Big Blue Track Defeats Salem

The Swampscott High School track and field teams continued their spring season in a winning fashion, with both high school teams defeating the visiting Salem Witches at Upper Jackson Park on Tuesday afternoon. Warm weather and plenty of competition resulted in many excellent performances from the Big Blue.

The Big Blue Girls defeated Salem with a score of 106-29 to improve their season record to 1-1, and saw seventeen different individuals score in events. Swampscott was led by four double winners, including Melinda Wilson (shot put, 32' and discus, 114'2"), Alison Carr (high jump, 4'8" and one mile, 6:05), Haley Irwin (long jump, 15'2" and triple jump, 33'), and Sarah Kelley (400 meter hurdles, 72.9 and 800 meters, 2:30). Other winners for Swampscott included Isabella Kornitsky (two mile, 13:54), the 4x100 team of Nancy Do, Bailey Shorr, Tiara Smith-Mathews, and Lauren Moran (53.7), Aisling Dennehy (400 meters, 64.0), Vy Le (100 meter hurdles, 18.0) and the 4x400 meter relay team of Taylor Gateman, Dennehy, Maia Buks, and Alison Grimes (4:53).

Swampscott's depth also helped secure the victory. Second place finishers included Smith-Mathews (shot put, 30'11" and 100 meters, 13.1), Nancy Do (long jump, 15'1" and high jump (4'6"), Dennehy (javelin, 65'4"), Wilson (400 hurdles, 77.1), Meghan Mahoney (two mile, 14:14), Michelle LaConte (one mile, 6:11), Gateman (400 meters, 67), Miranda Nocera (800 meters, 2:39), and Lauren Moran (200 meters, 28.3). Third place finishers included Ny'Cole Young (28'2"), Buks (javelin, 62'), Dennehy (triple jump, 30'), Shorr (100 meters, 14.2), Alyssa Mauriello (one mile, 6:12), Mckenzie Falkner (100 meter hurdles, 21.1).

"We had some really good times but have plenty of room for improvement," remarked head coach Joe Tenney. "We have plenty of bright spots and some great leadership with our veterans, so I am really looking forward to seeing what May/June bring us."

For the Big Blue Boys, an exciting meet was unfolding throughout the afternoon; the meet would eventually come down to the last event, the 4x400 meter relay. "We battled throughout the meet and picked up some crucial second and third place points," explained head coach Peter Bush. "The 4x400 crew of Peter Hale, Ian Munnelly, Bennett Smith, and Marco Scibelli layed it on the line to put the finishing touches on (the meet)." Swampscott edged a competitive Salem team with a score of 71.5-66.5.

Noah Conti (400 meter hurdles, 61.1 and 800 meters, 2:07), Robert McLaughlin (two mile, 10:50), Peter Hale (one mile, 4:46), the 4x100 meter relay team of Maleek Newsome, Neil Lahrizi, John King, and Zach Blonder (48.1), Robert Seymour (shot put), Adian Brawley (javelin, 143'), and the 4x400 meter relay team of Hale, Munnelly, Smith, and Scibelli (3:50.1). 

Picking up second place finishers were Matt Mahoney (two mile, 10:51), Zach Blonder (100 meters, 11.3), Declan McClung (400 meters, 53.1), Bennett Smith (800 meters, 2:10), Phil Cherner (high jump, 5'4"), King (triple jump, 37'2.5"), Trevor Chasse (shot put, 44'4"), and Seymour (discus, 108'8"). Rounding out the scoring with third place finishes were Andrew Richardson (one mile, 5:56), Chasse (discus, 97'8"), Cherner (110 meter hurdles, 19.1), Scibelli (400 meters, 54.0), Newsome (200 meters, 24.2), King (high jump, tie, 5'2"), and Blonder (long jump, 18'8").

"This is a great example of a team victory, as we got contributions from both upperclassmen and underclassmen," concluded Bush. Both Big Blue teams next take on Marblehead High School over April vacation on Wednesday, April 17th at 10AM. The meet will be held at Village School in Marblehead.