Camren Allain had a dream season last winter and the Carver high jumper will be looking to better it this time around on the indoor circuit.
After finishing second to Arlington’s Rowan McConkey at the Meet of Champions, Allain had his best day of the year at the Adidas Nationals. The lanky talent sailed over 6 feet, 8 inches for the win against a rock-solid field. Allain won’t have to contend with McConkey this time around, but there should be a strong field to challenge him. Saint John’s Antonio Wiafe was third at the Meet of Champions and Lucas Andrade of Brockton will almost certainly move up from his sixth-place finish.
The infield should have plenty of drama in the 55 and 55-hurdles. Wellesley’s Christoper Brooks is the highest returnee in the dash after clinching the silver medal and Catholic Memorial’s Eric Perkins should also clinch a place in the final. The top-seven finishers at the Meet of Champions graduated, leaving Joseph Cook of Southeastern the lone returnee from the 55-hurdle final.
Taunton’s Dmitrius Shearrion is the clear favorite in the 300 after a fourth-place finish at the Meet of Champions and Xaverian’s Mitchell Kisgen and Andrew Bamberg should provide some stiff competition. In the 600, bronze medalist Ajay Raina of Acton-Boxboro is back along with Colby Rochford of Gloucester, JV Cunha of Revere and Bedford’s Carter Rauch.
The 1000 should be a stacked field with Wachusett’s Dylan Brenn, Jacob Bronstein of Cambridge, Dover-Sherborn’s Matt Rooney and Sean Kerin of Walpole all in the hunt for a victory at the Meet of Champions.
The mile is one of the deepest events led by Christopher Larnard of Boston College High and Westford Academy’s Jack Graffeo. Brendan Thomas of Oliver Ames and Natick’s Nicholas Bianchi should also battle for the title. The 2-mile has several strong returnees, but a winner other than two-time Div. 1 cross country champion Paul Bergeron of Westford Academy would be a monumental upset. The field is deep with Billerica’s Ryan Leslie, Adam Balewicz of Nashoba, Eli Merritt of Wellesley, Greater Lowell’s Devin Moreau, Jack Courtney of Lowell and Littleton’s Tim Rank.
The long jump was a deep event last winter, but the landscape has changed with the top-seven finishers at the Meet of Champions all graduated. That leaves Stoughton’s Alex Huynh as the top returnee. The action on the runway should be competitive with a lineup that could include the Saint John’s duo of Antonio Wiafe and Dylan Aliberti. Central Catholic’s Suuna Kalemera and Mansfield’s Chamberlain Guthrie could also be in the medal hunt.
With the graduation of the great Jacob Cookinham of Bishop Stang, Allen Jiang of Lexington and Parker Charter’s Theo Puterbaugh the competition in the shot put cage will be tight. Peabody’s Alex Jackson and Aiden Donovan of Amesbury are the two best returnees on paper.