Neither of Londonderry High School’s outdoor track and field squads was able to manage a top-three team finish – as was so often the case in years past – at the Division I championship meet at Merrimack High School last Friday, May 25.
But that certainly didn’t mean that no Lancer males or Lady Lancers stood out of the huge crowds of competitors there that day. Au contraire.
Coach Matt Smith’s Lancer guys had star weight events competitor Patrick Hagearty win two events, and Lady Lancers’ longtime mentor Sue Johnson saw her crew bag victories in one of the relays and the pole vault as well.
BOYS
The Pinkerton Academy Astros repeated as D-I champions by notching some 121 points to easily outdistance the runner-up contingent from Concord (94) as well as the other 15 competing teams. Londonderry placed near the middle of the pack, in ninth, with 22 points.
Lancers’ junior standout Hagearty proved unbeatable in the shot put with a performance of 49 feet, 8 3/4 inches and in the discus with an effort of 155 feet.
Londonderry also got a point from Jared Barton with his sixth place in the discus (125’9″) and from Will Heenan with his sixth in the 1,600-meter run (4 minutes, 30.92 seconds).
GIRLS
The Exeter High Lady Blackbirds ended the Bedford High girls’ long, five-year run of state titles by winning with a total of 109 points. Nashua South was a close second (103) with Pinkerton third (66) and Londonderry’s Lady Lancers a very respectable sixth (30) out of 17 competing squads.
The Lady Lancers received yet another stellar effort in the poll vault from junior Suzie Moore, whose performance of 10 feet made her a state champion.
Senior Jessica Brien was also a power for her LHS crew, helping her side to some 17 points on the day. Brien was a member of the Londonderry 4×100 relay squad along with Brittany Fernandez, Ashley Griffin, and Kaylie Longua which took a first place with its time of 49.77 seconds.
Brien also bagged six points with her third place in the 200-meter dash (26.51) and worked with her 4×400 relay teammates Jasmine Brown, Gillian Vilela, and Longua for a sixth place and one more point (4:13.81).
The locals also got a fifth place from Akolam Wambu in the discus (93’3″) and a sixth from Seana Kelly in the 100-meter hurdles (17.26).
Londonderry’s top competitors will next test their mettle against the very best track and field athletes in all of the Granite State at the Meet of Champions right back there at Merrimack High School this Saturday, June 2. Champs aim to continue to be champs.