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Sprint, Hurdle Events
The 600m race features defending champion Nikki Merrill of Portsmouth (RI), who owns the fastest time among her competitors with a PB of 1:33.57 from the Dr. Sander Invitational. Unlike previous meets that she has competed in the 600m, Merrill will be focusing solely on this event, which makes us think she will be looking to lower her best substantially on Saturday. The versatile junior is having an outstanding season, achieving bests for the mile (4:50.87 at the New Balance Grand Prix) and the 1,000m (2:49.43 at the Dr. Sander Invitational). That trend should continue this weekend. Who will be her biggest threats this weekend? You can't count out Tewksbury (MA) freshman Makayla Paige, who captured the Division 3 state crown and was a runner-up in her specialty at the recent All State Meet where she was timed in a PR of 1:33.93. Avery Leydon of Woburn (MA) has clocked 1:34 for 600m and is a 56-second 400m runner.
Recent MA state champion Chloe Alfieri of the Bromfield School is favored to take the 300m crown. She is the only runner that has gone sub-39 with her 38.95 clocking at the Division 5 State Championship. She won the All State Meet this past weekend with a time of 39.30. Hamden (CT) senior Aisha Gay, Medway (MA) junior Ava Vasile and defending titlist Alyssa Madden of Oakmont join a host of others that could sizzle this weekend. Gay brings a 39.56 best to Saturday's race. She recently won the 200m title at the Eastern State Championship where she was clocked in 24.56. Vasile was a runner-up at last year's New England's where she ran a PR of 39.84. Madden ran to a PR of 39.72 at the 2017 meet. This season she was a runner-up at the All State Meet where she clocked a season best of 40.07. 
Bay State rivals Anoush Krafian (8.28) of Belmont and Vasile (8.29) went 1-2 at the All State Meet and are the top two seeds in the 55m hurdles. Could we see a repeat of their battle this weekend? There's a possibility. Keep an eye on freshman Tess Stapleton of Fairfield Ludlowe. She could steal the show. Stapleton won her recent State Open with a PR of 8.35. There's also three-time RI champion Tereza Bolibruch, who ran to a near best of 8.42.
The 55m title appears up for grabs with a number of sprinters capable of breaking the tape at the end. Springfield Central's Kylie Hill (7.14) and Wachusett's Victoria Steffon (7.17), who captured the top two spots at the All State Meet, would have to be considered possible contenders. Connecticut's Dinedye Denis of Simsbury is unbeaten in the short dash with victories at the Rhode Island Classic, Yale Track Classic and the State Open were she was timed in a PR of 7.16. Alfieri (7.21), Scarborough (ME) junior Molly Murnane (7.23), Gay (7.26) and Madden (7.26) are other hurdlers that could challenge for those top podium placements.