The 2020 New England Indoor Championships is this coming Saturday, February 29th at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. It seems
to be an annual question of whether NH athletes will attend or not given the gap between our state championships and New Englands. However, this year with BU allowing HS athletes to compete unattached, coupled with USATF New Englands at Harvard this past weekend, a bridge of competition exists which may translate into an increase in participation from the Granite State. This prompted us to post a very unofficial instagram poll to see which of our athletes were going and it seems there is a healthy number!! So below is what to watch for with this coming Saturday’s 33rd Annual New England Championships. Below are links to meet information as well as livestreaming information from our friends at Bay State Running.
Bay State Running – phenomenal coverage with previews already posted!
Allow us to preface this preview by noting NH enters performances from the Divisional State Championships, not an athletes’ seasonal bests per New England Council rules. Therefore Granite Staters may very well be “underseeded” and should outperform their seeds. At the same time, keep in mind, this is the New Englands!!! Competition is some of the fiercest in the nation!!!
Sprints & Hurdles
NH has a great shot for multiple spots on the podium in the boys Hurdles with North’s Nassir Perry ranked 3rd (7.51) and Pinkerton’s Conor Seleny seeded 6th (7.57). As these are the Hurdles, do not overlook Pelham’s John Elie either as he is seeded at 7.73.
Top seeds in the girls Hurdles from NH occupy the 20th through 
21st positions (Camilla McAleer Exeter will not be competing) in Sheridan McGadden (Bedford – 8.89) and Portsmouth’s April Weeks (8.89).
In the Dash, with Exeter’s Kunysz not competing, Hanover’s Ella Maclean is NH’s top seed (21st, 7.45), with North’s Abby Coy (22nd 7.46), Portsmouth’s Maddie Ricard (25th, 7.50), and Exeter’s Sydney Lavelle (26th 7.51) right behind her.
On the boys side, possibly the unofficial Mr. NH INDOOR Track and field, South’s Paul Marchand is seeded 4th at 6.46. If he explodes out of the blocks, he certainly would have a shot at top seed Richmond Kwaateng of Lowell who sits at 6.37.
Seleny of Pinkerton is seeded 8th in the 300 at 35.64 with Bedford’s Zach Verow not too far behind with his 35.73 good enough for th 11th seed. On the girls side, Ella Fraser is seeded at 22nd to lead NH with her 42.84 clocking at D1’s.
Middle Distance
The 600 on the boys side may be the race of the day as there are several athletes who are in Exeter’s Dante Radigonda’s league. Seeded 4th but with the fastest PR coming in is St. Raphael’s Darius Kipyego as has a 1:19 and change clocking to his 2020 resume. Radigonda will be welcoming the competition as he recently popped a 1:54 and change at BU’s Valentine’s Invitational. Throw in 3 other athletes who have run 1:21 or better, the 600 will be one of the more exciting races of the day. On the girls’ side, Bow’s Kristina Pizzi is NH’s top competing seed ranked 17th at 1:40.59.
In the 1000 meters, while Winnacunnet’s Jack Taylor and Londonderry’s Matt Griffin are not competing, Pinkerton’s Zach Plaza is seeded 12th at 2:33.79. Do not overlook Oyster River’s Myles 
Carrico however. He was certainly running for team points when he posted his 2:37.44. His 2020 best of 2:30 and change will put him in the medal hunt for sure. Same can be said for Exeter’s Grace Mercier on the girls side. She was focused on the larger team picture when competing at the state championships as she posted the 10th seed time of 3:02 after already racing the 4×800. If she is fresh, she could podium as the top seed is 2:53.37 but the 6th seed is at a very doable 2:59.64.
Distance
Beginning with the Mile here, on the girls side, Kearsarge’s Mya Dube is not competing, so PCA’s Liza Corso should find herself ranked 7th with a real shot a medaling seeded at 5:09.50. While on the boys side, with North Rory Curran and Concord’s Brayden Kearns not competing, Oyster River’s Andy O’Brien finds himself as NH’s top seed at 17th.
In the 2 Mile Souhegan’s Chloe Trudel is seeded a healthy 11th at 11:16, which should find her in the 
fast heat with a shot to medal. Joining he should be BG’s Caroline Towle seeded 14th. Together, these 2 could really do some damage! On the boys side, with Curran and Winnacunnet’s Colin Donnelly not competing, Dover’s Tyler Sheedy is NH’s top seed at 16th. Look for Oyster River’s Andy O’Brien also in this one as he is seeded 18th. Coe-Brown’s Aidan Cox will also be competing and is seeded 22nd.
Field Events
Beginning with the Shot, North’s Victoria Conrad is in the mix seeded 5th at 40’7″. Look for St. Thomas’s Mady Buchalski as she is seeded 10th at 38’7.25″. Central’s Jassiah Francis’s 52’11” bomb nets him the 8th seed on the boys side while Salem’s Owen Gormley’s 51’7.75″ toss seeds him 14th.
After his monstrous 22’4″ leap, South’s Marchand sees himself ranked #2 in New England. He is not alone as White Mountains’ Kevin Schanlaber is ranked 5th benefitting from his 21’10.75″ D2 title mark. Milford’s Renee Wilson is NH’s top seed in the Girls Long Jump seeded at 14th.
The High Jump certainly sees opportunity for NH’s best with North’s Olivia Mazerolle and Bedford’s Jori Santos tied for 4th seed. BG’s Jacob Pacheco is NH’s top seed in the boys High Jump at 6’2″.
Relays
Always tough to predict, but Pinkerton boys 4×200 is worth paying attention too as they are attempting again to break the NH state record and are currently ranked 7th.
