RallyNorth.net

Sat, Jun 06, 2015 TBA @ Fitchburg

Team	Final
Lawrence	4
Haverhill	3
Central Catholic	2
Andover	1
at Fitchburg	0
Methuen	0
North Andover	0

Andover rolls to All-State title

FITCHBURG — The day began in somber fashion for Andover High track.

The team spent Saturday morning attending the funeral for Steve Rothmann, the father of Golden Warrior teammates Sarah and Emily Rothmann.

“It meant a lot to us to be there for the Rothmann family,” said senior Kevin Chen. “The Rothmanns are great athletes, and the whole family has done so much for us. We wanted to be there, even if it was the morning before the meet.”

After honoring the late Andover track superfan — including tee-shirts worn by the team that read “Run’s for Rothmann” — the Golden Warriors went to work.

Led by another pair of brilliant hurdles victories by Sebastian Silveira and Sean Caveney, Andover surged to the Massachusetts All-State boys track team title at Fitchburg State University.

The Golden Warriors took the crown with 62 points, easily out-distancing No. 2 Amherst-Pelham (40 points).

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Caveney. “To do this with these people I’m so close with was amazing. We had amazing individual and relay finishes. It was just an amazing day.”

It was another banner day for the record-setting hurdles duo.

Silveira won the 110 hurdles in 14.21, the second best time in Eagle-Tribune area history, easily surpassing Cody Kretchmer of Pinkerton’s 14.35 from 2002. Caveney was third yesterday (14.47).

“After winning the 55-meter title during indoor season I knew I wanted to take it this season and make it a pair,” said Silveira. “I got out-leaned at New Englands indoors, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

Caveney won the 400 hurdles in 55.01, with Silveira taking second (55.89).

“I could not have asked for a better way to begin the end of my high school career,” said Caveney. “I got off to a bad start when I went over the first hurdle with the wrong leg. But I was able to straighten it out and it was a great finish.”

Wileshka attacks record books

Methuen star Wileshka Samuel’s day was far from perfect, as a fall at the end of the 200 final led to her suffering nasty scrapes down her right leg.

But her times were stuff of legends.

Samuel’s blazing 24.97 in the 200 matched the area’s all-time record, set by Kristen Bourque of Londonderry two years ago. It also broke a 21-year-old school record previously owned by former Eagle-Tribune Athlete of the Year Dianne Mowatt.

Not content, Samuel ran a 12.33 in the 100 after her fall, giving her the fourth best time in area history.

She placed second in the 200 and third in the 100.

“I wanted to win but I am thrilled with my day,” she said. “Everything felt great other than that fall. I am so excited to do even better at New Englands.”

Duffy, Valenti take pole vault gold

North Andover’s Erick Duffy took no time to celebrate. Once he was finished competing, he was off to his parents’ car and headed home to work on a chemistry project.

But he left with a gold medal.

The Scarlet Knights senior won the pole vault with a 13-9.

“It really is just awesome,” said Duffy. “It means the world to me. Coming in I was confident, but I didn’t feel great at the (EMass.) Division 2 meet, so I was a little nervous. But I just gave it my all and it worked out.”

Not to be outdone on the girls side, North Reading’s Julia Valenti won the pole vault with an 11-9.

“You have to be able to attack the pole vault with a smile on your face because you have to enjoy the event,” she said. “On my winning jump my takeoff wasn’t great, but I made it over.”

Taking third in the vault for the girls was Andover’s Courtney Carver.

“The last two years I qualified for All-States then didn’t make the opening height,” said Carver. “That was frustrating. So to go out, earn a new personal best and to place third is just better than I hoped.”

Johnson grabs second

Central Catholic’s Erika Johnson entered All-States as the No. 6 seed in the discus. But walked off with the silver medal. She threw a season-best 119-5.

“I’m definitely very excited,” said the Sacred Heart-bound athlete. “I had a rough week last week so I wanted to make up for it today. Now I hope I can finally break my school record at New Englands.”

Chen, relay take photo finish

Even Kevin Chen wasn’t sure if he had taken the title in the 4x100 relay when he crossed the finish line. But he felt it.

“I didn’t think anyone passed me,” said Chen. “I knew everyone I was running against in the anchor leg. I did everything I could, and I wasn’t going to be out-leaned at the end. We wanted it.”

The team of Sean Roselle, Ray Gorzela and Silveira took gold in 42.77, officially clinching the team title for the Warriors.

“It was an amazing finish,” said Roselle. “Chen was amazing. It is my last time running with these guys, because I can’t go to New Englands. So this was a great way to end my career.”

Honoring Rothmann

The Golden Warriors received a special message after the meet from the Rothmann family. The family thanked the team not just for attending the meet, but also for lining up outside to meet the family as it exited the church.

