MID-D MAKES A STATEMENT FOR THE MINUTEMEN AT DAY 1 OF DIVISIONALS
Meet Information
MIAA North Division 1 Championships
June 17, 2021
North Andover High School - North Andover, MA
RESULTS
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - Due to self imposed COVID restrictions the MIAA split its championship meets up into two separate days this year. That meant that Lexington High School's 800m runners, Milers, Two Milers, and Javelin throwers competed on Thursday, while the rest of the team waits until Saturday for their chance at Divisionals. Despite the different format, The Minutemen came ready to race on Thursday evening and, in what could be called the "Battle of Lexington and Concord" it was the Middle Distance squad that led the way.
The Girls 800m saw freshmen phenom Gabby Fainelli coming to North Andover fresh off a silver medal winning performance at the League Championships, where she bested her previous PR by four seconds to run 2:25.49. Seeded ninth on Thursday, Fainelli's race got off to a hot start as Concord-Carlisle senior Iris Bergman - who won the race going away in 2:11.76 - took the pack through the first 200 in 31 seconds. Fainelli settled in and came through the first lap in a brisk 67 seconds. Down the backstretch she hung onto the back of the pack before unleashing what is becoming her signature move with about 180m to go. The only freshman in the race closed hard, picking off two girls in route to another huge PR - 2:22.54 - and a seventh place finish.
In the Boys 800m, Traver Smith III was seeded 15th coming in and was running in the unseeded section. Smith III pushed the race out hard, going through the quarter mile in 56 seconds on his way to a time of 1:59.19, breaking the illusive two-minute barrier for the first time in the junior's career. In the seeded section The Minutemen had junior captain Evan Eberle, senior Stephen Joseph and senior captain Reed Solomon. Despite being seeded 10th, Joseph went to the lead and took the race out in a casual 58 seconds through 400m. The entire pack sat behind him through 600m until finally the top seed - Marko Kovacevic from Concord-Carlisle - made his move. Joseph countered on the turn and the race was on as the two battled down the homestretch to the finish line. In the end Kovacevic took the tape, and Joseph finished second in the race (third overall) with a new PR of 1:56.54. His performance will earn him a spot in next week's All-State Championships. Solomon (1:59.71) and Eberle (2:00.39) would place 11th and 12th respectively, but Smith III's time from the unseeded section placed him eighth overall and earned LHS an additional point in the team scoring. But the boys weren't done. Seeded second in the 4x800m Relay to Concord-Carlisle, Smith III got things going for The Minutemen splitting 2:01.2 unofficially to put his team in the lead pack. From there Solomon took the baton and ran a nearly identical unofficial split of 2:01.3 which brought LHS into fourth. Joseph then took over, opening in a casual 59 second first quarter. He then turned it on over the final 200m to bring his team within striking distance of the podium going into the anchor leg - where Eberle was anxiously waiting - with an unoffical 2:01.7 split. Once he took the baton Eberle charged around the track to catch up to Concord-Carlisle and Andover. As the teams came off the final turn they were three wide down the homestretch. Eberle surged pasted Andover's Neil Chowdhury but was bested by 800m Champion Kovacevic for the title. In the end Eberle's unofficial 2:01.4 split placed The Minutemen second overall with a season best 8:05.69. That time qualifies them for All-States.
Other Highlights for the Girls
Girls Team Scores After Day 1 (Top 5)
1. Concord-Carlisle - 50
2. North Andover - 24
3. Brookline - 23
4. Newton North - 19
5. Arlington - 16
18. Lexington - 2
Other Highlights for the Boys
Boys Team Scores After Day 1 (Top 5)
1. Acton-Boxborough - 38
2. Concord Carlisle - 32
3. North Andover - 30
4. Saint John's Prep - 29
4. Lowell - 29
7. Lexington - 15
Up Next
The Minutemen are back at North Andover High School on Saturday for Day 2 of the MIAA North Division 1 Championships. The Boys will get underway at 10am, while the Girls meet begins at 3pm.
MIAA North Division 1 Championships
June 17, 2021
North Andover High School - North Andover, MA
RESULTS
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - Due to self imposed COVID restrictions the MIAA split its championship meets up into two separate days this year. That meant that Lexington High School's 800m runners, Milers, Two Milers, and Javelin throwers competed on Thursday, while the rest of the team waits until Saturday for their chance at Divisionals. Despite the different format, The Minutemen came ready to race on Thursday evening and, in what could be called the "Battle of Lexington and Concord" it was the Middle Distance squad that led the way.
