2011 Outdoor Track and Field Junior Top 10

Patrick Bendzick

Photo by John Keklak

Junior Top 10

The class of 2012 is a very impressive group with top-notch athletes in almost every event.  Despite the depth, two athletes stand above the rest with tremendous all-around skills.  Karla Ganley of Wellesley leads the high jump at 5’5” and the pole vault at 11’0”.  In addition, she is second in the 200m at 25.30 and fourth in a very strong 100m hurdles group at 14.97.  Ganley’s versatility makes her a tremendous heptathlete and one of the most impactful dual meet athletes in the state.  Nicole Genard of Somerville has a stat sheet a mile long, and her versatility was on display at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals where she posted a MA#2 time in the hurdles (14.60) and won the Emerging Elite Javelin (133'5").  In head-to-head competition, Genard got the best of Ganley at the North Heptathlon by 59 points and the rivalry should continue to thrill track fans in 2012.

But Ganley and Genard are not the only multi-event standouts in the group.  Vanessa Clerveaux tops the list in the 100m hurdles at 14.25 and the triple jump at 39’1”.  Laura Williamson also demonstrated tremendous range; she is third in the triple jump at 36’0.75”, but leads the 800m at 2:12.89.  Williamson’s time in the 800m is the top returning time in the state, but she will be challenged next year if Marika Crowe decides to move down from the mile.  Crowe is the All-State Champion in the mile at 5:00.43, but posted some amazing 800m relay legs for Lincoln-Sudbury in the post season.  In addition, Madison Granger, Jade Paul, and Jocelyn Hubbard all posted times under 2:17.00 in the 800m this season.  Granger also ran 5:00.62 in the mile at the New England Championships to finish with a podium spot.