By Kai-Lou Yue
Business Manager
When a newcomer attends a track meet for the first time, his or her initial impression can be one of confusion due to the many simultaneous events. However, underneath all of the chaos, emotions are running high as teams from different schools compete against each other; today, the WA track team tested themselves against teams from Wayland and Acton-Boxborough.
With the completion of this meet, the WA boys’ track team has become the undefeated league champion for first time in five years. They won by a landslide with a score of 100 to 45 against AB, as well as 122 to 19 against Wayland.
The girls’ track team won as well. They scored 108 points against Wayland’s 37, and won with a 75 to 70 against AB.
“The boys’ team has been really phenomenal. A lot of the newbies have surprised me a lot. The girls team has really bonded, especially the distance team. I’m really looking forward to future seasons. I love Coach D and Coach A,” said sophomore Julianne Clina who ran in the one and two mile races.
Among the many events that track and field has to offer, there were a few in which WA’s team stood out. Against AB, boys’ track swept the mile and the 800 meter event; same with Wayland in the 200 and 400 meter events. In track, sweeping an event means that students from the same school place in the top three.
“[I’m] proud of the way the team has conducted themselves, and their effort has shown today.”
— Archambault
Girls’ track swept throwing events such as javelin, but did not do as well in track events. Pole vaulting, however, was completely dominated by WA, with 9-0 scores for both boys and girls against AB, and Wayland as well for the boys.
“People tried different events, which was good […] We had a lot of people PRing,” said Bridget McCusker, the female distance captain of the track team.
There were many runners who hit personal records today, and among them were sophomores Alissa Cole, Hannah West, and Nehal Navali. In the 400 meter hurdles, Cole improved her old time by 1.2 seconds, and West’s time improved by about a second. Navali, who placed 4th in the mile event, improved his time by four seconds.
“It’s a good time, but I still think I can improve,” said Navali.
Another runner who ran a notable PR was freshman Greg Montemurro who ran in the mile event. At this meet, Montemurro decreased his time from 5 minute and 27 seconds to 5 minutes and 10 seconds, a 17 second decrease.
“This was the best season [for me] compared to [cross country] and indoor [track],” he said.
While this may not have been the best season for all the runners of the WA track team like it was for Montemurro, Phil Archambault, one of the coaches of the team, expressed feelings of pride for the team especially since the undefeated boys’ team beat Acton-Boxborough.
“[I’m] proud of the way the team has conducted themselves, and their effort has shown today by defeating the team that has won the state title for four out of the last seven years. [We] beat them in every phase […] distance, sprinting, throwing, and jumping,” said Archambault.
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