Natick delivers on 4x50 promise
DIVISION 2 RELAYS
The Natick girls knew they’d have only one crack at the 4x50yard relay this winter and they were determined to take full advantage and post a scintillating time.
When the smoke cleared in the Reggie Lewis Center infield at yesterday’s Division 2 Coaches Relays, Natick’s Kylie Langan, Abigail Gerdes, Rachelle Parker and Eme Su owned a meet record in their specialty — with a sterling time they were looking for.
After narrowly missing the mark last year, the squad clocked a scalding 24.90 to better the 24.99 set by Tewksbury in 2011. The Red Hawks were well ahead of runner-up North Andover (25.15) and Plymouth North (25.55).
The foursome was enormously satisfield with the win and admitted there were plenty of butterflies at the start.
“We knew what the record was and our goal was to break it,” Parker said. “Last year we were only off by two-tenths. Every one of us was nervous about our starts, but we all got out well.”
The 4x50 mark was the first of five meet records to fall.
Woburn delivered wins in the 4x50 hurdles (21.56) and distance medley (12:44.45), along with a pair of second-place finishes, to capture the girls title with 49 points. North Andover finished second with 40 and Wellesley garnered third with 38.
The Natick girls struck again as Div. 1 All-State cross country champion Grace Connolly, running the second leg, set a personal best in the 800 (2:15.3) to give the Red Hawks a huge lead on the way to a meet record of 9:27.08. That time eclipsed Winchester’s 9:27.3 mark set in 1982.
For Connolly, she’s embracing racing at the shorter distances this winter and excited about the prospects of even faster times.
“This season I’m really going to focus on the 1,000 and mile,” said Connolly. “I was supposed to run the 1,000 twice last year but was sick both times. I’m kind of easing into the season after taking two weeks off after cross country.”
Central Catholic captured first and third in the shot put, leading to the boys’ title with 44.5 points. The Raiders also picked up second place in the 4x50 and 4x50 hurdles.
The Fitchburg boys continued to dominate the 4x200 at the Reggie, finishing with their third win of the season and second meet record.
After shattering the previous mark at the Winter Festival, the foursome of Landon Tucker, Kobe Sadler, Elizia Ashmore and Angel Figueroa clocked a blazing 1:30.50 to lower the previous mark set by Woburn (1:31.58) in 2013.
Figueroa clinched the record with a sterling 21.8 on the anchor leg.
“Angel is a very versatile athlete and he’s come a long way,” said Fitchburg coach Cindy Donelan. “Their goal as a team is to get down to 1:29.”
Powered by a 4:15 anchor leg in the mile by Ryan Oosting, Arlington broke the meet record in the distance medley with a 10:28.0, shattering the 10:38.34 set in 2010 by Mansfield.