BOSTON — On Tuesday, Feb. 8 the North Reading High School girls’ indoor track and field team travelled to the Reggie Lewis Center to compete in the Cape Ann League Open Championship along with all 10 teams in the Cape Ann League. At the meet, 13 events were contested with a gold, silver and bronze medalists crowned. Points were scored for the top six places 10-8-6-4-2-1.
The Hornets were not at their best with multiple athletes out due to illness or injury but they still showed up to compete and had a good showing finishing in 2nd place with 79 points, only 12 points behind the meet champion Pentucket (91 points). Newburyport was in a close third with 71 points, followed by Triton (46), Ipswich (36), Lynnfield (23), Amesbury (21), Manchester Essex (19), Essex Technical (8) and Hamilton-Wenham (8).
End of season awards were also granted with the Hornets taking home the league championship plaque going 4-0 during the regular season, the Sportsmanship plaque and the coach of the year plaque going to head coach Sotirios Pintzopoulos. All in all, it was a banner year for the indoor girls’ track and field team.
The Hornets had three individual league champions in the 55 meter dash, 600 meter run and 2 mile run. Leading the team was junior Ava McIntyre who took home the gold medal in the 55 meter dash with a personal best time of 7.47 seconds, which ranks her second fastest all time in school history. She came back later in the evening and won the silver in the long jump with a jump of 17’ .5”, which ranks her 4th all time in school history and minutes later led off the 4×200 meter relay which also won the silver medal in 1:51.51. She was joined in that relay by Isabelle Lazure, Madelyn Arian Aitchison and Madison Vant.
Giuliana Ligor was also crowned League Champion with her amazing finish in the 600 meter run moving her way up from 4th to 1st in the last lap of the race finishing with a 7-second personal best in 1:40.47, which ranks her 4th all time in school history.
Annalise Butler took home the gold in the two mile with a 12:05.24 performance, which ranks her 5th all time in school history.
Other medalists included Emma Mini, who took second in the shot put going 31’ 9” and Madison Vant who took third in the long jump with a leap of 16’ .5.”
Additional scorers in the meet included the following: Kayla Budny (6th = 55 meters), Kayla Hannan (5th = 55 Meter Hurdles), Annnie MacLellan (4th= 1000 Meters) and Brooke Harrington (6th = High Jump).
Leading into the final three events (the relays) Pentucket had 73 points with North Reading at 63. With 10 points up for grabs in each of the three relays, the Hornets still had a chance. However, Pentucket sealed the deal taking first in the 4×200 and second in the 4×800 bringing their point total up to 91 points and out of reach from the Hornets who brought their point total up to 79 taking 2nd in the 4×200 meter relay, 4th in the 4×800 (Analise Butler, Annie MacLellan, Callie MacLellan, Karleigh Budny), and 4th in the 4×400 (Maggie Fortin, Belle Lazure, Maddy Arian Aitchison, Giuliana Ligor).
The Hornets took 7th overall at the Div. 4 State Championship Meet held on Feb. 17. A full story will appear in next week’s sports section.