SHUTTLE HURDLE SQUAD SENDS OUT THE 2023-2024 SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE
Meet Information
New Balance Outdoor Nationals Day 4
June 16, 2024
Franklin Field - Philadelphia, PA
RESULTS
PHILADELPHIA, PA - For The Minutemen, the 2023-2024 Track & Field season officially began 202 days ago in late November. From that first practice indoors, every student-athlete on the LHS team was building to compete at the highest level. Sunday, on the final day of the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the 110m Shuttle Hurdle Relay had their opportunity to meet that goal.
The last two seasons have been the golden era of high hurdling in Lexington. Under Coach Ashleigh Marks, the "Burger Squad" has produced five of the top-10 hurdlers in LHS history. At last year's Nationals, the Shuttle Hurdle squad ran a race for the ages from the fourth of 10 heats to earn All-American honors. With two members of that relay - Jayden Bai and Michael Gerfen - now in the NCAA, the two returners - sophomore captain Simon Tandeih and senior Jacob Pan - were joined by junior Ryan Zhang and sophomore Aidan Raney to test their metal against the best in the nation. LHS competed in the sixth of 11 heats, and were out to a strong start with Zhang running an unofficial first leg of 15.3. Despite an equipment issue, Raney still ran a tremendous leg that kept his team in contention with an unofficial 16.5 split. Next up was Pan, who always seems to have his best performances at historic Franklin Field. The senior flew down the straightaway and got his team within striking distance of Grand Street (NJ) with an electric run of 14.8 seconds. On the anchor was Tandeih, who made a furious charge after Grand Street's final runner. The star sophomore closed what was almost a 10-meter gap to a photo finish. In the end The Minutemen finished in second by just three-hundredths-of-a-second. Despite falling just short, Tandeih's unofficial split on the final leg was 14.6, which led the team to a final time of 1:01.40. That mark ranked the team #2 all-time in LHS history behind the record run of last year's boys. And, in the end, would hold up over the final five heats to land LHS in 10th place overall.
While the 2023-2024 track & field year has come to a close, it is important to take inventory of what was nothing short of an incredible year by a truly special group of student-athletes. After the Class of 2023 graduated some of the finest track & field talent to ever don the blue and gold, it would have been easy for this year's team to not have the same level of excitement, passion, or commitment to competition. Things may have gotten off to a slow start, but one cannot argue with the results of the incredible efforts put forth by this year's team. A new generation of leaders stepped forward and set a standard for their teammates. Young athletes made massive strides and reached new heights across all events. And, the team's superstars were at their best when their team needed them the most. All totaled, 18 new LHS records were set. 3 Middlesex League Championships were won. The team turned in a pair of podium finishes at the Division 1 Championships. And, an athlete who was at the center of it all, rewrote the all-time record books for Massachusetts high school track & field. While the accomplishments were many, what truly made this team special is how it came together. We say in Lexington that this team is our "track family." This year's group embodied that as much as any in recent memory. Now that the season has come to an end, and we say goodbye to a tremendous group of seniors, we can say with full confidence that the Class of 2024 has a bright future awaiting each of them. Their willingness to work hard, to show up each day with a positive attitude, to overcome every bit of adversity that is thrown in their path, to hold each other to account, and to lift each other up when their teammates need it most is the bedrock of what will lead them to succeed well after their careers with the LHS track & field program are over. From all the coaches, thank you for giving us your very best.
New Balance Outdoor Nationals Day 4
June 16, 2024
Franklin Field - Philadelphia, PA
RESULTS
PHILADELPHIA, PA - For The Minutemen, the 2023-2024 Track & Field season officially began 202 days ago in late November. From that first practice indoors, every student-athlete on the LHS team was building to compete at the highest level. Sunday, on the final day of the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the 110m Shuttle Hurdle Relay had their opportunity to meet that goal.
The last two seasons have been the golden era of high hurdling in Lexington. Under Coach Ashleigh Marks, the "Burger Squad" has produced five of the top-10 hurdlers in LHS history. At last year's Nationals, the Shuttle Hurdle squad ran a race for the ages from the fourth of 10 heats to earn All-American honors. With two members of that relay - Jayden Bai and Michael Gerfen - now in the NCAA, the two returners - sophomore captain Simon Tandeih and senior Jacob Pan - were joined by junior Ryan Zhang and sophomore Aidan Raney to test their metal against the best in the nation. LHS competed in the sixth of 11 heats, and were out to a strong start with Zhang running an unofficial first leg of 15.3. Despite an equipment issue, Raney still ran a tremendous leg that kept his team in contention with an unofficial 16.5 split. Next up was Pan, who always seems to have his best performances at historic Franklin Field. The senior flew down the straightaway and got his team within striking distance of Grand Street (NJ) with an electric run of 14.8 seconds. On the anchor was Tandeih, who made a furious charge after Grand Street's final runner. The star sophomore closed what was almost a 10-meter gap to a photo finish. In the end The Minutemen finished in second by just three-hundredths-of-a-second. Despite falling just short, Tandeih's unofficial split on the final leg was 14.6, which led the team to a final time of 1:01.40. That mark ranked the team #2 all-time in LHS history behind the record run of last year's boys. And, in the end, would hold up over the final five heats to land LHS in 10th place overall.
While the 2023-2024 track & field year has come to a close, it is important to take inventory of what was nothing short of an incredible year by a truly special group of student-athletes. After the Class of 2023 graduated some of the finest track & field talent to ever don the blue and gold, it would have been easy for this year's team to not have the same level of excitement, passion, or commitment to competition. Things may have gotten off to a slow start, but one cannot argue with the results of the incredible efforts put forth by this year's team. A new generation of leaders stepped forward and set a standard for their teammates. Young athletes made massive strides and reached new heights across all events. And, the team's superstars were at their best when their team needed them the most. All totaled, 18 new LHS records were set. 3 Middlesex League Championships were won. The team turned in a pair of podium finishes at the Division 1 Championships. And, an athlete who was at the center of it all, rewrote the all-time record books for Massachusetts high school track & field. While the accomplishments were many, what truly made this team special is how it came together. We say in Lexington that this team is our "track family." This year's group embodied that as much as any in recent memory. Now that the season has come to an end, and we say goodbye to a tremendous group of seniors, we can say with full confidence that the Class of 2024 has a bright future awaiting each of them. Their willingness to work hard, to show up each day with a positive attitude, to overcome every bit of adversity that is thrown in their path, to hold each other to account, and to lift each other up when their teammates need it most is the bedrock of what will lead them to succeed well after their careers with the LHS track & field program are over. From all the coaches, thank you for giving us your very best.
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Up Next
The Minutemen are off for the summer, but will return next fall for the beginning of the Cross Country season. The 2024-2025 year traditionally begins at the annual Clipper Relays at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport. LHS's boys won the crown there last year, and both the girls and boys expect to be fighting for the title this fall whenever date and time are made official.
The Minutemen are off for the summer, but will return next fall for the beginning of the Cross Country season. The 2024-2025 year traditionally begins at the annual Clipper Relays at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport. LHS's boys won the crown there last year, and both the girls and boys expect to be fighting for the title this fall whenever date and time are made official.