Coach "Z" has taken on a new adventure ! The charsmatic, energetic, and successful Coach will be "Z-Capping" the past week in Track and Field in Massachusetts. This is just a glimpse into the road Milesplitmass will be taking in the future. We want to thank Coach "Z" and of coarse the behind the scene's "master of Video" in  Coach Rooney !

Performance List for last chance to qualify

Mike Miller recaps the Bay State League Meet !

  (via )

The final 200 meters of the 400 is not only Waltham’s Nathan PierreLouis’s strength, it’s also what separates the lanky 18-year-old from the deep talent in his event.   No better example of PierreLouis’s undeniable talent came with his recent performance in the Coaches Invitational at steamy Dilboy Stadium in Somerville. Racing against Catholic Memorial speedster Donovan Henry, PierreLouis stayed in control as Henry shot down the back straight to what looked to be an insurmountable lead. Once PierreLouis made his move, though, the race was all but over. Running tall and straight as an arrow, PierreLouis began to chew up the track with his long stride heading into the third turn. He drew even with Henry and pulled away over the final 100 meters to finish with a new personal best of 47.95.

Follow the Massachusetts Track and Field Alumni in our weekly Alumni report. Many of these Athletes move on and compete, and we at Milesplitmass want to make sure you have a weekly update on their performances.

The full set of photos from the MSTCA Mass State Coaches Invitational  is available in the MSTCA Invitational gallery.

Brockton’s Vanessa Clerveaux broke the MSTCA Coaches Invitational meet record in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles not once, but three times Saturday at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville.In the trials, Clerveaux finished in 14.54 seconds, breaking the meet record of 14.58 set by Hopkinton’s Tiana Riel in 2003. She then bested her time with a 14.42 in her semifinal heat, before posting a personal-best 14.08 in the final - the second-fastest time run by a Massachusetts girl, according to race officials.. (via )  

While most of the Massachusetts Track and Field Athletes competed at the MSTCA State Coaches Meet and the Andover Boosters Meet. A handful of the best made an appearance at the New Balance Twilight open meet at Bentley College. It looks as if Mansfield Senior Josh Lampron is making a very serious threat to break the 4:00 minute mile barrier. Lampron ran a 3:45.74 for 1500 Meters, which lands him as our National leader for that distance. His time converts to 4:03.73 for the mile run. Pembroke’s Wesley Gallagher also ran an impressive 1500 Meter race clocking at 3:55.62 (4:12.94)

Vanessa Clerveaux drew the line in the sand at Saturday’s Coaches Invitational and declared a full assault on the records that lie ahead this season. The Brockton standout made shambles of the 100-meter hurdle event on a hot day at Somerville’s Dilboy Stadium. Clerveaux lowered the meet record twice in her preliminary heats before blitzing a strong field in the final to the tune of 14.08 seconds. The meet record of 14.58 set by Hopkinton’s Tiana Riel in 2003 was long gone before Clerveaux set herself in the blocks for the final. “Like I said before in indoors, I’m trying to break any record I can,” said Clerveaux after clocking a 14.42 in the semifinals. “Every little second matters. My coaches and I have been working on my mechanics. I’m trying to incorporate them over every hurdle. I’m trying to into the 13s, if not today then some time this season.”

The 52nd Andover Collins-McIntyre Meet was a rousing success for the juggernaut known as Central Catholic. A favored team coming in on the boys side, it was the girls team that stepped up to help both teams claim victory, as well as the combined scoring, with a whopping 148 points, far ahead of Weymouth and Andover. Andover Coach Peter Comeau, somewhat of a local celebrity, put on a show for the fans, complete with a new Lynx HD Scoreboard, but Central Catholic was able to steal that show with several outstanding performances.

Milesplitmass would like to  introduce a new series called "Athlete of the week" sponsored by Marathon Sports. Marathon Sports and Milesplitmass will be working together over the next year to help expand our coverage of Track and Cross-Country for Massachusetts.

Newtonsportsphotography.com has done incredible work in capturing some of the magical moments of the Weston Twilight Meet, including the incredible Pole Vaut State record by Brendan Sullivan. Relive seven hours of  amazing track and field photography in this 4 minute youtube highlight show. This is photography at its best, and if you enjoyed it please send them a thank you message at the bottom of the blog.    

