The annual Andover Booster Invitational produced its share of excitement on Saturday night with a number of heated battles.
The host school's Devin Connell held off Brookline's Jon Diaz to capture the boys' 800-meter run with a strong time of 1:58.63. Diaz finished at 1:58.85.
In the boys' javelin, Tewksbury's Lucas Frost won by less than a foot with a heave of 173 feet, 5 inches. Masconomet Regional's Peter Kitsakos took runner-up honors with a distance of 172-8. Both efforts rank No. 2 and No. 3 in the state rankings.
Just a week after dominating the 800m run at the Weston Twilight Invitational, Samantha Friborg had to hold off a gutsy Nicole Anderson of Billerica in the girls' 400m. Friborg, a Acton-Boxborough senior, broke the tape in a PR of 57.21 to Anderson's 57.70, also a best.
The girls' pole vault had a pair of gifted athletes move to No. 1 in the state rankings with North Reading's Sophia Casciano and Reading's Haley Lightbody both clearing 11-0. Casciano won the competition based on number of misses. Lightbody didn't go home empty-handed, though. She claimed the long jump crown with a leap of 18-1.5.
In other events, Newton South's Caroline Barry was a dominating winner in the girls' two mile. She crossed the line in 11:01.56, more than 35 seconds ahead of her closest rival.
Andover's Sarah Lavery cleared a height of 5-4 to take the girls' high jump. That effort ties for No. 2 in the state.
Tewksbury freshman Makayla Paige was an impressive victor in the girls' 800m where she was timed in a PR of 2:16.89.
Stanley Hanci of Methuen claimed the boys' 400m crown with a fast 50.85 clocking.
In the boys' 200m, Haverhill's Sean Glass cracked 23 seconds with a first-place time of 22.64.