All winter, Xaverian has been represented in the track headlines, and for good reason. On Saturday, the program saw its latest hero emerge in the form of Mitchell Kisgen. After being given a shot to shine at the Reggie Lewis Center, he delivered.
The junior anchored his team in an epic rally Saturday, combining with Jordan Wilson, Charlie Comella and Henry Hasselbeck to win the 4×200-meter relay in a photo finish as the Hawks made a statement to the Northeast region with a meet-record time (1:28.90) at the New England indoor track and field championships.
“I was visualizing this all week,” said Kisgen. “I knew I might have to be in a position like that. Henry gave me the baton, and I knew that I had a shot. Right where I wanted to be. Just hanging around him for the first 150 meters. Coming off that curve, I had to slingshot but I was feeling good. Feeling really fast, just giving it my all.”
After Wilson and Comella got things started, Hasselbeck narrowed a gap between his quartet and the head runner. He then handed off to Kisgen, setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion.
Lunging for every inch he could get, the junior came to a crashing halt as he stumbled across the finish line a nose ahead of Windsor (Conn.) anchor Jordan Crain by .02 seconds. The race was protested upon completion, but officials were able to confirm Kisgen edged out the victory.
“We’ve been able to have some success against teams that we know, kids that we know, towns that we know,” Hasselbeck said. “Coming out here, we see a lot of new names, lot of new faces. But that’s just competition. That’s what it is. We all play different sports. Just being able to do it here though, in front of the people we know, and a lot of the people that don’t? They (didn’t) know us before, but luckily, they do now.”
Xaverian wasn’t the only school to make history. Junior Brooke Strauss was a double winner for Glastonbury (Conn.), as she placed first in the girls 1,000-meter run (2:54.52). She also anchored her school to a meet-record time in the 4×800, teaming up with Annika Paluska, Ava Gattinella and Lila Garbett for a first-place finish (9:00.29).
Later, Strauss was fondly able to look back at her latest career night at the Boston landmark.
“It’s definitely really cool, especially for me,” said Strauss. “I’ve been a part of the past two four-by-eights that we’ve won when we’ve been here at New Englands. I always love coming back here.”
Prior to Saturday, Khalil Antoine had always envisioned himself breaching the elusive seven-foot plateau. Based solely on a gut feeling of confidence, the Hillhouse (Conn.) athlete and Holy Cross commit opted to take a chance during the boys high jump. He succeeded in his endeavor, leaping over his target by a quarter of an inch (7-00.25) to send the crowd into a frenzy. The jump also proved to be a meet record, and the second-highest registered in the country so far this season.
“This is my first time this season coming this close to seven feet,” laughed Antoine. “(It) was really exciting. So for my last attempt, I’m out there giving it all I got. Got the energy from the clap and the crowd. I just tried to go for it.”
Following the chaotic events of the boys 4×200, Windsor (Conn.) was still able to set a meet record later in the night at the 300-meter dash behind senior Maxim Copeland (33.90 seconds), while his teammate Taeshawn Berry crossed second (34.40).
Among the many Bay State athletes that stood out, Brockton star Lucas Andrade set the fastest time recorded in the Commonwealth this season for the boys 55-meter hurdles (7.37 seconds). Weston’s Ben Tavares won the boys 600 (1:21.58), while Jason DeJesus of Andover placed first in the boys 55-meter dash (6.42 seconds).
Wachusett’s relay group of Nyah Santana, Naomi Witt, Anna Namiotka and Rahma Giwa won the girls 4×400 with an impressive time of 3:56.64.