NEW BEDFORD — While Mark Thornhill's heart condition has kept him off the track for more than three decades, he's stayed close enough to it to continue to have an impact on it. For his contributions to the track and field programs at GNB Voc-Tech and his influence on the running community the past 27 years, Thornhill has earned a place in the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. He'll be inducted along with Brookline's Michael Glennon, Lowell's Phil Maia and Amherst Regional's Dr. Mulazimuddin Rasool during the MSTCA's Annual Awards Banquet May 20 at Lantana's Restaurant in Randolph. Old Rochester's Bill Tilden will also be honored by the MSTCA as the Eastern Mass. Boys Spring Track Coach of the Year for 2011.  (via Southcoasttoday.com )

Four teams arrived at Newton North's now famous $200 million complex on Tuesday undefeated and looking for a league title. Somehow, three of those teams left undefeated, and having won a league title. And for the first time in my coaching career, a local TV news crew from Fox 25 even covered the meet for their 6:00 and 10:00 broadcasts, perhaps a sign that track and field might soon move off of the periphery in this state.

The Performance List for the Boys and Girls State Coaches Meet are now posted.

ollow the Massachusetts Track and Field Alumni in our weekly Alumni report. Many of these Athletes move on and compete, and we at Milesplitmass want to make sure you have a weekly update on their performances.

When three different seniors break a meet record and run 9:17 or better for 2 miles, it's easy to understand why the eyes of the Massachusetts track universe might focus on Weston's fantastic Twilight Invitational, a fan and athlete favorite for over a decade on the first Saturday of every May. However, there are still two other meets that deserve as much attention as Weston's, MSTCA's Large and Small Freshman-Sophomore Meets, this year taking place at Newton South and Westwood High School, respectively. It might be surprising that some of the state's best marks were made, not in Weston, but at those two lesser known sites in the morning and early afternoon hours.      

  The pole vault became fun again for Westford Academy’s Brendan Sullivan at last night’s Weston Twilight Invitational.   The state record-holder had been pressing this spring with growing frustration at not hitting the marks he set for himself. Sullivan decided not to worry about his performance, but instead, revert back to the basics in his specialty.  Sullivan entered the competition at 14 feet and proceeded to dominate his competitors with a personal best by five inches and a meet record of 16-0 in the dark shadows beyond the final turn of the track that was five hours busy with competition.  The senior’s mark bettered his own 14-6 mark he shared with Andover’s Mark Vetere and Ross MacDonald of Newton South, while serving as a benchmark performance so far this spring.  “I was calm and just tried to have fun with it today,” said Sullivan. “I went back to the basics. I was thinking about it too much. I just wanted to enjoy it. I’ve had a lot of frustration. I tried not to over think things.”

 The Steeplechase is ready to make a splash at the High School level at Regis College on Saturday as part of the 15th annual Weston Twilight Invitational.  Is this really the first ever High School Steeplechase race in Massachusetts? Some of Massachusetts most knowledgable track and field historians believe it is !  We have had High School runners compete in Open Steeplechase races, as well as Junior Olympic competition. We believe the runners competing in Saturdays meet will make history, and possibly pave the way for more races in the future. Milesplitmass caught up with meet Director and long time Weston coach Joh Monz to find out how the steeplechase made its way into his Invitational.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of  Rich Hickey, Rick Kates, Charlie Butterfield, and Dave Wilbur, MileSplitMass will be posting live results from several outdoor meets.  Please note that the page will update with the current meet when the computers are connected on race day.

Newtonsportsphotography.com put together this beautiful recap of the Division 1 State  Relays in images. We are hoping to make this a familiar feature in the future. Please feel free to comment at the bottom of the recap. Our special thanks to Newtonsportphotography.com for their incredible work.

 For Somerset-Berkley’s Adam Couitt this spring, success in the high jump is all about picking his spots. Take for example the 6-foot sophomore’s own high jump layout on his home track. The surface is hardly conducive to quality jumps with a feel closer to that of concrete than the slick, synthetic rubber surfaces that are popping up at tracks all over the country. What’s more, the athletes aren’t allowed to wear spikes in the event, instead, limited to flats that simply don’t allow the jumpers to get anywhere near the traction they need on their approach.  

Coach "Z" is back in action as he tracks down up and coming superstar Matt Centrowitz.  The son of a two time Olympian, Centrowitz talks about his personal best high school times,  favorite high school Teammate, and he also gives some great advice to the local high school athletes. We also find out if he is a Baltimore Raven or New England Patriot Fan. Milesplitmass is looking forward to some great "Take 3 with Z's" in the month a May.

