By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield High girls’ indoor track and field team had its end-of-season awards banquet on Feb. 28 at Prince Pizza in Saugus.
That evening, Pioneers head coach Adam Dell’Aria gave out several awards.
He gave out two Rookie of the Year Awards to freshman Emma Greenleaf and Lauren Mattia. Greenleaf did the hurdles and relay while Mattia did the 600-meters and the 4×800 relay.
Senior captain, Olivia Goguen, received the Coaches Award. She is going to the Indiana University this fall.
She did the 300-meters, long jump and the 4×400 relay.
The Outstanding Track Athlete Award went to senior Viola Wertz. She ran the two mile and just missed out on making the Cape Ann League All-Star team by placing fourth.
Wertz, who is going to Tufts in September, also was named the LAA Scholar Athlete Award winner as she is ranked in the top 10 in her class.
Fellow senior, Emilie Bell, took home the Outstanding Field Athlete Award. The shot-putter was undefeated in that event this season and she came in seventh place overall in the league. Bell will be competing in the shot put at the University of New England.
“This was the first time we have ever had the banquet outside the school,” pointed out Dell’Aria. “It was a great night and the parents did a great job in setting it up.”
In the regular season, the Pioneers finished in third place in the Cape Ann League Baker Division going 2-2 overall, a big turnaround from going 0-4 last season. The Pioneers were in the Cape Ann League Kinney Division last year and were in the CAL Baker Division this year with the smaller league schools.
“That moved helped and we also made some improvements from last year,” pointed out Dell’Aria, who just finished his fourth year at the helm.
Lynnfield will lose four seniors to graduation: Bell, Goguen, Werrtz and Adriana Buccillli (high jump).
Bell and Goguen were co-captains. All four seniors will also be on the Pioneers outdoor team that started practice on Monday.
“The seniors were a great crew,” stated Dell’Aria. “They first two years they had to deal with Covid as we had our indoor season outside when they were freshman and they had to compete with masks their sophomore year. All four really love the sport.”
Lynnfield is expecting to have over 30 members come back next year as the roster had nearly 40 members this season.
“We are going to have a lot of seniors next season,” said Dell’Aria, who will help coach the Pioneer boys’ team this spring.
The captains for next year were also selected and they will be juniors, Caitlin Buoniconti, Gabby Buttaro, Clara Caulfield and Lily Rocco.