Swampscott Track Teams Bound For NECs Saturday

Swampscott boys and girls track teams have been gearing up for the NEC meet Saturday and the State meet the next week.

Girls’ team coach Joe Tenney said he has seen a vast improvement with the athletes bound for the NEC and State meets.

Carley Hayes and Vy Le have excelled in high hurdles, and both have long jumped with Carley leaping over 15 feet. 

“She has done an amazing job this year and the last few weeks has stepped up her training and has been very positive,” he said.

Nancy Do has impressed by long jumping well over 16 feet, he said.

“Danielle Goldman, Melinda Wilson and Tiara Smith-Matthews have really brought some game into the throwing events with all three marking their best throws the last meet,” the coach said. The relay teams have been spectacular as well.

The 4 x 100 relay team of Tiara Smith-Matthews, Nancy Do, Sammy Maher and Melinda Wilson and Colleen Meagher have their time below 53 seconds.

The 4 x 400 relay team of Emma Walsh, Aisling Dennehy, Sarah Kelley, Alison Carr and Hannah King started out running a 4:35 but have now dropped the time down to under 4:17.

 “Both runners and staff work very hard to help build and expand our team to one day be on top but most importantly we do it as a family,” the coach said.

Boys coach Peter Bush said the majority of the team has reached or surpassed their goal times/distances set when the season started.

“Their success is directly related to being dedicated and the hard work they have put into their practice sessions,” the coach said. “We feel confident with the work we have put in and everyone is striving to place in their event, set a personal record and hopefully qualify for next Friday's Division III meet.”

Bush said everyone has been training hard despite the rainy weather.

 "This is the time of year when the weather is inconsistent so in some instances it is good to get outside to get the body accustomed to (the)elements so the body will be prepared for a bad weather meet,” he said.

The team can enter its top two competitors in each event at the championship meet.

Also, a participation rule is in effect, so teams cannot rely on one athlete to score the majority of their points, Bush said.

“It truly tests the depth of your team and we are looking forward to competing against the best of the best of the NEC,”he said.

The NEC meet is in Lynn at the Manning Bowl, 9:30 a.m.