MERRIMACK, N.H. — Ever the soft-spoken type, Pinkerton’s Jadyn Ruimwijk does his best to avoid singing his own praise, no matter the accomplishment.
Luckily for him, always talkative teammate Nico Buccieri is more than happy to heap honors on — and embarrass — his training partner.
“Jadyn is the best runner in the state, hands down,” said Buccieri. “Easily the best. He’s just amazing. He’s dynamic.”
Ruimwijk proved his friend correct in a big way, winning the 100, 200 and running on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relays at the New Hampshire Division 1 Championship on Friday at Merrimack High School.
All four times were tops in the area this spring and all rank high all-time in our area.
Pinkerton dominated the field on the way to the boys team title. The Astros finished with 147 points, well ahead of No. 2 Nashua North (104) and nearly triple the points of No. 3 Bedford (50). The Astros girls were second as a team.
“Last year and again this winter we placed second as a team and it was very disappointing,” said Pinkerton boys coach Carol Quarles. “Everyone put in so much work to get everything out of their abilities and we are so super excited to take home the title.”
Ruimwijk started by winning the 100 in 11.02. The junior followed that by winning the 4x100 in a meet record 43.01.
“I came in fourth in the 100 last year and I was disappointed because I didn’t run well,” he said. “I came out kind of slow for the first 30 meters this year, then I started kicking in. It was big to get the win.”
Ruimwijk then added a run-away victory in the 200 in 22.05, which ranks him sixth all-time in the area. He finished off his day by running the third leg of the 4x400 that took gold in 3:23.92.
“Jadyn drives me crazy,” said Quarles with a laugh. “But he’s the real deal. When he puts some size on him, he’s going to come back and break some records. He has that kind of speed.”
Woodman making his name
At the start of the spring, many in the track scene still were unaware of Pinkerton junior Noah Woodman.
“I was running over 55 seconds in the 400 last year,” said Woodman, who tied Haverhill great Andy Alsup for fourth all-time in the area. “A lot of the announcers didn’t even know my name at the start of this season. So to come here and set a record feels pretty darn good.”
On Friday, everyone was talking about the speedster.
Woodman snapped a 19-year-old Division 1 meet record with a winning time of 48.74 in the 400, then ran the anchor led of the team’s winning 4x400 relay.
“It is just epic,” said Woodman. “I knew I needed to win for the team, and I really wanted to go sub-49 in the 400. I started a little slow, which is my trademark, then I just gave it everything I had.
“When I reached the 100 and no one had caught me I knew it was good, then I looked up and saw 45 seconds, and I knew I would get a new PR.”
It was a breakout day for Woodman, who had fans buzzing about his speed and bright red hair.
“Noah is a talent,” said Quarles. “He has come a long way this season. He has taken the sport seriously, worked so hard and he has a lot more in him.”
Three wins for Virga
As she entered the final turn of the 300 hurdles, Pinkerton’s Maria Virga could feel an opponent on her tail.
“I could feel her coming up behind me in the last 200 meters,” said Virga. “And I just thought, ‘No!’ I wanted it so much. I gave it a little extra oomph and I got it. My legs didn’t want to move at the end but I have it my all.”
Virga won the 300 hurdles (45.83, 12th all-time in area) and 100 hurdles (15.11, 9th all-time in area) and ran on the winning 4x400 relay (4:01.10, 11th all-time in area).
“Everything I have put into the sport is finally paying off,” she said, “I PRed (ran personal record) and got to help my team. I’m very excited and I would love to break 15 seconds next week.”
Virga ran the third leg of the 4x400, before handing off to anchor leg Amelia Graves to finish it off.
“I was amazing to win the relay,” said Graves. “We set a new PR and we wanted to win. We just had to run hard and keep passing people. By the I got the baton I just had to pick up my knees and finish the win off for my teammates.”
Jadyn Ruimwijk’s Day
Event Time Rank
100 11.02 tied 15th
200 22.05 6th
4x100 43.01 10th
4x400 3:23.92 14th
*Rank is all-time in area
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Girls Track and Field, 05/26/17 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
Salem's Katya Rojco won the long jump (16-0) and 300 hurdles (49.59) at the Kiwanis Freshman-Sophomore Meet. Pinkerton's Amelia Graves took the javelin (104-8) and was secondin the 400 (59.15) and Londonderry's Brittany Fernandez took the 200 (18.77).
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Girls Track and Field, 05/06/17 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
