By Joe Reardon
Vanessa Clerveaux drew the line in the sand at Saturday’s Coaches Invitational and declared a full assault on the records that lie ahead this season.
The Brockton standout made shambles of the 100-meter hurdle event on a hot day at Somerville’s Dilboy Stadium. Clerveaux lowered the meet record twice in her preliminary heats before blitzing a strong field in the final to the tune of 14.08 seconds. The meet record of 14.58 set by Hopkinton’s Tiana Riel in 2003 was long gone before Clerveaux set herself in the blocks for the final. “Like I said before in indoors, I’m trying to break any record I can,” said Clerveaux after clocking a 14.42 in the semifinals. “Every little second matters. My coaches and I have been working on my mechanics. I’m trying to incorporate them over every hurdle. I’m trying to into the 13s, if not today then some time this season.”
Clerveaux has no intention of holding back in the coming meets, believing she has to jump at the opportunities in front of her. “Since freshmen year I’ve told myself not to wait.” The Boxer star wasn’t perfect in her first two heats but was spot on in the final as she pulled away from Newton North’s Kayla Wong who had a terrific race, taking second in 14.75. “I was just using what was left of my energy to get over the hurdles,” said Clerveaux of the final. “The heat didn’t bother me.”
Clerveaux had strong day in the triple jump, taking second to Newton North’s Carla Forbes, who leaped to a pair of meet records on the day. Forbes bettered the 39-8-¼ set by Tammy Peeples in 1991 with a 40-10 effort. She capped her day with a win and 20-3 record that bettered Norwell’s Cristin Napier’s 18-8-¾ from 1993.
“It was really just my last (long) jump,” said Forbes. “My others were in the high 18s and mid 18s. I was kind of behind on the board for all of those. I was pushing off slow. The last one I gave it all I had and was really aggressive.”
Forbes has been concentrating mainly on her mechanics and is aiming for the class and state meets to peak and carry through nationals. “It’s really just getting those steps down and getting them as fast as possible,” she said. “My jumps are getting better every week. It’s there. I just have to get everything together.”
Hingham sophomore Andrew Bolze had the lone meet record in the boys’ competition, taking the long jump with a leap of 23-4-¼ and winning by more than a foot. Rafael Gozman of Cambridge took second with a solid jump of 22-2.
Bolze’s teammate Mike McConville picked up a big personal best in the 2 mile with a final sprint of 61.3 for the last 400 meters. McConville’s time of 9:24.47 bettered his previous best by nine seconds and kept him comfortably ahead of Newton North’s Justin Keefe (9:27.03). “I wanted to put a strong effort and see where I am time wise,” he said. “I’ve always been on the border trying to get a better 2 mile time. Every time I’m ready to slip below 9:30 I get injured. It was nice to get a PR.”
The 400 matchup between Catholic Memorial’s Donovan Henry and Nathan PierreLouis of Waltham was one of the most anticipated races of the day and proved to be as hot as the roasting infield. Henry blazed through the opening 200 before PierreLouis used his long stride to close in on the Knights’ speedster. PierreLouis left Henry behind over the final 100 meters for the win in 47.95, just off Mike Greene’s 1984 mark of 47.60. Henry clocked a fast 49.20, just in front of Foxboro’s Kiivone Howard who took third in 49.45.
“I felt tired, but I pushed through it,” said PierreLouis. I was watching him. When he started slowing down I went for it. At the turn I started to really press.” Somerville’s Andre Rolim needed every gear in his arsenal to hold off B.C. High’s Dylan Newman over the final 200 meters of the 800. Newman challenged Rolim down the backstretch and then on the last turn. Rolim, though, didn’t give the Eagle senior an inch, surging across the finish line in 1:55.54. Newman was a step back in 1:55.88. Framingham’s durable Ben Groleau was a strong third with his 1:56.27. Rolim was happy with his effort and decision to move up to the 800 come class meet time after running the 400 last spring. Rolim admitted he was surprised by Newman’s tenacity on the second lap. “At the end I didn’t expect him and I tried my best,” said Rolim. “It was very, very hot.”
