Thursday, January 11, 2007 Older Editions

Indoor track: Shows of strength and agility

By Rick Harrison

The Andover High girls and boys varsity track teams split their dual meets with Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 rival Chelmsford - the girls winning big and the boys losing - while both local squads came up short against Central Catholic in action Tuesday afternoon at the Collins Field House.

Those results left the girls at 2-1 overall and the boys at 1-3 in MVC action, making it tough for the girls and practically impossible for the boys to win conference titles this winter.

Head coach Peter Comeau's locals also had some solid performances at the annual Auerbach Freshman/Sophomore Meet held at the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Roxbury.

Fox record

Highlighting the week was another school-record performance by senior middle-distance ace Rachel Fox, who jumped up to run the 1000 against Central and covered the distance in 2:45.0.

That performance eclipsed the old AHS girls record in the event by several seconds - and on this day won the race by more than 15 seconds.

Schedule

Andover will compete in the State Division 1 (Class A) Relays this weekend at the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Roxbury (9:30 a.m.).

The next dual meet is next Thursday against visiting Lowell at the Collins Field House (3:30 p.m.).

Central Catholic 52

Andover girls 34

The undefeated CCHS girls (4-0) placed first in six events, sweeping the two-mile and shot put, as they posted the convincing victory in this showdown battle that will probably end up being the meet that determines the MVC 1 championship.

The two Central sweeps accounted for 18 Raiders' points - the final margin of victory.

Earning first for AHS were speedster Christina Muccio in the 50 dash (6.2), Colleen Shannon in the 600 run (1:31.2), Fox with her record-shattering effort in the 1000 run (2:45.0), and Jess Forster in the high jump (5 feet).

Forster also placed second in the 50 hurdles (7.7), while other runners-up were Melissa Knapp (300 dash, 40.5), Laura Cody (600 run, 1:34.9) and miler Casey Harrison whose 5:43.2 clocking placed her just two seconds behind Central winner Steph Metayer (5:41.1).

Completing the AHS scoring with thirds were Vanessa Singleton (300 dash, 41.9) and Christina Conley (1000 run, 3:01.3).

Andover girls 53

Chelmsford 33

The Lady Warriors placed first in six of the 10 events, sweeping the 50 dash, 300 dash and high jump to account for more than half their points (27).

Individual winners were Christina Muccio in the 50 dash (6.3), Melissa Knapp the 300 dash (41.5), invincible Rachel Fox the 600 run (1:32.0), Colleen Shannon the 1000 run (2:57.7) and Jess Forster the high jump (5'0").

The locals also won the final 4x400 relay in 4:33.8.

Completing the sweeps were Bizzy DiTroia (6.7) and Laura Wareham (6.7) in the 50, Sarah York (42.0) and Vanessa Singleton (42.2) to 300, Carolyn Damphousse (4'8") and Jenn Barmetler (4'6") the high jump.

Other runners-up were hurdler Mallory Cayon (8.0), who trailed only Lions' victor Stephanie Muse (7.8), miler Casey Harrison (5:48.8) in a near photo-finish with Chelmsford's Mary Kate Hazel (5:48.7) and shot putter Holly Haured (27'6").

Also third were hurdler Caroline Hodge (8.2) and Laura Cody in the 600 run (1:40.8).

Central Catholic 49

Andover boys 37

The Golden Warriors managed only three first-place finishes in the 10 events, and a Central sweep in the 1000 run proved costly for the locals.

Capturing individual top spots for AHS were freshman flash Chris McConnell in the 50 dash (5.6), senior Capt. Pete Shaw with a 24-second triumph in the two-mile (10:19.1).

Andover won the 4x400 relay with Mike Murray, Shaw, Rob Martin and Santi Costello crossing in 3:51.6.

Costello was also second in the 50 dash (5.7) and Murray runner-up in the 600 run (1:20.7).

Other second-place finishers were hurdler Matt McMahon (7.3), speedster Sean McDermott (300 dash, 36.0), miler Frank Perrone (4:47.5) and high jumper Andrew Wheelwright (5'11").

