New England Championship Girls Recap: Johnson Outduels Piccolo

BOSTON – When you are competing in an elite meet, having a keen awareness of your top competition is of the utmost importance.

Erica Johnson of Bay View Academy in Rhode Island knew exactly who she had to beat if she wanted to win the 600-meter run at Saturday’s 26th annual New England Indoor Track and Field Championship. There was never a doubt. If she wanted to earn her first NE title at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, she would have to battle Massachusetts’ outstanding sophomore Amy Piccolo of Ursuline Academy right to the end.

Keeping the tenth-grader within striking distance throughout the three-lap race, Johnson overtook Piccolo with about 70-meters remaining and held on for the win with a time of 1 minute, 33.37 seconds. Piccolo was just a stride behind in second with a 1:33.56 effort.

In a tight race that also included Sarah Burke of Bishop Guertin NH (third, 1:35.88) and Lexington MA senior Camila Isern (sixth, 1:36.43), Piccolo took command just before the 400 mark. It was only Johnson that could respond to the surge.

“I knew she would be there,” said the Bay View runner.  “I knew she also ran the sprints so I knew she had leg speed. When she finally took off on the second lap I said I can’t afford to fall behind her because I knew she also had 55-meter speed. “

Johnson’s victory adds to a season that has been full of nationally-ranked times. She has a best of 1:32.40 in the 600 this winter and also placed second at the Yale Track Classic with an all-time best in the 800 of 2:11.57 and was just a shade from her fastest 400 with a 56.44 clocking at the New Balance Indoor Games where she placed third.

She’ll be competing next weekend at the New Balance Indoor Nationals where she’ll toe the line in the 400 and the 800.

“The season has been going so well,” she said. “I PR’d in the 600 and the 800 and came really close in the 400. At the nationals next week, I am really looking to just finish it off and get more PR’s.”

In the mile run, Northwest Catholic CT senior Sarah Gillespie led from gun-to-wire en route to a winning time of 4:55.37. Junior Jessica Wojnicki of Immaculate CT was second at 4:57.42 and Fairfield CT junior Cate Allen took third with a time of 5:00.08.

“I didn’t have a plan,” said the Harvard-bound runner. “My coach wanted me to race like I did when I was a sophomore. Just take it from the gun and go with that. That was my goal coming into the race, just race fearless, and I think I did.”

Gillespie, who won her State Open meet and was third at the New Balance Grand Prix with a season-best time of 4:54.81, coasted through her first 800 in 2:26. She was never challenged the remaining four laps.

“I thought the field was going to be a little different,” she said.  “I thought it was going to be a little faster. I took what the race gave me and did what I had to to win.”

The more than five-hour meet began with an impressive winning effort by Hillhouse CT in the 4x800 relay. The foursome of Kellie Davis, Whitney Curtis, Sydney Curtis and Jayvona McDaniel combined for a fast time of 9:16.47.  

Davis instantly put the Academics in command of the race with an opening split of 2:14. Whitney Curtis hit 2:20 and Sydney Curtis ran 2:22 before McDaniel kicked it home with another 2:20 leg. Defending champion La Salle was second at 9:21.15 with sophomore anchor Sheridan Wilbur nailing the position for her teammates the final few meters.

“We just wanted to win,” Davis said. “We didn’t care about time. Mainly, the girls wanted to run 2:20 legs because that’s what they were training for.”

Davis, a top middle distance runner, was at the NE meet just six days after competing in the 800 at the PR Invitational in Seattle, Wash. She instantly took the lead on her opening leg by sizzling through her first 400 in 65 seconds.

“Usually I go out in 65, but I wanted to go out in 64 today,” she said. “I was trying to mainly run at least a 2:10 today because that’s what I have been training for.”

Woonsocket RI senior Kaylnn Pitts won a jump-off over Falmouth MA senior Hadlee Coker to take the high jump with a height of 5-5. Pitts, whose season best this year is 5-4, wasn’t sure she would be able to take home the winner’s plaque prior to the meet.

