BYFIELD — The NRHS boys’ and girls track and field teams competed side by side at the annual Henry Sheldon Invitational hosted by Triton over the weekend. At this co-ed meet, boys and girls’ scores are combined to determine the team champion and best Cape Ann League team. This was only the second year the Hornets competed at the meet and both times they have come back victorious.
With a series of strong finishes, North Reading excelled in both individual races and team relays, claiming multiple podium spots and setting new records. The Hornets scored 248.5 points, well ahead of 2nd place Newburyport (207 points) and 3rd place Pentucket (135 points).
Kieran Miller was the star of the boys’ meet, dominating the 100-meter final with a personal best time of 10.78, taking 1st place. Miller continued his winning streak in the long jump, where he leapt an impressive 22-01.50, also securing 1st place. Teammate Max Gulino followed closely behind, securing 2nd place in the 100 meters with a personal best of 11.05. Miller and Gulino were joined by Seth Evans and Benjamin Wells in the 4×200 Meter Relay where they claimed a victory with a time of 1:35.11. Miller was named Athlete of the Meet for his performances.
In the 200 meters, Seth Evans clocked a 23.14, setting a new personal record to finish in 3rd place, while Benjamin Cook also had a strong showing in the 200 meters with a time of 25.41.
The middle-distance runners also made their mark, with Bernardo Pancini finishing 5th in the 800 meters in a time of 2:12.03.
In the mile, Nalo Benedict was one of the top performers for North Reading, finishing 5th with a time of 5:03.96.
The 110-meter hurdles saw Daniil Baranetski clinch 2nd place with a 15.61, setting a new personal best, while his teammate Kaio Pancini finished in 3rd at 16.11. In the 400-meter hurdles, Connor Gattuso came in 7th place with a 1:13.48, also a personal record. The 4×110 shuttle hurdles relay team—Daniil Baranetski, Torin Nickerson, Allen Helfrich, and Kaio Pancini—also captured first place with a time of 1:08.19.
Otto Indelicato was an exceptional presence in the field, taking first place in the shot put with a throw of 45-07.00 and third place in the discus throw with a throw of 128-02. Leonardo Romanski also delivered a powerful performance, winning the discus event with a throw of 145-06.
In the pole vault, Kaio Pancini cleared 9-00 to take 4th, and Michael Mahoney showcased his skills in the high jump, finishing in 6th place with a height of 5-06.
Sophia Gallivan made her mark in the 100 meters, finishing 3rd with a personal best of 13.39, while teammate Kate Denehy followed closely in 4th with a time of 13.43. In the 200 meters, Julia Scammon finished in 11th place with a time of 29.70,
In the 800 meters, Paige Vant finished 3rd with a solid time of 2:33.84, and Quinlan Kelly wasn’t far behind, finishing 4th with a time of 2:34.28. The mile saw Adelyn Kelly finishing in 8th place with a time of 6:00.50, a personal best, and Riley MacDonald in 9th place with a time of 6:01.99.
Sydney Scholz had a standout performance in the shot put, throwing 32-08.00 to claim 1st place. In the javelin, Scholz also captured 2nd place with a throw of 90-05, while Gallivan finished third at 83-07. Scholz was named the Field Event Athlete of the Meet for her performances.
In the high jump, Callie MacLellan secured first place with a height of 4-09. In the pole vault, Hayden MacLellan soared to second place, clearing 10-00. The 4×800 relay team, consisting of Quinlan Kelly, Callie MacLellan, Paige Vant and Giuliana Ligor, finished 1st with a time of 9:43.56. This performance set a new meet record and school record, breaking the previous best of 9:44.3 set back in 2004. The 4×100 shuttle hurdles relay team of Ligor, Callie MacLellan, Hayden MacLellan and Katie Zimmerman claimed victory with a time of 1:02.75, showcasing excellent teamwork and skill. Their time qualifies them for the National Championships which will be contested on June 22 in Philadelphia and is only .3 seconds off of the school record.
In the mixed 4×400 relay, a combined team of Brendan Trentsch, Abigail Meier, Torin Nickerson, and Shea Farmer finished in 5th place with a time of 4:12.63.
The Hornets will compete this upcoming Sunday as they host the MSTCA Division 5 State Relay Championship from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. There will be over 40 teams in attendance competing for the team title and over 1500 athletes and spectators on sight.