Post publication update:
Melrose Girls’ Track places 2nd at ML12 Championship (May 21)
Published May 23, 2025
Melrose track girls are State Relay Champions
By JENNIFER GENTILE
PEMBROKE—It was a historic day for the Melrose High girls’ outdoor track team, who became the first ever Div. 4 State Relay Champions of MHS after an incredible performance at the MSTCA Div. 4 State Relay Finals at Pembroke High on Saturday, May 17. This, just a week after clinching their Middlesex Freedom League title with an unbeaten season
Now, the newly crowned state champs have returned with a trophy to showcase in the halls of Melrose High.
Represented by assistant coaches Cal Finnochiaro and Robin Loewald, Melrose earned 84 points to top the closest competition, Newburyport and Pembroke. Spearheading Melrose to victory were key first place finishes in the 4×200 (1:47.97), 4×1600 (22:27.25), and distance medley relay (12:46.85).
“We are all so grateful for this win and so excited that our efforts are being rewarded,” said Melrose head coach Shannon Kane. “The relays are a very hard meet to win, your team has to have chemistry, everything has to almost perfect and you need to fight hard.”
Fight hard, they did. There were several medal winners who landed in the top three in their events, and the season is far from over, with State Finals on tap in the coming weeks.
Winning is nothing new for this well rounded squad, most of whom were key parts of the great Three-Peat championships of the MHS school season. That includes league titles in cross country, indoor track and now outdoor track. Like the Triple Crown, each victory is sweeter for these runners and field athletes.
“We have been rebuilding the team up in the past few years and we’ve come so close many times,” says coach Kane. “There were times when it just wasn’t our time yet, but it’s all come together now.”
Melrose saw first place finishes in the 4×200 on the legs of Sofia Papatsoris, Lara McLucas, Nia West and Ella Wash. Another gold medal win was in the 4×1600 with laps by Reilly Powell, Maizie Frakt, Nora McCormack and Naomi Breay. And rounding out the state champion running relays was the Distance Medley Relay team of Ella Yorkie, Emma Drago, Cadence L’Heureux and Reilly Powell.
Melrose’s field event teams also swept to first place, gold medal finishes in the javelin and disc. The javelin tossers were Aisling Donegan, Olivia DellaPorta and Simone Garland. The disc team of Donegan, DellaPorta and Emme Boyer also swept the field for state title rights. Boyer had a particularly strong day in the disc, earning silver with a second place finish of 36.29 and third place in shot put. Aisling Donegan was also an impressive third in the javelin.
“This year we worked so hard and our teams works so well together, and that was on display,” says coach Kane. “We are coaches couldn’t be more proud of them!”
Before Melrose battles for gold at the Div. 4 MIAA State Finals on June 1, they will compete in the Middlesex League Meet, where it’s expected they will crown league champions. Stay tuned.