“I really didn’t think I was going to win. I was just going to do my best,” said the R.I. state champion, who owns a PB of 5-7. “I did my best and it was good enough to win.”

The next three finishers in the high jump also cleared 5-5 with Wachusett MA senior Amy Collins taking third, Lincoln Sudbury MA junior Lucy Alexander placing fourth and Winchester MA senior Carrie Abraham solidifying fifth.

Pitts was consistent throughout the competition. That ultimately gave her confidence in the end.

“I was thinking that if I could get every jump on my first attempt I could possibly win it,” she said. “That’s what I did.”

Classical RI junior Maddy Berkson broke her own meet mark in the 1,000 with a time of 2:49.32, the third fastest clocking in the country. Berkson hung with the lead pack for the first four laps and then unleashed a 32-second split for her final 200 to win easily. Ellsworth ME junior Aleta Looker snared runner-up honors at 2:53.77 and Waterville ME senior Bethanie Brown took third at 2:53.88.

“I was pretty much going for time,” said Berkson, who hit the 400 mark at 64 seconds. “I was looking at the seeds and I was going for under 2:50. I wanted to be in the lead from the gun. I wasn’t expecting to be in second or third. In retrospect, I think I should have taken the lead earlier because I had a big kick.”

Berkson now has times ranked nationally in the 600 (1:32.8 #6), 1,000, 1,500 (4:36.23 #3), mile (4:50.5 #11) and 3,000 (9:53.34 #10). She will be competing in the 400 and 800 at the NBIN.

The 400 is rarity for the versatile Berkson.

“I was looking at the conversions from the 600 to the 400 and a 1:32 600 computes to about a 54- to 55-second 400,” she said. “I figure it doesn’t take a lot out of me so why not do it. I am already down there.”

Defending champion Precious Holmes of Hillhouse, winner of the 400 at the recent PR Invitational in Seattle, didn’t break her own meet record (38.22) in the 300, but the senior still burned up the track with a fast time of 38.92. Hope RI sophomore Quashira McIntosh was second at 39.54.

The youngest in the field proved to be the quickest in the two mile as Staples CT ninth-grader Hannah DeBlasi defeated Waterville’s Brown with a time of 10:39.43. Brown was the runner-up with a time of 10:45.86.

DeBlasi’s time is the fastest time posted by a freshman in the country. It also ranks No. 16 overall on the national scale.

“It’s a big honor,” said DeBlasi, about her top frosh time. “I don’t think it has really sunk in yet.”

Catherine Lacy, a junior from Darien CT, captured the long jump with a distance of 18-7.5. Lake Region ME sophomore was second at 18-5.75. Hopkinton MA junior Jessica Scott was third with an 18-1 effort.

Mahar Regional MA senior Sabrina Silva broke the 41-foot barrier for the first time in her career to win the shot put. Silva tossed the metal ball a distance of 41-8.25. Newton North MA junior Michaela Smith was second at 41-3.25. Victoria Ebert, a junior from Exeter/West Greenwich RI, was third at 38-7.75.

“The throw didn’t feel as far because it felt easy,” Silva stated. “When I saw it land I was like, ‘Okay, that’s good.’ I was happy. I didn’t realize it was going to be that far.”

Kate Hall, a senior from Lake Region ME, copped the 55 dash with a quick 7.07 clocking. Barnstable MA junior Amanda Henson was second at 7.16. In the 55 hurdles, Bishop Guertin NH senior Betsy Garnick took the top prize with a fine time of 8.01. Oxford MA senior Emily Davidczyk was the runner-up in 8.18.

The Darien CT quartet of sophomore Anna Sulger, junior Catherine Lacy, sophomore Madeline Schneider and junior Dillon Schoen copped the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:44.23. Greenwich CT was second in 1:44.62.

In the day’s final event, the 4x400, Lexington MA established a meet record of 3:56.12 with the foursome of Isern, freshman Melisa Solomon, sophomore Olivia Manickas and senior Robin Gross. Hillhouse CT placed second at 3:56.32 and Classical RI was third in 3:57.0.