SIMPLY THE BEST: CANDYMAN DOES IT AGAIN, ETCHES HIS NAME INTO LHS HISTORY
Meet Information
Weston Twilight Invitational
May 4, 2024
Weston High School and Regis College - Weston, MA
RESULTS
WESTON, MA - In recent years, the Twilight Invitational has almost become two separate meets hosted by the same school. This year the meet was even named as such, as the Weston Twilight Distance Carnival was held at the great facility on the campus of Regis College. Meanwhile, sprints, jumps, and throws were housed at Weston High School under the banner of the Weston High School Twilight Meet. Regardless of the setting, The Minutemen had their best meet of the season, with season and personal bests at both locations, and a record setting performance at the Distance Carnival.
Senior captain Joey "The Candyman" Ryan has been the backbone of The Minutemen for this entire year. In Cross Country he led a team of five freshman and a junior to a top-10 finish at All-States. Indoors, he was responsible for 20 of his team's 39 points at the Division 1 Championships, and broke an LHS 2 Mile record set over a decade before he was born with a 9:19 in the process. Fast-forward to Saturday night, where conditions were perfect for Ryan to once again test his limits at his signature distance against an absolutely loaded field. When the gun fired, Ryan went to the front behind Nashoba Regional's Ada Belwicz. The race went out in a blistering 4:32 through the mile mark, which strung out the top pack. Over the next two laps Belwicz broke free from the pack and would finish with a flurry to dip under the elusive nine-minute barrier to win the race in a US #3 time of 8:59.79. Oliver Ames's Brendan Thomas would be next with a 9:06.77 to earn silver. Meanwhile, Ryan was feeling the weight of that hard early pace and locked in a battle with a chase pack that included Cambridge Rindge & Latin's Paulino Guevara Mateo, BC High's John Wilson, and Boston Latin's Bilal Elhaji. The four hit the bell lap together and pushed each other every step of the way for the final 400m. In the end, Ryan managed to cross the line fifth overall in a new LHS record of 9:12.66. In addition to taking down Nat Adams' (LHS '13) record from 2012, that mark ranks him US #18, and qualified him for the New Balance Nationals at Historic Franklin Field in June. There is still plenty of time left in his senior season, but with that performance, the Candyman now has a legitimate claim as the best distance runner in LHS's storied history.
Other Highlights from Regis Events
Other Highlights from Weston High School Events
Up Next
The Minutemen are back home this Wednesday, May 8th, as they compete against the Red and Black of Winchester on Senior Day. The meet will get underway at 4pm, and will serve as one final tune-up before Championship Season begins
Weston Twilight Invitational
May 4, 2024
Weston High School and Regis College - Weston, MA
RESULTS
WESTON, MA - In recent years, the Twilight Invitational has almost become two separate meets hosted by the same school. This year the meet was even named as such, as the Weston Twilight Distance Carnival was held at the great facility on the campus of Regis College. Meanwhile, sprints, jumps, and throws were housed at Weston High School under the banner of the Weston High School Twilight Meet. Regardless of the setting, The Minutemen had their best meet of the season, with season and personal bests at both locations, and a record setting performance at the Distance Carnival.
Senior captain Joey "The Candyman" Ryan has been the backbone of The Minutemen for this entire year. In Cross Country he led a team of five freshman and a junior to a top-10 finish at All-States. Indoors, he was responsible for 20 of his team's 39 points at the Division 1 Championships, and broke an LHS 2 Mile record set over a decade before he was born with a 9:19 in the process. Fast-forward to Saturday night, where conditions were perfect for Ryan to once again test his limits at his signature distance against an absolutely loaded field. When the gun fired, Ryan went to the front behind Nashoba Regional's Ada Belwicz. The race went out in a blistering 4:32 through the mile mark, which strung out the top pack. Over the next two laps Belwicz broke free from the pack and would finish with a flurry to dip under the elusive nine-minute barrier to win the race in a US #3 time of 8:59.79. Oliver Ames's Brendan Thomas would be next with a 9:06.77 to earn silver. Meanwhile, Ryan was feeling the weight of that hard early pace and locked in a battle with a chase pack that included Cambridge Rindge & Latin's Paulino Guevara Mateo, BC High's John Wilson, and Boston Latin's Bilal Elhaji. The four hit the bell lap together and pushed each other every step of the way for the final 400m. In the end, Ryan managed to cross the line fifth overall in a new LHS record of 9:12.66. In addition to taking down Nat Adams' (LHS '13) record from 2012, that mark ranks him US #18, and qualified him for the New Balance Nationals at Historic Franklin Field in June. There is still plenty of time left in his senior season, but with that performance, the Candyman now has a legitimate claim as the best distance runner in LHS's storied history.
Other Highlights from Regis Events
- Senior Owen Lawler placed fifth in the Boys 2000m Steeplechase with a time of 6:30.90; sophomore Sam Finch (6:42.70) placed eighth overall; sophomore Will Parker (6:56.00) was 10th; sophomore Henry Finch (7:09.80) was 19th as the Steeple Crew got their first chance to compete of the season.
- In the Girls 800m, junior Lucy Kontos placed eighth with a huge PR of 2:18.83.
- Junior James Joseph (1:59.67) broke the elusive two-minute barrier in the 800m for the first time and finished 14th; fellow classmate Nathan Cunningham (2:00.80) also ran a PR to finish 30th.
- Freshman Patrick Noonan was 27th in the 2 Mile with a personal best time of 9:40.28.
Other Highlights from Weston High School Events
- In the prelims of the Boys 200m, senior McKenna O'Hare Gibson ran the fastest 200m time in recent memory for The Minutemen, as he crossed the line in 22.06; he went on to win silver in the finals.
- Senior captain Katie Atkins turned in a season best of 10'0" in the Pole Vault to earn a silver medal in the event.
- Fellow classmate and captain Jada Solomon ran a PR in the third different event this week; her time of 27.33 seconds landed her 14th in the Girls 200m, and qualified her for the MIAA Division 1 Championships.
- The only LHS athlete to do the Frosh/Soph-Twilight-double was sophomore Aidan Raney, who after qualifying for Divisionals in the 110m Hurdles earlier in the day, came back to do the same in the Pole Vault, as he cleared 11'6".
Up Next
The Minutemen are back home this Wednesday, May 8th, as they compete against the Red and Black of Winchester on Senior Day. The meet will get underway at 4pm, and will serve as one final tune-up before Championship Season begins