O’Leary’s showing truly grand

DIVISION 3 STATE TRACK

Tewksbury’s Rachel Sessa looked to have her 1,000 meters race well in control at the gun lap, with a 5-yard lead over Milton’s Elise O’Leary. But the Redmen speedster had no idea O’Leary had yet to show her final and most explosive hand at yesterday’s Division 3 State championships at the Reggie Lewis Center.

O’Leary, who captured the 600 last winter, surged past Sessa on the backstretch and instantly had a 5-meter lead. O’Leary showed she had plenty left as she held off the mile winner down the final straightaway in a meet-record 2 minutes, 55.39 seconds. Sessa was also under the previous mark of 2:56.90 set in 2014 by Dracut’s Karina Shepard with her 2:55.52.

“I always feel like I have something left at the end,” O’Leary said. “I wanted to use as less energy as possible by passing her on the straightaway because I knew she’d come back on me. I wanted her to know I had the kick I needed.”

Sessa won the mile 30 minutes earlier, as she waited to unleash a 33.5 final 200 for a 5:05.97.

The incomparable Smith Charles of Milton was at his absolute best, as he pulled off the rare 55-dash/high jump/long jump triple. He demolished the field in the dash with a 6.52, then captured the long jump with a meet-record leap of 23 feet, 41⁄2 inches. Charles capped off his gold medal day by clearing 6-4 in the high jump.

“It’s been the goal since sophomore year,” Charles said about his state triple. “It’s really emotional because I worked really hard for it.”

The long jump was his best showing of the day. “I got the jump and it felt really good, but then I went over and concentrated on the high jump,” Charles said.

Pint-sized Tewksbury freshman Makayla Paige looks like the next middle distance star in Massachusetts, as she tore through the final lap in 31.5 for a 1:33.93 victory in the 600. That time moved Paige to 12th fastest ever in the state.

“I was just hoping to have a good race but my coaches said to go for the win,” Paige said.

Milton’s girls pulled out the team triumph (60 points), edging secondplace equals Tewksbury and Sharon (59 points apiece). On the boys side, North Attleboro’s 71 points beat out second-place Pembroke by three.

Winchester’s Augusta Burhans set a personal best in her preliminary heat and then broke it in the final as she overcame a rough start to capture the 55-dash in 7.29. Sharon’s Angela Wallace clocked a 7.38 for second.

“Hopefully at All-States I can get a better start at the gun,” Burhans said. “I was behind early (in the preliminaries) and saw everyone in front of me.”

North Attleboro’s Jonathan Shultz didn’t get the start he wanted in the preliminary round of the 55 hurdles, but was confident his race was good enough to qualify for the final. After placing sixth last year, Shultz tore away from the field, lost his balance slightly over the final hurdle but still pulled out the win in 7.79.

“I came off the fifth hurdle and I was a little off-balance,” Shultz said. “It’s so quick that you don’t even think.”