Follow the Massachusetts Track and Field Alumni in our weekly Alumni report. Many of these Athletes move on and compete, and we at Milesplitmass want to make sure you have a weekly update on their performances.

HANSON - Despite being disqualified in the sprint medley because of a handoff outside the arrows, the Mansfield boys’ track and field team rallied to capture its second consecutive MSTCA Division 2 Relays title Sunday at Whitman-Hanson High School. (via )

PEMBROKE — You can’t dub your town “Track Town U.S.A.” and not come up with a stellar win when you host a statewide meet. That was Pembroke coach Greg Zopatti’s feeling at yesterday’s Division 3 Coaches Relays. The Titans turned to their distance crew of Christian Stafford, Billy Stafford, Joe Vercollone and Wesley Gallagher to give Pembroke a show in middle-distance running in front of its home crowd. Gallagher ran the anchor leg of the 4 x 800 in 1 minute, 59.6 seconds to give the Titans a new meet record of 8:00.98. The time broke the long-standing 8:05.20 mark set by Canton in 1981. Less than an hour later, the same four runners were at it once again, this time surging away from the distance medley field for a 10:40.59 win, more than 15 seconds in front of runner-up Wakefield (10:56.09). (Bostonherald.com)    

In week # 5 , the teams prepared for the State Relays all week as we head towards the month of May.   The  Norwell girls cleared  a huge  hurdle in the South Shore League by defeating archrival East Bridgewater 93-33.

2012  MSTCA Relays Meets are taking center stage in various locations around the State. This is the "True" Team Championship event in Track and Field.  Milesplitmass will be covering all four locations all weekend long.

PEABODY - With his team up by the slimmest of margins on the last event of the day, Alex Mundo threw his javelin through the incoming wind, landing it 149 feet from its start point to give Weston second place in the event and first place in the MTSCA Division 4 Relays at Bishop Fenwick on Saturday. “I knew it was a really close meet and I thought that I had to put a lot into it,’’ said Mundo of his personal-best throw, “I tried to get past [the wind], tried to put my head in the game, and I just launched one.’’ Norton came on strong over the final field events and knew that its javelin relay team of Joe Colley, Joey Hallgren, and Kevin O’Leary was more than capable of winning its event, but Weston’s second place allowed the Wildcats to take the meet by just 4 points, 78-74.  (via Boston.com)

FRANKLIN — Given that the goal of Weymouth’s Khary Bailey-Smith this spring is to clear 7 feet, 4 inches in the high jump, his performance yesterday at Franklin High’s Pisini Field wasn’t overly impressive to him. Bailey-Smith’s jump, however, caused the collective track community at the Division 1 State Coaches Relays to gasp in awe on a day better suited for kite flying. The talented senior, who will be attending UMass on a football scholarship, bucked a stiff headwind to clear 6-11 for a new personal best. On a day when times and overall performances were affected by the chill and wind, Bailey-Smith’s leap was a beauty.  

Many New England Track teams made the trip to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia. Here are a few of the most recent updates.

To some, winning a Penn Relays Gold Watch is a goal just as, and even sometimes moreso important than winning a national championship.  Watches are awarded only to the overall American winners in Championship of America events at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, kicking off for the 118th time next Thursday at Franklin Field.  In some cases, most notably the sprints, it is harder to win a spot on the top of the medal stand than it is to win a national championship.  This fact is because of the international draw the relays bring to Philly; currently, there are 62 schools registered that are not from the United States, with Jamaica the most represented foreign country with 32 individual schools.  For some, winning a watch means beating the world. While the main events remain the short relays, specifically the 4x100m and 4x400m, the distance relays and open events are available on an invite basis.  And with the the high quality meet comes a high caliber field in each of the 4 invitational distance events.  We broke down the competition to help you see where the action may take place. (via )

To some, winning a Penn Relays Gold Watch is a goal just as, and even sometimes moreso important than winning a national championship.  Watches are awarded only to the overall American winners in Championship of America events at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, kicking off for the 118th time next Thursday at Franklin Field.  In some cases, most notably the sprints, it is harder to win a spot on the top of the medal stand than it is to win a national championship.  This fact is because of the international draw the relays bring to Philly; currently, there are 62 schools registered that are not from the United States, with Jamaica the most represented foreign country with 32 individual schools.  For some, winning a watch means beating the world. While the main events remain the short relays, specifically the 4x100m and 4x400m, the distance relays and open events are available on an invite basis.  And with the the high quality meet comes a high caliber field in each of the 4 invitational distance events.  We broke down the competition to help you see where the action may take place. (via )

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten. A massive number of former Massachusetts high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.