Quincy’s Jaquan Harris proved to be the class of the field in the 200, bolting to a 22.09 victory. Anderson Koenig of Lincoln-Sudbury was second in 22.43 and Tchuijo Nkamebo of Amherst-Pelham took third with a 22.54. Dylan DeMoranville won the 110 hurdles with a quick 14.98 and Mitchell McGinty of Lincoln-Sudbury cleared 6-4 for a win in the high jump.
Marshfield had a pair of winners in Joe Lasalle and Joel Hubbard. Lasalle pushed hard over the final 100 meters to take the 400 hurdles in a quick 56.23. Andrew DiMaiti of St. Mary’s of Lynn was just over a second back in 57.74. “When I get in those blocks I completely empty my mind, wait for the gun and focus on my stride,” said the Ram talent. “I try to go as smoothly as possible.” Hubbard teamed up once again with Marshfield’s Kevin Thomas for a hard effort in the mile. The heat slowed their goal of running in the 4:12 range, but Hubbard picked up the win in 4:18.39. Thomas was right there at the finish in 4:19.19. “We just wanted to get a hard effort in the heat,” said Hubbard. “The state meet is rolling around and it could be 40 degrees, it could be 80 degrees. We wanted to practice running a controlled pace.”
Catalina Dominick of Danvers had one of the most impressive performances of the meet with her win in the mile. Only a freshman, Dominick went to the front immediately and was never challenged as she ripped a 5:12.39, easily defeating runnerup Kelsey Whitaker of Notre Dame of Hingham (5:21.07). “I thought they were going to take it out faster,” said Dominick. “I got boxed in and then I decided to go.”
The 200 and 400 winners were no surprise as Arlington’s Rebecca Robinson captured the shorter event in 24.78 and Kendal Knous of Franklin led a deep field with her 57.55 win. Ursuline freshman Amy Piccolo was second in 58.27 and two other freshmen, Jenny Sexton of Waltham (58.77) and Elizabeth Gulino of Attleboro (58.90) took third and fourth, respectively. “I want to get out as fast as I can and have something left for the last straightaway,” said Knous. “I felt good.” Robinson very well may have been the happiest winner of the day. The defending state champion in the 400, Robinson is looking to take the 200 title this time around. “I find it’s so much easier (than the 400),” said the Syracuse-bound Robinson. “You just go all out, you don’t have to pace yourself. The only thing you have to worry about is your start. “This season I’m staying with the 200. It’s my last year. I want to go out with a fun event. Everyone’s ready to graduate. It’s a fun atmosphere to be around.”
Walpole’s P.J. Hayes dominated the 100 with a blazing 10.73 and Nicole Genard of Somerville continued her choke hold in the javelin with a 120-9 win to follow up her Weston Twilight Invitational meet record. Lincoln-Sudbury’s Lucy Alexander won the high jump at 5-4 and the 40-2-¼ heave from Wakefield’s Elizabeth Bray gave her the win in the shot put. Eric Beckwith of North Attleboro won the boys’ shot put with a heave of 57-3-¾ while Hingham’s Brian Sullivan dominated the discus at 161-8. Meghan Grela of Ursuline turned the 800 into an easy win with a fast 2:15.40. Archbishop Williams’ Sarah Saccoach had Dennis-Yarmouth’s Jordan O’Dea in her back pocket for 7-½ laps of the 2 mile before surging hard to the finish for a convincing 11:16.15. O’Dea was second at 11:19.22 and Marian freshman Sarah Lagan was third in 11:37.75. “When it’s hot out I tend to fall back,” said Saccoach. “My mile times have been getting better. Usually I sprint the last 200. I just tried to distance myself from her.”
Karia Ganley of Wellesley was the first winner of the day, holding off teammate Tessa Broholm to capture the 400 hurdles in 1:04.66. Broholm crossed the finish line in 1:05.91. “My favorite way to run is from behind and kicking at the end,” said Ganley. “I was in my own zone. This heat went out fast. It was a really fast start. You could feel it.”
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