Hopedale's Rita Maurais turned the 1000-meter run into a one girl act at yesterday's MSTCA Auerbach Freshman/Sophomore Small Schools Invitational on the Reggie Lewis Center oval.
Maurais snatched the lead from the gun and was never challenged as she raced to a personal best and meet record of 3 minutes, 3.02 seconds. Her time bettered the 3:04.07 run two years ago by Alexia Lipman of Bromfield and was the lone meet record on the day.
Maurais has been doing a portion of her training with Hopedale's male runners and she believes that has made a difference in her approach to racing. "My coach was telling me I had to be mentally prepared to run by myself," she said. "I run with the boys all the time. I really want to break three minutes in the 1000, but that migth come later.
"I usually don't focus on people. Having someone chasing me keeps me pushing. It doesn't bother me."
Emily DeMarco of Ipswich was a distant second, but still ran a swift 3:11.72 and Plymouth South's Jordan Callahan also raced well, clinching third in 3:13.29.
Pembroke's Breagh Fitzgerald captured a pair of gold medals with wins in both the 55 dash and long jump. The meet was only the second of the season for Fitzgerald, whose speed felt particuarly strong on the long jump runway. "I felt really fast," she said. "My speed felt good in the long jump and I kept redoing my mark and went through it several times."
Tewksbury's Mario Fuchu ran a great final lap to capture the mile in 4:46.92 ahead of Nathan Evans of Manchester Essex (4:49.50) and Thomas Spillers of Hopedale (4:50.26). Jacob Zuck demolished the field in the 2 mile, lapping the pack to finish in a swift 10:18.81, well ahead of runnerup Jason Redd of Foxboro who clocked 10:56.43
In one of the best and closest races of the day, Weston's Katie Marlow-Benedick held off a charging Cassie Graca of Somerset to take the 300 in 42.84. Graca was half a step back in 42.89.
Plymouth North's Jacklyn Sullivan was third at the break in the 600 and surged to the front on the final backstretch to hold off Sydney Snow of Holliston in 1:42.65. Snow was right there in 1:42.68.
"I was going to stay behind the leader and then kick on the second to last straightaway," said Sullivan. "When I cut in I was in third and knew I was in good shape."
Bishop Feehan swept the top two places in the shot put with Patrick Collins taking the gold with a heave of 43-2 and Cole Stewart placing second with his 41-1-1/2 effort. Charlestown's Brandon Scott was third at 38-7-1/4. Taylor Reed of Norwood captured the girls' shot with a throw of 30-4-1/4 and Erin Langlois of Seekonk placed second at 30-3/4.