The talent has always been there for Peabody’s Catarina Rocha, but it’s probably her level-headed approach to cross country and track that has set her apart from the cluster of elite female runners in Massachusetts. For starters, don’t tell Rocha she’s the girl with the bulls eye on her back that the rest of the state is gunning for. As far as she’s concerned, there are too many good runners in Massachusetts for her to think that she’s the clear favorite. As for the pressure to perform well, it just isn’t there. Rocha trains hard and lets the chips fall where they may.

Drew Magaha (Upper Moreland) rocketed his way around the track and wound up with a US#1 and PA Record of 1:48.82 in the 800m run!    Cayla Hatton is back at it again, this time besting some solid collegians over 5000m with a US#7 All-Time clocking of 16:14.99! Ajee Wilson (NJ) won the Elite 800m run with a US#1 time of 2:05.28 against a field of collegians and pros.     (via usa.milesplit.com)

  The Boston Marathon took center stage this week.  Many of the towns along the Marathon course were fired up and ran some solid early season times.  The BAA showcased its annual High School Invitational Mile. This Mile is only opened to runners that live in towns along the Boston Marathon Course.  Framingham’s Ben Groleau and Newton’s Evie Heffernan took home top honors.  Another distance runner along the course, Brookline’s Chernet Sisay ran a solid 9:41 two mile.  The girls 800 has a new leader in Meghan Belerose, of Newton, at 2:17.0.

MileSplit, the nation's leading destination for high school track & field coverage, announced  that they have launched a channel for the Roku device. The Roku is a small three-inch set top box that connects to any modern television, allowing a wide range of video content to be streamed to the big screen via a wireless internet connection. (via MileSplit United States)

  DARTMOUTH — The best way to motivate Mikayla Dreher is to give her a challenge. The senior, who is one of the Dartmouth High School track captains, is a lot more than a runner and jumper for the Indians. Wednesday morning, she had first, second and third-place finishes, including two personal bests, as the Dartmouth girls (2-2) lost to unbeaten New Bedford (3-0), 78-58. The multi-talented athlete is headed to Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H., in the fall, where she hopes to double major in mass communication and English, and go into writing or film editing. She got her first taste of broadcasting this year on DTV at school. "We put on a show called, 'The Dartmouth Life,' and there were six episodes," Dreher said. "I was on the senior team and I was the anchor. That was an adrenalin rush. Behind the scenes stuff is really cool and I'm not used to being the center of attention."  

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten. A massive number of former Massachusetts high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.

Top National Outdoor Performances, April 9-14 MileSplit national features the top individual and relay team performances across the U.S. each week.  This week we highlight the top marks during April 9-14. To set quantitative standards for inclusion, we’re generally using the 50th best non-wind-aided performance nationally in each standard event in 2011, with more stringent standards (e.g., top 15 in javelin, top 25 in 4 X 200) for events contested less frequently.  The standards used are given in brackets.  If no one is listed under an event, according to our information no one has met the standard in that event during 4/9-14. For additions or corrections, please email the event, time/distance, name, grade, school, state, meet, and date to lknudson@milesplit.us; and we’ll add/revise them.  For in-depth listings of outdoor performances in each event so far in 2012, go to http://www.milesplit.com/rankings/2012/outdoor/hs .

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association voted earlier this year to recognize girls' wrestling as an MIAA sport starting in the 2012-13 winter season, and in 2000 the MIAA first sanctioned girls' hockey. Now there is another group of athletes seeking to have a sport officially recognized by the MIAA. Eight teams of high school athletes are competing this spring in the state's first unified track and field events organized in compliance with MIAA rules and formats. Lauren M. Gonzalez, Special Olympics school consultant for Project Unify, said, “This is groundbreaking.”

