Collins, Wiafe prove tops on the track
Plenty of locals shine at Meet of Champions
BOSTON — Antonio Wiafe didn’t have any expectations heading into Saturday’s MIAA Meet of Champions.
All the St. John’s senior really wanted to do was compete against himself at the Reggie Lewis Center.
“Honestly, I just came into the meet with an empty head,” Wiafe said. “Flowy vibes. I just wanted to do my best, whatever I could and just compete. Whatever happens, happens.”
Well, what ended up happening was Wiafe proved to be the best in the state in the boys’ long jump.
The cool, calm and collected 18-yearold from Shrewsbury jumped a seasonbest 22 feet, 73⁄4 inches to take home a first-place medal from the MIAA Meet of Champions.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Wiafe said. “So it just feels good.”
“His mindset, his focus, his day-today preparation is unparalleled for high school athletes I’ve worked with,” St. John’s first-year coach Gary Senecal said. “He’s the same kid every day at practice, and so when he comes out here, the competition is no different for him. It’s a testament to him.”
Following a victory in the long jump in the Division 1 meet, the 6-foot-2, 190pound Wiafe was seeded fourth in the event for the Meet of Champions before quickly springing himself past the competition Saturday.
By the time it was his final jump, Wiafe already had wrapped up the win. So the carefree St. John’s senior — and University of Connecticut commit — sent it full throttle for his last hurrah.
“I already knew I won, so at that point I was like ‘All right, let’s just see how far I can go,’” Wiafe said. “It was a free jump, just do whatever you want.”
“He didn’t pull back,” Senecal said. “He’s just an incredible athlete. If it was legal to put him in seven events, we’d put him in seven events.”
Nashoba’s Collins continues family legacy on the track
Wiafe wasn’t the only track and field athlete from Central Mass. to stand atop the podium in Boston Saturday.
Nashoba senior Caroline Collins won the 2 mile in dramatic fashion to claim her first Meet of Champions top prize.
After finding herself boxed in at sixth place with two laps to go, the 18-year-old from Stow quickly found one last gear to race past the competition and across the finish line in 10:59.41, nearly three seconds ahead of second-place finisher Megan Moran of Westfield.
“I definitely stayed close enough where obviously my kick was able to bring me back,” Collins said. “I definitely believe in my kick a lot; it takes a lot, but I think I was able to pull it together.”
Last winter, Collins missed the indoor track and field season due to a stress fracture in her left tibia.
But fresh off her fourth consecutive T&G Hometeam Super Team selection for girls’ cross country, Collins came into Saturday’s meet feeling good and with a chip on her shoulder.
She now leaves Boston with a championship medal in her hands.
“It means a lot,” Collins said. “It’s been a goal of mine since I was a freshman.”
The victory in the 2 mile wraps up an exciting past eight days for the Collins family. Caroline’s older brother, Freddy, broke 4 minutes (3:59.59) in the mile with the Boston University men’s track and field team on Feb. 16.
Now, little sis — who is committed to also run track at BU — brings a MIAA State of Champions medal back to Stow. The family legacy continues on the track.
“Running has brought us so much closer,” Collins said, “and our sibling bond is truly great.”
Algonquin track takes several trips to the podium
After pulling his right hamstring two days prior to the Division 2 meet, Algonquin junior Miles Lipka wasn’t sure he’d be able to compete in the Meet of Champions.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen four days ago,” Lipka said.
Luckily for the 17-year-old from Northborough, Lipka gave it a go in the high jump and tied for third place after clearing 6 feet, 4 inches.
Not bad for someone with a pulled hammy. Maybe having the first name of Miles served as a good omen.
“I’m not a distance runner, but I actually used to do it in middle school — just not anymore,” Lipka said. “It’s kind of a good name for track.”
Lipka, however, wasn’t the only Algonquin track and field athlete to reach the podium Saturday.
Arianna Gentile, Olivia LaBelle, Audrey Helwig and Mackenzie Clark captured second place (1:46.00) for the Titans in the 4x200-meter medley relay. The race came down to a photo finish with Mansfield and Marblehead.
“Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Mansfield right next to me,” said Clark, an Algonquin senior and the anchor leg. “Then out of the corner of my eye I see Marblehead, and they’re jumping (toward the finish line) and I was like ‘Oh my God,’ and then she comes up to me after, and she’s like ‘I’m so sorry,’ and I was just like ‘I’m glad you’re OK.’
“It was exciting.” Algonquin senior Stephen White emerged with two medals Saturday.
White finished runner-up in the mile (4:19.54) before helping his 4x800 relay team of Matthew Zhang, Jonah Gould, Chris Kardos and White leave the Reggie Lewis Center with a second-place medal.
Not bad for someone who ran a 5:50 mile just two years ago.
“I just gradually improved,” White said. “This indoor season, I’ve had a lot of breakthroughs.
“This is just a journey.”
That journey will continue for many of Saturday’s participants in two weeks when New Balance Nationals returns to the Track at New Balance in Boston.
Wachusett 1,600 team takes title
Wachusett’s 1,600 relay team of Nyah Santana, Naomi Witt, Anna Namiotka and Rahma Giwa also captured a state title, as the foursome finished in 3:59.49.
Santana also placed fourth in the 300 with a time of 40.18 and Giwa was close behind, finishing in sixth (40.49).
Witt also took 17th in the mile (5:20.69) for the Mountaineers.