Chalking up thirds for the locals were Norbert Guery (300 dash, 36.7), Martin (600 run, 1:22.1), two-miler Nick Shoemaker (10:44.5) and shot putter Sean Donlan (44'1 1/4").

Chelmsford 48

Andover boys 38

The Lions (2-1) keyed their triumph with seven first-place finishes good for 35 of their 48 points.

The winners for AHS were sprinter Chris McConnell in the 50 dash (5.6), high jumper Andrew Wheelwright (5'9") and the 4x400 relay (3:58.1) which raced to a 14-second victory.

Chalking up seconds for the Golden Warriors were hurdler Matt McMahon (7.4), Sean McDermott (300 dash, 36.1), Mike Murray (600 run, 1:20.4), miler Frank Perrone (4:52.2) and shot putter Sean Donlan (42'5").

The locals picked up eight of a possible nine third places - missing out only in the mile.

Picking up a point each were hurdler Randy Labrecque (7.5), Matt Vetere (50 dash, 6.1), Santi Costello (300 dash, 36.9), Rob Martin (600 run, 1:22.7), Peter Roman (1000 run, 2:38.4), two-miler Nick Shoemaker (10:52.5), high jumper John Bigelow (5'3") and shot putter J.B. Israel (41'1").

Shawn Brady sparked Chelmsford with a first in the 300 dash (35.3) and second in the high jump (5'5").

Auerbach Frosh/Soph

Championship Meet

Large School Division

Andover girls

Placing first for the AHS girls was the 4x400 meter relay foursome of freshman Natalie Sousa and sophomores Melissa Knapp, Laura Cody and Colleen Shannon (4:15.74).

Individually, Shannon was second in the 1000 meter run (3:06.76), Cody fifth in the 600 meters (1:45.87), Knapp eighth in the 300 meter dash (44.28) and Sousa competed in the 55 meters (8.34).

Freshman Vanessa Singleton also placed in the top 10 with a 10th in the 300 meters (44.52).

Shannon also competed in the long jump (12'8 1/2") and Singleton in the high jump (4'4").

Freshman Rosie Forster was 13th in the high jump (4'7") and she also ran the 55-meter hurdles (14.18).

Other Andover participants included soph hurdler Cleo Haye (10.86), soph Leah Cairns (55 meters, 8.42), soph Abby Pettoruto (600 meters, 1:58.81), soph Emily Delacosta in the 1000 meters (20th, 3:26.23), freshman miler C.J. Rayner (6:10.31) and Julia Kaspanon (6:30.70), frosh two-miler Molly VanDoren (23rd, 13:03.70), soph long jumper Cleo Hage (21st, 12'10 3/4") and soph shot putters Jenn Johnson (28th, 24'8 1/4") and Nupor Bhandari (31st, 24'5 1/2").

Andover boys

Consistent freshman Chris McConnell turned in the strongest individual finish with a second in the 55 meter dash (6.77). He was also second in his qualifying heat (6.78) and third in the semifinal (6.77).

McConnell joined sophomores Brandon Crawford, Rob Martin and Matt Vetere on the fourth-place 4x400 meter relay (3:49.22).

Martin added a seventh in the 600 meters (1:30.97), Vetere reached the semifinals in the 55 meters with a fastest time of 7.33 and Crawford competed in the 600.

Also finishing in the top 25 were soph shot putter Phil Gingere (15th, 35'2 1/2"), freshman two-miler Nick Schumacher (16th, 10:53.83), soph miler Tommy McCoughlin (18th, 5:02.57), frosh sprinter Kerick Stevens (22nd, 300 meters, 40.75), McConnell in the long jump (24th, 17'3") and frosh miler Andran Soeen (25th, 5:08.53).

Other participants were freshman hurdlers Jake Ponti (semifinalist, 9.30) and Pat Enxing (10.18), along with Mike Mullen (1000 meters, 36th, 3:08.41), frosh two-miler Andrew Wait (12:02.25) and soph shot putter Jordan Pisano (33rd, 30'9 1/4").

Ponti also competed in the high jump and Enxing was 37th in the long jump (15'11 1/2").