  The Boston Herald's Joe Reardon previews the 2012 Spring Track Season The 2012 state one-mile championship could very well come down to a battle between two runners who saw limited, but very impressive racing time during the fall and winter. Peabody’s Nick Christensen ripped off a sterling 4:12 mile before injuries brought his indoor season to an end. Conversely, Josh Lampron of Mansfield missed the entire cross country season, but returned in time to capture the state indoors title in the 1,000 meters. Lampron will be looking to defend his national title in the mile after bulling his way to a sterling 4:05.99 last spring. Christensen and Lampron should have plenty of company with the likes of Acton-Boxboro’s James Sullivan, Marshfield’s Joel Hubbard and Wesley Gallagher of Pembroke giving chase.

It wasn’t a surprise that the field allowed Framingham’s Ben Groleau to take the early lead in yesterday’s B.A.A. Scholastic Mile. It was a big surprise to Groleau that the deep, 16-runner lineup never challenged him.   The 2010 winner and four-time starter, Groleau went to the front immediately and increased his lead over Newton North’s Justin Keefe from five yards after one lap to 80 yards at the finish with a thoroughly dominating win in 4 minutes, 27.2 seconds.  In the girls race Newton North’s Evie Heffernan used a sit-and-kick approach in capturing the girls scholastic race. Heffernan let Melissa Lodge of Hopkinton take the pace for the first two laps and then put in a big surge onto Newbury St, and out kicked Hopkinton’s Shelby Aarden for the win in 5:23.1. Aarden finished in 5:24 and an exhausted Lodge threw herself across the line in 5:24.8.

    HAVERHILL — On a day in which every girls race ended in a meet record, Central Catholic's Alex Dehullu had to work a little bit harder to get his. For the first time in 35 years, the John Ottaviani Haverhill Invitational was a co-ed event yesterday and more than 900 athletes from 25 schools turned up for the show. Despite winning just two events, Andover easily outdistanced runner-up Central Catholic (111.5-100.5) to become the first ever girls' winner. Haverhill tied for fourth with 58.  

With the 116th Boston Marathon only a day away, the Boston Herald's Joe Reardon places the spotlight on Hopkinton's winning streak. Brian Hall’s philosophy on how to build a solid track team begins with the individual athlete. If the Hopkinton girls coach can train athletes to perform at their very best, wins, championships and accolades will inevitably follow.  (athletic... (via Boston Herald)

We are only three weeks into the spring season in Massachusetts, but that didn't stop some great performances in the Hockomock League.  Josh Lampron (4:24) and Chris Allen (4:25) locked horns in the mile with impressive dual meet times. King Phillip's Charles Ruffin breezed through a 49.3 in the 400 Meters. In the girls discus, Adrienne Thornton for O'Bryant H.S.  tossed a State leading 120-3" in the discus.

Newton Sports Photography has been an enormous part of our success the last few years.  We have all enjoyed their fantastic work and it has helped make our State one of the fastest growing sites in the Milesplit network.  Milesplitmass would love to lend a hand for a great cause, as Newtonsportsphotography.com is hosting an auction to help raise money for the National Organization of Rare Diseases. (via www.newtonsportsphotography.com)

Milesplitmass would like to acknowledge some of the areas best bloopers, blunders, and  "Track Attacks"  in our sport.  In this video former Bishop Feehan distance runner and rookie Steeplechaser Bobby McShane,  takes a "Dive" in the steeplechase.  If you have a Blooper, Blunder, or Track Attack caught on video, let Milesplitmass know !

The Lukas Verzbicas phenomenon is no one-off. It's sky is raining elite prep runners who are triathletes first and runners second. The latest is track speedster Daniel Vertiz, and we had a few words with him. (via Slowtwitch.com)

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten. A massive number of former Massachusetts high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.

Franklin Park's 99 Year Old Cross-Country course will be seeing some renovations starting this summer. There is no official word from the City of Boston, but  this could force changes in the Massachusetts Cross-Country State schedule. More information to follow.....

The big problem the Gloucester boys and girls track squads have faced over the last few seasons has been participation. In fact low numbers have been such a problem that the school has allowed runners from Manchester Essex to join the squad this spring.  (via www.gloucestertimes.com)

In the second full week of the season, Carla Forbes has picked up right where she left off this winter.  She is our State leader in both the Triple Jump (41-1) and Long Jump (19-3 1/2).  The Hockomock, Bay State, South Shore, Catholic Central, and Dual Country League all have results posted.

Racetab is a FREE software developed by Milesplit Founder Jason Byrne. Jason was wise enough to let the coaches and timing companies lend a voice in tweaking his software. This has made the Racetab software one of the most user friendly programs you can possibly find. Its simple format allows just about any coach, parent, or student to run a Track Meet like a pro within minutes. It also packs all the punch for the power user that even professional timers will use it.

