THE BOMB SQUAD AND HURDLERS EARN ALL-AMERICAN HONORS AT DAY 3 OF NBON
Meet Information
New Balance Outdoor Nationals Day 3
June 17, 2023
Franklin Field - Philadelphia, PA
RESULTS
PHILADELPHIA, PA - After a marathon day at Franklin Field on Friday that included over 13 hours at the track, The Minutemen were back for Day 3 of the New Balance Outdoor Nationals on Saturday. The team was represented in the Freshmen 100m, Shuttle Hurdles, 4x100m Relay, and 800m Sprint Medley Relay. However, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Bomb Squad's final sendoff in the Hammer cage.
The senior trio of "The Captain" Jack Ngo, Allen Jiang, and Kaden "The Sundance Kid" Cassidy have been the backbone of the success of The Minutemen this entire year. As a group, they hold the LHS records in the Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put Relay. Indoors, they swept the podium - taking first, second, and third - at the MIAA Division 1 Championships in the Shot Put, and scored 24 points for their team. They bettered that effort Outdoors, scoring 32 points in the Shot and Discus, which helped earn their team its first Outdoor D1 Title since 2007. And, they are the third ranked Hammer squad in the Nation this season. Individually, their accolades include Jiang taking down the Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put records that had stood for nearly 50 years, Cassidy's State Championship in the Discus, and LHS record in the Hammer that earned him silver at the New England Championships. All the while, Ngo has been the steady presence in the group, leading his teammates, and ranks in the top five in school history in the Shot, Discus, Hammer, and Weight Throw.
With all of the success that led up to the final meet of their LHS careers, it would have been easy for the group to crack under the weight of their own legacy. However, these three student-athletes are as tough and dedicated a group as there has ever been in LHS Track & Field. Afterall, for their entire careers they have to travel outside of Lexington to practice the Discus and Hammer because the Lexington Recreation Department has actively delayed and derailed any plans to build a safe throwing facility on LHS grounds, all the while financially benefitting from leasing the land tapped for the throwing facility to user groups from outside of Lexington. Overcoming adversity aside, The Captain, Jiang, and The Sundance Kid went to Philadelphia to cement their legacy as the greatest group of throwers in Lexington High School history. And they did just that. Ngo was first up for The Minutemen, throwing from the second of three flights. After a modest first throw and a foul on his second, it all came down to the final throw of his LHS career. And, as all great leaders do, The Captain delivered. He unleashed the 12lb implement 53.72m (176'3"), which gave him one last personal best and landed him in 24th place overall. Jiang competed in the third flight, and let his first throw fly to a PR distance of 193'1". He followed that up immediately with what was his best throw of the day. That throw traveled 59.06m (193'9"), and earned him 11th place overall. Cassidy came to Philly ranked US #9 in the Hammer, and was hoping to find a way into the top-six to earn All-American honors and cap off his legendary senior campaign. His first throw of the prelims (196'4") was enough to earn him a spot in the finals, but he knew he needed more if he wanted to walk away with some hardware. On his final throw of the prelims, The Sundance Kid took four violent spins to move across the 2.5m-wide concrete circle, and let out a chaotic roar as the Hammer flew threw out to a distance of 61.79m (202'8"). That throw extended his own LHS record in the event, but more importantly it held up through the finals earn him the fourth place medal by just 1cm.
With that, the trio's unmatched reign of success is complete. All three student-athletes are headed off to compete in the NCAA next year, and finished of their LHS careers with lifetime best performances. But more than the PRs, records, and titles they have achieved, this group has set the standard for what it means to be dedicated to their sport and their team. The group has traveled to practice on the grounds of Billerica High School, Shawsheen Tech, Chelmsford High School, Regis College, Northeastern University, Harvard University, Bentley University, Burlington High School, Belmont High School, Newton North, Watertown High School, and Belmont Hill. Their efforts to improve in their event despite all of the adversity thrown their way have continued to build upon the legacy left to them by past members of the Bomb Squad. With their careers now behind them, Ngo, Jiang, and Cassidy will simply be remembered as the standard to which all LHS Track & Field student-athletes are measured.
Other Highlights for the LHS
Up Next
With three full days of competition behind them, the only thing left for The Minutemen is the 4x400m Relay. The gun is scheduled to be fired at 2:50pm and can be streamed live HERE.
New Balance Outdoor Nationals Day 3
June 17, 2023
Franklin Field - Philadelphia, PA
RESULTS
PHILADELPHIA, PA - After a marathon day at Franklin Field on Friday that included over 13 hours at the track, The Minutemen were back for Day 3 of the New Balance Outdoor Nationals on Saturday. The team was represented in the Freshmen 100m, Shuttle Hurdles, 4x100m Relay, and 800m Sprint Medley Relay. However, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Bomb Squad's final sendoff in the Hammer cage.
