Season continues for medalists at Tourney of Champs
By JENNIFER GENTILE
BOSTON—It was another great performance the Melrose High girls’ indoor track team, who brought home medals at the Div. 3 State Finals last weekend at the Reggie Lewis Center. The Middlesex Freedom champs not only landed on the podium multiple times, but qualified athletes to this weekend’s exclusive All State “Meet of Champions” meet at Reggie Lewis Center, where they will compete among the best of all divisions in MA.
Notably, Melrose’s best performance came from their 4×200 relay team who earned silver in 2nd with fine running from Maizie Frakt, Reilly Powell, Nora McCormack and Cadence L’Heureux.
Overall, the medal earners were the following, with best times noted.
Reilly Powell, 6th in 1 mile (PR)
Emma Drago, 5th in 600m
Cadence L’Heureux, 7th in 600m
4×800 relay 2nd place (Maizie Frakt, Reilly Powell, Nora McCormack, & Cadence L’Heureux)
4×200 relay 7th place (Jill Frawley, Ella Walsh, Lauren Healey, Lara McLucas) (Season best time)
Ella Yorkey, 1000m 6th (PR)
Lara McLucas, 7th in 300m (PR)
Emme Boyer, shot put 5th
Melrose will now advance to All States their 4×800 relay team, Reilly Powell in the mile, Ella Yorkey in the 1000, Cadence L’Heureux in the Long Jump, Emma Drago in the 600, and Emme Boyer in shot.
“We are so proud,” says head coach Shannon Kane. “We have a very young team. Out of the 14 girls who went to states only 3 of them are seniors and 3 are juniors. But those upperclassmen have been amazing leaders and have helped tremendously both at meets and at practice. They help motivate them, let them know it’s okay to take risks, and are so supportive and proud of them no matter what happens in the races.
She offers kudos particularly to their silver medal winning 4×800 team of Frakt, Powell, McCormack and L’Heureux. They are a quartet who’ve risen in the ranks in the season. “All four girls have a job, and they all do it well,” says their coach.
Another athlete who has shined all season is senior Emme Boyer in the shot put. Not surprisingly she also medaled.
“Emme really had such an amazing season!” says coach Kane. “She has always been a great athlete but this season she really took the time to focus in on shot put. This year she learned to put her nerves aside, be in the moment, and just throw like we do in practice!”
Those who earned their best times last Saturday included Reilly Powell, Nora McCormack, and Maizie Frakt in the mile, Ella Yorkey in the 1000, Lara McLucas in the 300, freshman Amelia Kelley in the long jump and the team’s 4×200 team ran their best time of the season.
No matter how they do on Saturday, these athletes will be ready to continue their journey. Only a few won’t be joining Kane and Co. to a spring track season. Thus, the coach is grateful to the players she won’t see for another year, or in the case of seniors, again. One of those, Jill Frawley, stands apart from the rest.
“Most girls will be returning in the spring, sadly we will be losing Anna Burns, Lila Fouci, and Lauren Healy to lacrosse. We will also be losing Jill Frawley to lacrosse. Jill is an amazing captain, role model, athlete, and friend to all of the girls on the team. She makes them feel welcome and comfortable being themselves. On Friday she won her first State Medal as a part of the 4×200. We are sad she won’t be returning in the spring but so happy to have had her in track for 3 years.”
Overall, the winter wasn’t so bleak for Kane when coaching such hard working dedicated athletes. “This season has been one of my favorite by far. It was amazing to have both the boys and girls win the league, do so good at relays, and place so highly at the state level. We have 5 girls going to all states and one relay. That might be the most we’ve ever had. Everything we have done so far this season has lead us to be League Champs, place higher at States compared to last year, and helped us qualify for All States and Nationals. We’re not done yet!”