FOXBORO – With the preferable warm weather to compete in after a handful of chilly dual meets, Durfee’s Shakira Cadet had a performance at yesterday’s MSTCA Twilight Invitational that should make the state’s triple jumpers stand up and take notice.
The defending All-State champion and the school record-holder, Cadet leaped to a season-best of 37-feet, 9-1/2 inches, setting the stage for the final month of the season.
Cadet is getting amped up for the state meet and is excited to defend her title. “It’s exciting and nerve wracking,” said the UMass–bound senior. “I hadn’t been consistent with my speed, but if felt really good today.”
The warm conditions resulted in a slew of personal bests for many of the sprinters and field event athletes. Franklin’s terrific hurdler, Sarah Dumas raced to an impressive win in the 100 hurdles in 14.78 and Aiden Robert of Wareham won the 110 hurdles in 14.70.
It was a perfect storm for Kauan Benton to put up a pair of dominant performance. Racing against a stacked 200 field, the Bridgewater-Raynham junior switched gears coming off the final turn and held off Winston Lewis of Springfield Charter for the win in a new personal best of 22.11 seconds. Lewis was clocked at 22.16 and Donald Kuloba of West Springfield took third in 22.56. Two hours later, Benton blitzed a strong 100 field for a quick 10.87 win.
The heat and deep lineup helped lead to Benton’s new mark in the 200. “I came out of the blocks good but anyone can do that really,” said Benton. “But I was able to hold my form and was stronger at the end. I had great competition around me.”
Weymouth’s David Manfredi was the best distance runner on the day as he bolted to a strong 4:24.86 win, holding off Spencer Cook of Silver Lake who clocked 4:25.17.
Bishop Feehan’s Jon Mignacca captured a pair of wins, taking the high jump with a leap of 6-6 and reaching for a new personal best in the long jump at 21-10-1/2. “I felt good coming in,” said Mignacca. “I’m coming off a hamstring strain. My approach felt good in the high jump and my takeoff was strong in the long jump.”
Mark Etienvre of North Attleboro owned the discus circle with a toss of 152-4 and earned a second gold medal with a 54-4 effort in the shot put.
Franklin’s James Scott unleashed a personal-best throw of 154-4 in the javelin for the win and a new junior school record. “The warm weather was brutal at first, but it really warmed up my muscles and I felt better.”
Franklin’s Ella Chandaria had to come back because of a false start, but she had plenty left in tank to capture the 400 hurdles in 1:10.71. Braintree took second and third as Erin Kelley (1:11.61) and Grace Baldwin (1:11.90) picked up medals for the Wamps.
Chandaria, who owns a personal best of 1:08.88, was happy with her race overall. “I was a little annoyed by the false start,” she said. “I started to push along the back leg and it felt good.”
Springfield Charter should have a solid sprinter for a few years based on the dominant finish of Jala Witherspoon. Just an eighth-grader, Witherspoon hit the tape in 26.18 for the win. “I felt good,” she said. “I like to race against my own times and not anyone else.”
Ava Bullock of Barnstable left the pack behind in the 2-mile and only had the hot temperature to battle as she raced to an 11:46.96 win.
“It wasn’t anything but hot,” said Bullock, who was well ahead with an opening 5:44 mile. “It was hoping to PR and break my school record, but it wasn’t happening. It’s much easier to do the 2-mile when you have people around you.”
Xaverian’s Brady Armstrong sprinted home in the 2-mile in a new personal best of 10:00.77 and just missing dipping under 10-minutes for the first time. The top-four finishers were within 10 meters of each other on the gun lap, leading to a wild fight on the final straightaway.
“I was trying to break 10 but I’ll get on it next time,” said Armstrong, who has run 4:34 in the mile.
There were no surprises in the girls’ mile where Holliston sophomore Maggie Kuchman held off a challenge from Lilly DeDecko of Barnstable for a 5:16.97 win. DeDecko captured the silver medal in 5:19.89. “It was pretty hot,” said Kuchman. “In the spring the warm weather just hits you. I was trying to save something for the end.”
Bridgewater-Raynham has a talented freshman in the mile with Camden Strandberg. Tall and poised, Strandberg surged hard on the final straight away to take the freshman mile in 5:33.54, a personal best by seven seconds. “It was hot,” she said. “I didn’t know the were catching up to me until everyone started screaming.”
Swampscott’s Anastasia Hayes outdueled Brooke Serak of Bishop Feehan to win the discus with a 106-9 effort. Serak was a strong second at 104-0. Hayes stayed calm despite three opening throws in the mid 80s, but adjusted her technique and pulled out the winning toss with her second effort of the finals.
“I kind of got ahead of myself the first three throws,” said Hayes, who will attend Assumption College. “I slowed things down after that and focused on my technique.”
Xaverien’s Samuel Keith held off Coleman McCarthy of East Bridgewater on the last straightaway on the way to the gold medal and a two-second personal best in 4:49.20. McCarthy was a strong second in 4:49.71.
“Someone was close at the end but I pushed and stayed ahead,” said Keith, who clocked a personal best of 10:37 in the 2-mile in a dual meet on Wednesday.
The 800 winners both recorded personal bests in their races. Simone Harrison of Arlington kicked for home from 400 out to clock a 2:19.97 and Connor Reidy of Norwell led from the gun to take the win in 1:59.49.
In the 400, Franklin had yet another winner. This time it was freshman Maddie Bruno breaking the tape in a personal best of 59.49.
“At the second 200 I felt really good and I just wanted to stay ahead,” she said.
In the freshman 100, Stephon Reed of Franklin broke the meet record with his 11.47 gold medal effort.