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The 4x400 of Bill Lumbert, TJ Freda, Kevin O'Neill and Bolze wasn't the only highlight for the Harbormen, as they had a slew of individual performances to lead to the team victory. After Pembroke senior Wes Gallagher (9:27.02) threw down a 64 second lap in the middle of the 2 mile, his victory was all but secured, but Hingham's Mike McConville (9:31.72) kept the damage of that win to a minimum, even if Pembroke sophomore John Valeri(9:38.82) stormed to 5th place. Bishop Feehan also managed a win in the 400 hurdles from Billy Ward (BF record 55.46), and 6th and 7th place in the 2 mile, to hang onto a 15-14 lead over Pembroke early on. Brian Sullivan's (51'1.25") win in the shot put pushed Hingham back into the lead, one they would rescind only briefly.
Chris McDowell's victory in the high jump at 6'4" might have thrust Hingham even deeper into the lead, but Feehan's Doug Downey (5'10") held on for a 5th place tie and 3 points. Kris Horn of Pembroke began his day with a meet record performance in the long jump of 23'11.25, nearly a foot further than runner-up Olisa Obiefuna of Saugus, and seemingly the best individual performance of the day. He would, however, be back. Hingham used a 3rd place jump from Bolze (22'11.5") and a 6th from McDowell (20'6") to keep their tentative lead. At this point, Hingham (42) and Pembroke (32) were beginning to pull away from Feehan (24) slightly, although things would tighten up once again. Matt Taylor (50.15) of Feehan edged Brett Tassinari (50.16) in the 400 to jump ahead of Pembroke for 2nd place at that point, just ahead of a deluge of Titans and Harbormen points. Brian Sullivan (155'9") took nearly a 4 foot win in the discus for Hingham, taking on ten huge points. Feehan's Tim McMackin (141'1") settled for 5th, getting Feehan to 38 points at that point, behind only Hingham with 52 of their own. When Andrew Bolze, a sophomore beyond his years in talent and approach to the sport, won the 200 in a stunning 22.02, Hingham appeared to be in the driver's seat for good. The Titans needed a big score in the 800 meters, and got it, thanks to a negative split 59-57 run from senior and Providence College- bound Joe Vercollone (1:56.57), as well as a 3rd place finish from sophomore Billy Stafford (1:59.41). Pembroke was now sitting on 48 points, and needed Horn to come back and finish what he started in the long jump with similar performances in the triple jump and 100. By the time Apponequet's Dylan DeMoranville won the 110 hurdles in 14.84, all eyes were on three styles of jersey- Titans white, Feehan green, or Harbormen red. Hingham senior Will Harlow took a key 4th place, and although a sprained ankle did not enable Simon Meriweather to add potentially key points, Hingham was at 67 points, ahead of Pembroke and Feehan. It would take an almost inhuman effort from Horn to help Pembroke get back into the meet, but nobody does it better than the UConn-bound senior. Triple jumping a personal best 46'0", Horn again outdid a gracious Obiefuna of Saugus, who settled for 2nd. Almost missing the 100 finals, Horn then raced to the start line for that event, one that he would dominate in 10.82, ahead of Greater Lawrence's Hector Payano (11.00). Perhaps most importantly, Hingham only mustered 2 points from these events, and the Titans used Horn's 3 event masterpiece to climb to a tie, 68-68. Feehan's day was not over, but the win was no longer in the cards. When Hingham's Curtis Shoyer (171'0") took 2nd in the javelin behind Triton's Ryan Clay (176'1"), and a place ahead of Pembroke's Jake Moran (163'5"), the lead swelled to 77-74. With every individual event contested, only David Taranto and Dylan DeMoranville broke up the Hingham-Pembroke-Feehan-Triton (whose Tyler Colbert vaulted 10'6" en route to a 22 point score in the pole vault for Triton) gold medal onslaught. The relays would be no different. Pembroke would hold off a strong run from Nauset Regional (8:07.93, despite a dropped baton) with a Billy Stafford (2:03.9), Christian Stafford (2:03.7), Joe Vercollone (1:58.0), Wes Gallagher (1:58) win in 8:06.01. Hingham was 3rd in 8:17, locking up the meet in 86-84. Once they won the 4x100 (44.41) and Pembroke failed to place, the 4x400 domination was merely a formality. The dream was realized, and Hingham were divisional champs, ahead of the Titans (84), Shamrocks (3rd, 61), Triton Regional (49.33) and Burlington (32.33). The Harborwomen nearly made it a double, but Paul Powell's Shamrocks of Bishop Feehan were just too much in the end. In another back and forth affair, it came down to the relays, where Powell and Feehan are always dangerous. Feehan fired the opening shots, using Abby McNulty (11:09.49) to win the 2 mile in a spirited race with Dennis-Yarmouth's Jordan O'Dea. Erin Svensen of Feehan took 5th in 11:51, giving them 14 points in the first event, with Hingham held off the scoreboard. The top four 2 milers return next year, making this a deep class for future reference. Milton's Molly Dempsey (65.54) took the 400 hurdles in a personal best time, but Feehan's Ally Luongo(66.42) was right behind. Feehan 22, the field, far back.
