Notre Dame Rt. 228 F/S Meet Coverage: Acton-Boxboro wins both

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Over 1,500 athletes and 90 teams braved the frigid conditions and 30 mph wind gusts for the opportunity to compete in the 16^th Annual Rt. 228 Frosh-Soph Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame Academy of Hingham.  The weather was certainly not conducive to fast times, but the athletes appeared to be determined to produce some top marks despite the adversity.

Nolan Parsley (Weymouth) pulled-off a very successful distance double; winning the 2 Mile in 10:05.15 and the Mile in 4:40.67.  Understanding how the wind and the fatigue from his 2 Mile race would combine to impact his performance in the mile, Parsley sat on Seamus Lawlor (Concord-Carlisle) and Paul Maurais (Hopedale) until the final 100m.  Upon exiting the final corner, Parsley made a quick acceleration to open a small gap on the group and held-on for the win.  Lawlor and Maurias would finish 2^nd and 3^rd respectively with identical 4:42.73 times.

The girls mile featured several of the state's elite, regardless of age.  The tight pack would use their numbers to their advantage as they tried to keep an honest pace in the swirling winds.  Lauren Hagen of Franklin would eventually break away from the field and win the event in 5:19.70.  Finishing second was Gianna Caccitore of Whitman Hanson (5:20.34), followed by Christine Davis of Acton-Boxboro (5:21.85), and Rachel Baker of Whitman Hanson (5:22.77).

Statewide sprint comparisons are difficult at this time of year because so few fully-automatic results have been generated.  Regardless of the current rankings, several young sprinters looked poised to make a lasting impact on the state leaderboard.  Savanna Craib won the 100m Hurdles in 16.49; Jen Kimball of Weymouth won the 400m Hurdles (66.36); Maya Jarostchuk won the 400m (60.06); and William Lumbert of Hingham won the boy’s 400m (51.73). 

Acton-Boxboro would take home both team titles in an impressive display of versatility and depth. Thanks to some very strong performances in the sprints, the Acton-Boxboro girls team ended the day with a 10 point victory over Whitman-Hanson, and the boys team was able to secure an 11 point victory over New Bedford, even without a single point in the relay events.

Girls Highlights