“It was tough,” said Roselle. “But we wanted to honor the Rothmann family because they are part of our family.”

Boys Track and Field

Mass. All-State Championships

Top team scores plus locals (77 teams scored): 1. Andover 62, 2. Amherst-Pelham 40, 3. Natick 28, 3(t). St. Johns’s Prep 28, 5. Nipmuc 23; Also: 12. North Andover 16, 21(t). Haverhill 11, 29(t). Methuen 9, 31(t). Lawrence 8

Winners and area placers:

Pole vault: 1. Erick Duffey (NA) 13-9, 4. Joe Vetere (And) 13-3; Shot put: 1. Leo Ramirez (Fitchberg) 56-7.5; Discus: 1. Wyatt Boelens (Nashoba) 159-1; Javelin: 1. John Long (SJP) 182-5, 6. Jack Pettis (Hav) 169-6; Long jump: 1. Anthony DeNitto (Newton South) 22-5.25, 3. Julio Berroa (Law) 21-8.50; Triple jump: 1. Odmark Ozit (Somerville) 45-7; High jump: 1. Kevin Hack (Nipmuc) 6-6, 8. Ben Rodriguez (And) 6-2

110 hurdles: 1. Sebastian Silveira (And) 14.21, 3. Sean Caveney (And) 14.47, 8. Andrew Matteucci (And) 15.39; 100 meters: 1. Taj-Amir Torres (A-P) 10.69; Mile: 1. Andrew Ernst (Marblehead) 4:15.85; 4x100 relay: 1. Andover (Kevin Chen, Sean Roselle, Ray Gorzela, Silveira) 42.77; 400: 1. Rodney Agyare-May (Burncoat) 48.35; 400 hurdles: 1. Caveney (And) 55.01, 2. Silveira (And) 55.89; 800: 1. Peter Garmon (Billerica) 1:52.72, 3. George Papoulis (Hav) 1;55.60; 200: 1. Torres (A-P) 21.40, 5. Ray Gorzela (And) 22.42; 2-mile: 1. Dan Romano (Mansfield) 9:21.59; 4x400 relay: 1. Amherst-Pelham 3:20.04, 2. Andover (Hamza Naveed, Gorzela, Caveney, Jeremy Travaglini) 3:20.13, 5. Methuen 3:23.62; 4x800: Amherst-Pelham 7:47.73, 4. Methuen 8:00.22, 7. Haverhill 8:04.51; Pentathlon: 1. John Berdos (King Phillip) 3,100

Girls Track and Field

Mass. All-State Championship

Top team scores plus locals (87 teams scored): 1. Cambridge R&L 51, 2. Norton 24, 3. Needham 22, 4. Mansfield 21, 5. North Reading 20.5; Also: 16. Andover 14.5, 17. Methuen 14, 33. Central Catholic 8, 77(t). Haverhill 1

Winners and area placers:

Pole vault: 1. Julia Valenti (NR) 11-9, 3. Courtney Carver (And) 9-9, 5. Rachel Hill (NR) 9-9; Shot put: 1. Skylar Barthelmes (Dartmouth) 41-5.25; Discus: 1. Emily Mikoud (Plymouth South) 129-7, 2. Erika Johnson (CC) 119-5; Javelin: 1. Steph McFadres (Burlington) 127-9; Long jump: 1. Brianna Duncan (CR&L) 18-8.75; Triple jump: 1. Duncan (CR&L) 38-6, 7. Hannah Chapman (And) 35-8.5; High jump: 1. Katherine Miner (Frontier) 5-9

100 hurdles: 1. Isabelle DiMare (Notre Dame Academy) 14.90, 3. Julia Valenti (NR) 15.18, 8. Cole Godzinski (NR) 15.56; 100 meters: 1. Brianna Duncan (CR&L) 11.97, 3. Wileshka Samuel (Meth) 12.33; Mile: 1. Ariel Keklak (L-S) 4:53.82; 4x100 relay: 1. Wellesley 49.05, 4. Andover 49.46, 8. Haverhill 50.04; 400: 1, Sierra Irving (Hingham) 56.03; 400 hurdles: 1. Jessica Maki (Taunton) 1:02.53; 800: 1, Clare Martin (Newton South) 2:10.27; 200: 1. Brooke-Lynn Williams (Norton) 24.93, 2. Samuel (Meth) 24.97, 7. Michelle Gencorelli (And) 26.11; 2-mile: 1. Margie Cullen (Needham) 10:41.42; 4x400 relay: 1. Mansfield 3:57.33; 4x800: 1. Lincoln-Sudbury 9:19.64; Pentathlon: Abby Taussig (Acton-Boxboro) 2,755

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