Carla Forbes looks down at her feet and her mind goes blank. The physics of the triple jump - the angles, leverage, speed, force - no longer concern her. As she stands on the runway, ready to take off, she knows it’s better to think of nothing and let her body take over. The Newton North junior is the best female high school triple jumper in the country, but she is not satisfied, continually striving to get better. (via Boston.com)

Some of the best Track and Field athletes in the State are covered by the Lowell Sun Newspaper. Read all about their accomplishments from this past winter season.

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten. A massive number of former Massachusetts high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.

In her debut 10K race on the track, Philips Academy senior Cayla Hatton rewrote the history books and moved her high school career to the next level.  Running the 6.2-mile distance in the Tufts Snowflake Invitational, Hatton made it a solo affair as she pushed to a New England record time of 33 minutes, 17.28 seconds. The time was great on several levels. Hatton broke Cathy Schiro’s 1984 New England standard of 33:26.53 and destroyed the Massachusetts best set by Peabody great Lesley Welch of 34:49.2 in 1981.  But maybe even more importantly, Hatton’s time qualified her for the Olympic Trials B cut in the event.  If the top 25 qualifying times in the country aren’t under the A cut time, there’s a possibility Hatton could be competing in the trials come June on the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field track.

The 2012 Spring season has started in March for several teams. The Bay State League opened up with several solid performances, but the news of the week belongs to Phillips Academy's Cayla Hatton.  

The Boston Globe has selected the annual Indoor Track & Field All Scholastics team.  Read about the accomplishments of both the athletes and coaches from this past winter season.   (via www.boston.com)

An invitation to the New Balance national track field meet is a lifetime achievement for a number of high school athletes. Pembroke High senior Kris Horn set his goals a bit higher. So after he returned from New York earlier this month as a two-time All-American for running a leg for the distance medley relay squad, which finished fifth, and placing fifth in the pentathlon, he was a bit disappointed. He wanted to win. (via Boston.com)

The Boston Globe has selected the annual Indoor Track & Field All Scholastics team.  Read about the accomplishments of both the athletes and coaches from this past winter season.                                                     (via www.boston.com)

  Perhaps the team’s greatest weapon is senior captain Karla Ganley, who was named last year’s league MVP.  Ganley did not compete during the indoor season due to injury. Griffith believes her return will have a tremendous impact on the team.  “Getting Karla back from her injury will certainly help solidify our sprinting and jumping groups,” Griffith said.  Ganley’s value is truly rooted in her versatility. Last year she posted the Raiders’ best times in the 200- and 400 meters, as well as the hurdles. She also led the team in high jump and triple jump and claimed first place at the MIAA All State Championships in the pole vault                                                                                       (via http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley)

Before Take 3-with-Z, there was Sandwich vs. Pembroke.  This epic battle of two cross country super powers extended far beyond the reaches of Franklin Park, and shots across the bow were traded virtually via sketch comedy.

This episode of The Fit Runner takes us to RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, Florida where we meet with physical therapist Laura Podschun to learn about stride mechanics, stretching and plyometrics drills. (via MileSplit United States)

BYFIELD — It's become an annual tradition at Triton for a new female track athlete to burst onto the scene with a breakout performance on a statewide level. This winter, sophomore Kerstin Darsney was the latest Triton athlete to find her way to the podium at a state championship meet. After placing third in the high jump at Division 3 Championships, she finished fifth in the same event at New England Championships with her top jump (5-5) of the season. Darsney's top-five finish at New Englands capped a season in which she made gradual improvements in her first indoor season ever. She also placed fourth at the All-State Meet in the same event.

(CNN) -- He has yet to compete at the Olympics, but the eyes of the world will be on Oscar Pistorius if he is selected for London 2012. Born with a congenital abnormality, he had both his legs amputated below the knee at 11 months of age, but that has not stopped him competing at the highest level. The South African runs on specially-adapted carbon-fiber artificial limbs, earning him the nickname "Blade Runner" and the tag of "fastest man with no legs." After winning a legal battle to let him race against able-bodied athletes, the 25-year-old has become one of the most recognizable and popular figures in the world of sport thanks to his inspiring performances on the track.

