Imagine you have a favorite TV series that you watched faithfully for a number of years and then took a hiatus, and returned. The characters change and the drama evolves. That’s the case for me and NS track and field. When I last tuned in, the team had won the outdoor DCL championships on both the boys and girls side. The boys swept all 3 relays (4x1, 4x4 and 4x8), and the girls won the All-State Championships.
I did catch some highlights in subsequent years, like the record breaking 4x8’s, which were about as dramatic as it gets. I remember clearly the New Englands where Melanie, Kathy, Juliet and Bridget smashed the old record – and Sasha’s anchor at the outdoor All-States. But the drama of the meet-to-meet efforts were missing.
Reggie is really something, and I’d forgotten what a three-ring circus it is during the indoor season. Jostling goes on in the relays, some runners look like they’re just jogging in the 2 mile, but get a round of applause anyway when they cross the finish line.
As for Newton South, Kathy O’Keefe and David Melly were freshmen for that high-tide season several years ago. Kathy’s worked incredibly hard over the years and had a smashing opener – rocketing through a mile all alone in 5:12. In a close battle with AB in the 4x4, she got the baton from behind and scorched a 60-flat to catch and pass the AB anchor. David was in the pack at the start of the mile and broke out with around 600m to go, and winning handily in 4:41.
The dual matchup for this meet was against AB, who are really hot this season, with a strong mix of athletes at all distances and in field events.
One of the big highlights of the meet was the performances turned in by Rebecca Robinson from Arlington – a junior – taking the 55m dash in 7.34, the 300 in 39.8 and the long jump in 16-8. Her race in the 300 was a real head-turner – “where’d that come from?”
We visited my son James in England over Thanksgiving break, and his sister Charlotte told him that Ray Park was aiming to take down his 100m dash record, expecting some kind of irritated reaction. James had the final word, saying that he hoped Ray would take it. It looks like Ray may have some competition. Freshman – yes, freshman Tyrone Kuffour slipped in the blocks at the start of 55m dash, but ran a 6.82. Considering that this was a time that James only hit toward the end of the indoor season as a junior, I am predicting some amazing things from Tyrone. He also split a 25 in the JV 4x2 at the end.
The incoming freshman class is a big bright side for the team, with a lot of athletes, ready to rock and roll. We saw some of the stronger efforts from a number of freshmen. What makes this even more impressive is that date of the meet – Dec. 9th –the earliest start of the season I’ve ever seen. With some workouts under their belts, we’ll see some great stuff. The hurdlers have barely had time to practice.
Speaking of practicing, the 600m guys should practice making the bus on time. When the gun went off there was no blue and orange on the line. They did make it for the 4x4 at the end, and ran a respectable 3:38 – with the first three legs splitting around 53. I’m sure I’ll learn their names, since the 400-600 was my specialty in college and I’m an obsessive relay let splitter.
Other highlights included a duel between A-B’s Savanna Craib and N-S’s Nicole Kestenberg in the high jump at 5’. Connor O’Brien is coming back from two sprained ankles He was up against the 3 amazing AB runners in the 1000 (Curt Owen, Carl Forgo and Brenden Lemier) hanging tough. I’m expecting a strong 4x8 out of AB this year. Junior Youssef El Korchi took 2nd in the 300 in 38.4, and 2nd in the high jump in 5-10.
I’m sure I missed a lot as I don’t recognize a lot of faces and names, but I’ll learn these as the season progresses. One tradition I’d forgotten, but was soon reacquainted with was the cheering during the 4x4’s. All of Newton South lines up in a phalanx at the end of the back straightaway. You feel the energy of a Janis Joplin concert as the yelling cranks up as the runner approaches the turn. Nothing like it.
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