The senior trio of "The Captain" Jack Ngo, Allen Jiang, and Kaden "The Sundance Kid" Cassidy have been the backbone of the success of The Minutemen this entire year. As a group, they hold the LHS records in the Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put Relay. Indoors, they swept the podium - taking first, second, and third - at the MIAA Division 1 Championships in the Shot Put, and scored 24 points for their team. They bettered that effort Outdoors, scoring 32 points in the Shot and Discus, which helped earn their team its first Outdoor D1 Title since 2007. And, they are the third ranked Hammer squad in the Nation this season. Individually, their accolades include Jiang taking down the Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put records that had stood for nearly 50 years, Cassidy's State Championship in the Discus, and LHS record in the Hammer that earned him silver at the New England Championships. All the while, Ngo has been the steady presence in the group, leading his teammates, and ranks in the top five in school history in the Shot, Discus, Hammer, and Weight Throw.
With all of the success that led up to the final meet of their LHS careers, it would have been easy for the group to crack under the weight of their own legacy. However, these three student-athletes are as tough and dedicated a group as there has ever been in LHS Track & Field. Afterall, for their entire careers they have to travel outside of Lexington to practice the Discus and Hammer because the Lexington Recreation Department has actively delayed and derailed any plans to build a safe throwing facility on LHS grounds, all the while financially benefitting from leasing the land tapped for the throwing facility to user groups from outside of Lexington. Overcoming adversity aside, The Captain, Jiang, and The Sundance Kid went to Philadelphia to cement their legacy as the greatest group of throwers in Lexington High School history. And they did just that. Ngo was first up for The Minutemen, throwing from the second of three flights. After a modest first throw and a foul on his second, it all came down to the final throw of his LHS career. And, as all great leaders do, The Captain delivered. He unleashed the 12lb implement 53.72m (176'3"), which gave him one last personal best and landed him in 24th place overall. Jiang competed in the third flight, and let his first throw fly to a PR distance of 193'1". He followed that up immediately with what was his best throw of the day. That throw traveled 59.06m (193'9"), and earned him 11th place overall. Cassidy came to Philly ranked US #9 in the Hammer, and was hoping to find a way into the top-six to earn All-American honors and cap off his legendary senior campaign. His first throw of the prelims (196'4") was enough to earn him a spot in the finals, but he knew he needed more if he wanted to walk away with some hardware. On his final throw of the prelims, The Sundance Kid took four violent spins to move across the 2.5m-wide concrete circle, and let out a chaotic roar as the Hammer flew threw out to a distance of 61.79m (202'8"). That throw extended his own LHS record in the event, but more importantly it held up through the finals earn him the fourth place medal by just 1cm.
With that, the trio's unmatched reign of success is complete. All three student-athletes are headed off to compete in the NCAA next year, and finished of their LHS careers with lifetime best performances. But more than the PRs, records, and titles they have achieved, this group has set the standard for what it means to be dedicated to their sport and their team. The group has traveled to practice on the grounds of Billerica High School, Shawsheen Tech, Chelmsford High School, Regis College, Northeastern University, Harvard University, Bentley University, Burlington High School, Belmont High School, Newton North, Watertown High School, and Belmont Hill. Their efforts to improve in their event despite all of the adversity thrown their way have continued to build upon the legacy left to them by past members of the Bomb Squad. With their careers now behind them, Ngo, Jiang, and Cassidy will simply be remembered as the standard to which all LHS Track & Field student-athletes are measured.
Other Highlights for the LHS
- Not to be outdone, the Shuttle Hurdle Relay of senior captain Jayden Bai, freshman Simon Tandeih, junior Jacob Pan, and senior captain Michael Gerfen earned All-American honors in dramatic fashion; already holders of the LHS record in the event with a time of 1:02.42, the group ran out of their minds in the 4th of 10 heats, with a time of 1:00.76; they waited through the next six heats to find out their time held up to earn fourth place overall.
- Division of the 100m Dash, and while the meet directors do not allow athletes in the division to use blocks, the freshman sensation still ran a PR of 11.32 seconds to finish 21st; Andrew Gu was 48th overall with a time of 11.68 seconds.
- The 4x100m Relay of senior captain Alexios Kontothanassis, and fellow classmates Branndon Uda-Thach, Jake Wheaton, and Bai ran 42.59 seconds to finish 35th overall.
- In the 800m Sprint Medley Relay (100,100,200,400) the group of Gerfen, junior Victor Yu, Bai, and junior Khai Uda-Thach finished 43rd with a time of 1:38.74.
Up Next
With three full days of competition behind them, the only thing left for The Minutemen is the 4x400m Relay. The gun is scheduled to be fired at 2:50pm and can be streamed live HERE.