The Girls 800m saw freshmen phenom Gabby Fainelli coming to North Andover fresh off a silver medal winning performance at the League Championships, where she bested her previous PR by four seconds to run 2:25.49. Seeded ninth on Thursday, Fainelli's race got off to a hot start as Concord-Carlisle senior Iris Bergman - who won the race going away in 2:11.76 - took the pack through the first 200 in 31 seconds. Fainelli settled in and came through the first lap in a brisk 67 seconds. Down the backstretch she hung onto the back of the pack before unleashing what is becoming her signature move with about 180m to go. The only freshman in the race closed hard, picking off two girls in route to another huge PR - 2:22.54 - and a seventh place finish.
In the Boys 800m, Traver Smith III was seeded 15th coming in and was running in the unseeded section. Smith III pushed the race out hard, going through the quarter mile in 56 seconds on his way to a time of 1:59.19, breaking the illusive two-minute barrier for the first time in the junior's career. In the seeded section The Minutemen had junior captain Evan Eberle, senior Stephen Joseph and senior captain Reed Solomon. Despite being seeded 10th, Joseph went to the lead and took the race out in a casual 58 seconds through 400m. The entire pack sat behind him through 600m until finally the top seed - Marko Kovacevic from Concord-Carlisle - made his move. Joseph countered on the turn and the race was on as the two battled down the homestretch to the finish line. In the end Kovacevic took the tape, and Joseph finished second in the race (third overall) with a new PR of 1:56.54. His performance will earn him a spot in next week's All-State Championships. Solomon (1:59.71) and Eberle (2:00.39) would place 11th and 12th respectively, but Smith III's time from the unseeded section placed him eighth overall and earned LHS an additional point in the team scoring. But the boys weren't done. Seeded second in the 4x800m Relay to Concord-Carlisle, Smith III got things going for The Minutemen splitting 2:01.2 unofficially to put his team in the lead pack. From there Solomon took the baton and ran a nearly identical unofficial split of 2:01.3 which brought LHS into fourth. Joseph then took over, opening in a casual 59 second first quarter. He then turned it on over the final 200m to bring his team within striking distance of the podium going into the anchor leg - where Eberle was anxiously waiting - with an unoffical 2:01.7 split. Once he took the baton Eberle charged around the track to catch up to Concord-Carlisle and Andover. As the teams came off the final turn they were three wide down the homestretch. Eberle surged pasted Andover's Neil Chowdhury but was bested by 800m Champion Kovacevic for the title. In the end Eberle's unofficial 2:01.4 split placed The Minutemen second overall with a season best 8:05.69. That time qualifies them for All-States.
Other Highlights for the Girls
- The 4x800m Relay of freshmen Adia Singh and Samara McVey combined with sophomores Serena Caira and Mirra Payson finished ninth with a time of 10:19.80.
- One of two freshmen in the competition, Katie Atkins (82'8") finished 12th in the Javelin; sophomore Karin Minemoto (81'2") was 13th overall.
- In the Mile, Payson showed well by running 5:28.80 to finish 14th.
- Junior Clara Fu (12:00.95) finished 11th in the 2 Mile; senior Lauren Sterne (12:16.96) was 14th; sophomore Uma Sanker (12:16.96) was 17th.
Girls Team Scores After Day 1 (Top 5)
1. Concord-Carlisle - 50
2. North Andover - 24
3. Brookline - 23
4. Newton North - 19
5. Arlington - 16
18. Lexington - 2
Other Highlights for the Boys
- Senior Captain Max DiCerbo led the way in the Mile with a time of 4:33.13 to finish 11th; the lone freshman in the field, Nayan Das, was 12th in 4:34.92; junior Graham Bracken was 13th in 4:36.41; junior Ollie DiCerbo was 15th in 4:45.92.
- In the 2 Mile, senior Nate Croke ran 10:03.22 to finish 13th overall; junior Noah Quadri was 23rd in 10:34.42.
Boys Team Scores After Day 1 (Top 5)
1. Acton-Boxborough - 38
2. Concord Carlisle - 32
3. North Andover - 30
4. Saint John's Prep - 29
4. Lowell - 29
7. Lexington - 15
Up Next
The Minutemen are back at North Andover High School on Saturday for Day 2 of the MIAA North Division 1 Championships. The Boys will get underway at 10am, while the Girls meet begins at 3pm.