets that were held over the weekend at Exeter and Keene, then end with the highlights from this past week. Keep an eye out for Caleb Plante! The freshman from Spaulding won four events in one meet! Below are the best performances between the two Freshmen and Sophomore Meets.
Sprints & Hurdles
Boys: The fastest 100m and 200m time came from freshman Caleb Plante (Spaulding) finishing in 11.57 and 23.35 respectively. Guess what? He also had the fastest 400m as well, crossing in 52.72. In the 110m Hurdles, sophomore Abraham Friend-Gray (Dover) had the fastest time over the high barriers in 18.69. However, the meets were both won by freshmen. Hugh Lynch (Exeter) took the Exeter meet crown in 18.81 and Thomas Crowell (Keene) got the win on his home track in 18.83.
Sophomore Aiden Ekanem (Newmarket) ran the top 300m hurdle time between the two meets in 46.40.
Girls: The fastest 100m time was 12.82 from sophomore Leiana Cory (Portsmouth). Her teammate and fellow sophomore, Evelyn Avery (Portsmouth) had the fastest 200m from the two freshman/sophomore meets this weekend in 28.25. Leiana Cory (Portsmouth) also had the fastest 400m time in 1:01.12. Freshman Mallory Fisher (Exeter) ran over the 100m hurdles the fastest in 16.90. In the 300m Hurdles Freshman Ellis Harrington (Lebanon) crossed first in 51.08.
Distance
Boys: In the 800, sophomore Patrick Youngs (Coe-Brown) took the honors with his 2:04.77. Sophomore Isaac McNaughton (Hanover) covered 1600m the fastest between the meets in 4:33.41. Freshman Dylan Faris (Hanover) ran 9:56.49 in the 3200!
Girls: Freshman Riley Trested (Coe-Brown) was the fastest over 800m in 2:29.73. In the 1600, freshman Ashleigh MacEachern (Exeter) bested both fields in 5:30.77! In the 3200, sophomore Emma Short (Monadnock) outran the competition finishing in 12:17.35.
Jumps
Boys: Freshman Rory Keegan (Oyster River) was the best high jumper of the underclassman meets jumping 5’09”. The pole vault was raised and cleared to 9’07” by sophomore Steven Whisler (Portsmouth). Caleb Plante (Spaulding) had a day! Along with winning the 100m, 200m, and 400m he jumps far too, 21’01”! In the triple jump sophomore Covey Getman (Portsmouth) marked 39’07”.
Girls: Freshman Annabel Spead (Coe-Brown) was the highest jumper with a height of 4’10.5″. In the pole vault Freshman Finley Mason (Exeter) cleared 7′ 7″. In the long jump, winner of the 100m hurdles, Mallory Fisher (Exeter) jumped out to 14’11.5″.
Sophomore Ella Giuliano (Manchester Central) was the best triple jumper at 32’10.25″.
Throws
Boys: The shot put saw sophomore Brian Nelson (Lebanon) throw the heavy metal ball the furthest with a toss of 40’06”. Sophomore Aiden Countey (Coe-Brown) was the best disc thrower between the two meets with his 106’10”. Javelin’s best throw came from sophomore Drake Jaimes (Manchester Central) who marked at 128’03”.
Girls: Danasia Wani (Manchester Central) extended the tape to 25’06” to claim the best shot put of the weekend. Freshman Alice Ball (Lebanon) claimed the discus with a 91’05” mark! Sophomore Elizabeth Joy (Coe-Brown) threw the javelin out to 110’09”!
Loucks Games (New York)
Boys 3200: Speaking of sophomores, Ethan Fischer (Bishop Guertin) had himself a weekend! Friday night Ethan ran the 3200 placing 3rd. His final time was 8:58.28! Not many NH boys have gone under 9 flat. Ethan came back Saturday and ran 4:16.33 in the Mile! Both times sit comfortably on top of the battle notes.
Boys 400: Sophomore Rhys Jones Hanover clocked a 50.95 Moving him up to 4th on the Division 2 Battlenotes!
Girls 3200: Immediately following Ethan’s third-place finish, Maddy Lane (Hopkinton) and Alexis Paterna (Exeter) found themselves in a familiar position: leading a stacked field of talent. During the 2nd lap, Maddy took command of the pace, consistently clicking off 77-second laps with Alexis tucked directly on her shoulder. The decisive moment came during the sixth lap, where Lane opened a small gap and refused to let up. Maddy maintained the punishing pace to take the win in 10:10.67, while Paterna secured a strong second-place finish in 10:24.08.
Girls Mile: Brianna Perterna (Exeter) finished 5th in the Mile with a breaking the 5 minute barrier in 4:56.24!
Girls 800: Isabelle Bremer (Exeter) ran 2:14.81 and not far behind her was her teammate Madeline Poteet (Exeter) in 2:15.50! Millie Larrick’s (Hanover) 2:20.14 put her on top of the Division 2 Battlenotes.
Girls 400: Charlotte Beaudoin (Timberlane) ran a blazing 56.96 placing 4th in the meet! Josie White (Hanover) just missed breaking 60 seconds finishing with a time of 1:00.09!
Girls 200: Charlotte Beaudoin (Timberlane) ran 25.58 proving she is a consistent performer! Josie White (Hanover) clock a 26.16 to go with her 400m time!
Girls High Jump: Danielle Bates (Timberlane) jumped 5’04” which was good enough for 2nd place.
Girls 4×800: You probably could have guessed it, Exeter won the 4×800 in dominating fashion. Isabelle Bremer, Madeline Poteet, Alexis Perterna, and Brianna Perterna led the whole way, crossing the line in 9:16.74!
Other Top Performers
Mikita Barry (Bedford) had herself a week. After winning the Mile at the NH distance Festival, Mikita ran the 400 and 3200 at a home meet on Tuesday and then a leg of the 4×800 and 4×400 relays on Thursday at the Clipper Relays! In order she ran 57.90, 10:50.98, 2:13, and 56.34!
Macy Sawyer (Gilford) showed out in the 400m as well at the Bristol Lions Invitational. Macy sits atop of the Division 3 Battlenotes with her 57.20.
