DCL dual meet 7 Jan. 2010 STORY

Check out new posted photo links in 7 Jan. post.

David Melly reports:

Both the NS boys and girls won their respective dual meets against Westford Academy yesterday. The meets were supposed to be closer than the final score indicated, showing the impressive effects of the entire team, in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, stepping up and running fast.

The meet got off to a good start with the boys’ mile, where senior Xhulio Uruci won the mile (4:35), outstepping Lincoln-Sudbury’s Clay Russell at the finish line. The girls also impressed, with standout freshman Emily Caggiano breaking 6:00 for the first time to win the mile.

In the 300 meter dash, the boys and girls had equally dominating performances, sweeping 1-2-3 on both sides. Junior Andrea Braver won for the girls (44.31), and captain Steve Murphy won for the boys (38.10). On the infield, Ezra Banks and Katie Sandson came in first and second in the 55 meter dash, continuing to show the League that they are a fearsome 1-2 punch. In the boys’ 55 meter hurdles, freshman Jung Park turned heads with his impressive win, running 8.46, two-hundredths of a second away from the state qualifying mark. Junior Danny Connolly placed third in 8.55. In the 55 meter dash, the boys again matched the girls’ performance, with breakout sophomore Ray Park winning and captain Ross McDonald taking second.

Things were looking good for NS going into the distance events. In the 600, the boys let a Westford runner slip by, but went 2-3-4 in impressive time, with senior Kyle Olson second in 1:30, and two sophomores, Andrew O’Hagan and Brooks Remy, posting big PRs to qualify for the league meet for the first time. On the girls side, senior Kyle Remy, recovering from sickness, took second place in 1:49. In the 1000 meter run, captain Melanie Fineman won for the girls in a dominating race. Junior Conor O’Brien posted a 5 second improvement on his personal best to qualify for the league meet for the first time, taking second in the boys race. The 2 mile posted some of the most impressive performances of the day, with junior Kathy O’Keefe winning for the girls in a state-leading 11:23. Kathy has raced four times this season, one in each distance event, and in each she has posted a time that is among the top 2 in the state of Massachusetts. She currently leads the state in the 1000 meter as well as the 2 mile. On the boys’ side, senior Camy Olia posted a personal best by 9 seconds, winning in 10:29.

Over in the field events, most of which I missed but I caught a little of high jump and shot put, the NS throwers and jumpers were performing beyond all expectations. Some highlights were the boys, with three long jumpers over 19 feet, who swept, and Ezra Banks, who won shot put and long jump for the girls. Also of note in the girls’ high jump was junior Avery Forrow, who has emerged as a force to reckon with in the high jump, jumping 4’8” her last two meets.

The meet was a great return from the winter vacation for the South runners, jumpers, and throwers. The impressive scores put up against a team as good as Westford Academy shows that Newton South will once again be a leading team in the DCL. Next up are the JV meet at Reggie Lewis on Monday, January 11th and the MSTCA relay meet on the 24th.