Two-sport sprint star Marvin Bracy and milers Cami Chapus and Edward Cheserek, a trio of the top high-school athletes in the country, will be out to make history at the adidas Grand Prix on June 9. (via MileSplit United States)

In this installment of “Take 3 with Z” the charismatic Pembroke Coach catches up with World Champion Jenny Simpson.   The former Florida high school standout and University of Colorado graduate was in Boston recently to compete in the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten. A massive number of former Massachusetts high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.  

The depth and versatility of the Silver Lake boys’ track and field team allowed the Lakers to not only finish with a strong 4-2 record this season, but also send seven members of the squad to the Division 2 state meet and two to the proceeding All-State event. (via http://www.wickedlocal.com/kingston)

Every athlete will be tested this season.  For some, it may be the last interval of a grueling session on the track.  For others, it may be a flurry of mid-race surges at the state championships.  Regardless of whether you are the best athlete on your team, or the worst, the internal struggle is all but guaranteed.

As she's become one of the most dominant track and field athletes in the SouthCoast, Old Rochester's Ally Saccone just continues to live in the moment of each race. For every milestone, every record, every win that occurred throughout the season, she still didn't think it would all add up to being The Standard-Times 2012 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. (via www.southcoasttoday.com)

The clock has started for all Massachusetts Track athletes looking to qualify for the State Track and Field Championships. The MIAA has released the 2012 State Qualifying Standards and athletes must meet these standards by Monday May 21, 2012. The ultimate goal for many runners, jumpers, and throwers are sitting on the chart below

Check out the archives of any serious running forum and you will find them filled with threads asking, “Whatever happened to (name of bust)?” Supposedly Mohamud, a two-time Foot Locker champ, hardly trained as prep. Yet, he was such an exceptional talent that people can hardly fathom that he did nothing as a runner in college.  (via Running Times)

They may have graduated, but they are certainly not forgotten.  A massive number of former New Hampshire high school athletes are competing collegiately, and the MileSplit network of sites tracks their progress as they succeed at the next level.

Athletic shoe giant New Balance released detailed plans Wednesday for a new world headquarters in Brighton that would include at least four buildings with offices, restaurants, a hotel, and a sports... (via Boston)

Dick Beardsley and Alberto Salazar battled the entire distance of the 1982 Boston Marathon, finishing within 2 seconds of each other in one of the most epic duels in our sports glorious history. (Photo by Francis Rizzo)

In this installment of Take 3 with Z, Dorr shares with us the tragic accident that ended her very promising distance running career.  Ever optimistic, she explains how she seized the opportunity to drop down in distance, and turned what many would consider a career ending medical prognosis into an illustrious career at Penn State.  Reduced to a whisper in the final question, Dorr reveals the most poignant advice we have received all season. 

This spring will be the dawning of a new era of outdoor track and field on Cape Ann.Over the last few seasons the Gloucester spring program has had trouble with numbers, while Manchester-Essex has been looking to jump start an outdoor program but does not have a track. Recently both schools have taken the first steps in solving those problems. (via www.gloucestertimes.com)

Camille Blackman placed eighth at New England meet in 2 mile; finished fifth in 2 mile at All-State meet despite being sick; took third in 2 mile at Division III state meet; won mile at PVIAC championship meet; easily went undefeated during PVIAC regular season. (via highschoolsports.masslive.com)

Dozens of running related apps are released each month.  Most cater to the weekend warrior trying to calculate their projected marathon pace, but a few are designed by track geeks, for track geeks.  These obscure programs address problems that are unique to those of us who feel compelled to get splits on ten athletes at once, or who bravely traverse cross country courses to get that mid-race team score.

Deanna Latham made her presence felt at her first Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championship meet. (via www.newburyportnews.com)

Although there was extensive coverage of the New Balance Indoor Nationals, nothing captures the drama of the moment better than a well timed photo.  Fortunately for the athletes of New England, we are lucky enough to have one of the best in our own backyard.

The winning performances of Chariho, Hillhouse, and Carla Forbes of Newton North only represent a fraction of the tremendous competitions that took place in New York last weekend.  When it was all said and done, the athletes of New England rose to the occasion and put together one of the most impressive displays of talent in recent memory.

The indoor season has come to an end and the rankings below will remain as listed until the good people at the Reggie Lewis Center open their doors to high school track again in December.  Congratulations to all of the Massachusetts athletes on their tremendous accomplishments this season.  It has been one to remember.