ROXBURY — It was an historic day for the Lowell High boys’ indoor track team as the Red Raiders set three school records, placed first in two events and won the title at yesterday’s annual Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Division 1 relays at the Reggie Lewis Center.
Lowell, which had finished second several times including 2010, entered the final 4×400 meter relay tied for first in the team standings with Newton North.
“We finished fourth in that last race and Newton didn’t have an entry — so we ended up beating them 38-34,” said LHS head coach Phil Maia, “We went there today thinking we had a chance to win the meet. It’s very satisfying and is a testament to all the hard work our kids have put in throughout the season. This is truly a team victory with three or four athletes in each event.”
There were an estimated 30 teams competing in Division 1.
Lowell boys
Senior Gilberto Brown had another great meet for the champs as he participated in all three school-record performances and was named the Outstanding Performer.
LHS won the 4×800 meter relay in 8:06.30 thanks to senior Nathan McCarthy with a 2-minute leg, senior Alex Andujar 2:04, junior Mike Kalenoski 2:02 and junior anchor Pat Coppinger who ran slightly over 1:58.
The other 10-point event triumph came from high jump trio of Brown, who tied his recently-established school record by again clearing 6-feet, 7-inches, McCarthy at 5-9 and sophomore Mike Holder 5-9. Their combined school-record height measured 18-ft., 1-3/4-in.
The distance medley foursome was second in 10:43.31 with McCarthy running the 1,200 meters in 3:16, junior Ryan Fitzgerald the 400 in 51.7, Kalenoski the 800 in 2:05.4 and Andujar a swift 1,600 in 4:29.1. Lowell placed runner-up to Brookline.
Also setting school records were the third-place shuttle hurdles crew of Brown, sophomore Jack Galvin, Holder and junior Colin Hoey in 26.41 (previous record 26.74 set in 2010) and the clinching 4×400 quartet of Fitzgerald, senior R.J. Noel, Brown and Coppinger crossing in 3:30.04 to eclipse the 3:30.43 mark established in 2009.
Lowell also placed third in the 4×50 but was disqualified because of a false start.
“A lot of the credit for our success goes to my assistant coaches — former Lowell runners Dave Casey and Scott Ouellette,” said Maia. “They get the kids fired up and focused and keep them that way with their own enthusiasm. They do a phenomenal job.”
Lowell girls
The Lowell High girls got a third place from their high jump team (14-0) consisting of Sima Suon, Kelsie Christiansen and Kelsey Higgins.
Also, a fifth place in the 4x200m relay (1:49.70) with Suon, Rachel Silk, Alexa McGuire and Sydney Vaughn, and a sixth place in the 4x400m relay (4:17.82) with Vaughn, Bryanna Allison, Christiansen and Danielle Crawford.
Also: Seventh place shuttle hurdles (31.52): Danae Rosario, Christiansen, Wonni In, Higgins. Eighth place 4x800m relay (10:11.83): Paige Mackinnon, Marissa Richards, Allison, Grace Ndungu. Eighth place shuttle dash (25.46): Suon, Silk, McGuire, Jess Desruisseaux. Eighth place shot put (81-8): Sam Carson, Sreyluch Seang, Jillian Patershall
Chelmsford
The Chelmsford boys 4×200 relay team of Connor Brimley, Joe Maniscalco, Vinny Maniscalco and Nick Imprillo finished first in a time of 1:32.39 at the Division 1 state relays.
The distance medley relay team of Quinn Cooney, Connor Brown, Dan Nolan and Rob Massey finished fourth overall in a final time of 10:48.
