DISTANCE EVENTS
800m
(Unseeded heats, Sunday at 10:10 a.m.; Seeded heat, Sunday at 2:49 p.m.)
There's certainly potential for a podium placement in this event with Samantha Friborg in the field. The Acton-Boxborough senior won the Yale Track Classic on Jan. 20 with a season best of 2:10.26. She also has twice gone under 2:50 for 1,000m with a PR of 2:49.26 at the All State Championship. Mix in all that with 1:33 speed for 600m and Friborg appears ready for a time around 2:08 for the four-lapper this weekend, maybe faster. If she can clock something close to that, it would appear she would attain All-American status with a top-six finish. Kate Mitchell of Lynnfield is also entered in the 800m. She was fifth in the Emerging Elite 800m at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet where she was timed in a PR of 2:12.52. She was the runner-up in the 1,000m at the All State Meet where she finished at 2:56.0. She clocked a PR of 2:55.20 for the 1K at the Cape Anne League Championship.
Mile
(Unseeded heats, Sunday at 11:50 a.m.; Seeded heat, Sunday at 2:29 p.m.)
Newton South's Lucy Jenks will be competing in the first of two heats of the mile. By the looks of the entries, it appears a time in the low 4:50 range could secure a top-six placement; similar to last year when Natick's Grace Connolly ran 4:52 to take sixth overall. Jenks will more than likely have to win her heat if she wants a chance at All American. She clocked 4:57 at the last Chance Meet a few weeks ago and placed second in the 1,000m at the New England Championship where she ran a best of 2:51. The gifted sophomore appears to be peaking at the right time for a big-time PR this weekend. Will it be enough to make it to the podium? We think it's possible.
Two Mile
(Unseeded heats, Sunday at 9:40 a.m.; Seeded heat, Sunday at 1:11 p.m.)
Littleton's Sarah Roffman and Amherst-Pelham's Sarah Jacobs-Townsley are among the 12 competitors in the first of two heats. It's a heat that includes recent New England mile champion Julia Robitaille of Manchester Essex (NH). An injury forced Roffman to miss the All State Meet and New England's. If she's healthy, she capable of competing with the top pack of the field in her race. She has a best of 10:46, which she clocked in a solo effort at the Coaches Invitational on Jan. 27. Jacobs-Townsley won the All State Meet with an all-time best of 10:54.
5,000m
(Friday at 5:15 p.m.)
Jacobs-Townsley is also schedule in the meet's longest event. She was fourth at the cross-country states where she ran 18:19 at the Wrentham Developmental Center.