Watching Cassie Landry of Burlington soaring to 36' and a win in the triple jump, Hingham would piece Liz Holmes had a thing or two to say about that. Staving off an early challenge from Feehan's Katie Powell, Holmes dominated the mile in 5:03.00. Powell's runner-up run in 5:10.30 kept Feehan ahead, but Foxboro had closed to within nine points, 33-24. Hingham appeared to be out of the meet, until freshman Sierra Irvin (59.50) upset the field in the 400 and teammate Caroline Leonard took 4th (60.44). Julia Murphy (60.08) and Morgan Silviera (60.63) kept Feehan ahead with a 2-6 finish of their own, but Hingham was on the board with 23 points, one behind Foxboro. And Foxboro kept the pressure on both teams when junior Andrea Marcotte (25.87) edged out Melrose's BioncaSt. Fleur in the 200 meter finals. Hingham's Jane Freda was 8th, leaving the score Feehan 44, Foxboro 34, and Hingham 24. Holliston's Kylie Lorenzen won a spirited battle in the high jump, and impressive five jumpers clearing 5'2". Victoria Tondre needed her final jump after the 100 trials to take the victory in the long jump (17'8") just two inches ahead of Burlington's Casey Landry. Hingham's Patrolia managed a 6th place in 16'8", just out of 5th on misses. Wakefield's Elizabeth Bray had possibly the best individual performance of the day in the shot put, heaving the eight pound rock 41'5.5" to eliminate O'Bryant's Thornton's chance at a double. Stephanie Parent of Feehan managed 7th in the event, pushing Feehan a bit more ahead. Foxboro rolled the dice in the 800, bringing the freshman Holmes back for a tough double on such a hot day. Despite temperatures in the high 80's and major humidity, Holmes was more than up or the challenge. Despite going 2:19.02, she would eventually succumb to a late charge from Medfield's Taylor Worthy, but a tired Holmes did hold off Chelsea Savage of Pembroke (2:20) for the silver. As seemingly the case all day, where Hingham or Foxboro shined, Feehan managed to minimize the damage, this time using sophomore Brynna Harum to go 2:21.06 for 4th. With 13 event completed, Feehan was holding on for life with a 51-42 lead over Foxboro, and Hingham back with 27 points. Patrolia (14.79) put her third medal around her neck after the 100 meter hurdles, this one of the gold variety, stealing Molly Dempsey's chance at the coveted hurdle double (15.38). The straightaway was heating up, and Hopkinton's Jessica Scott scorched it with a 12.45 domination in the 100 final. Hingham's Molly Clark (13.03) managed a 4th place finish, and Feehan's Tiffany Luongo (13.37) came in 8th, and the crowd began to recognize a battle developing. Feehan's lead was now just ten points, 53-42 over both Hingham and Foxboro. But it turned out that they had everybody right where they wanted them. The 4x800 featured all three of the contenders for the team title, with Foxboro taking the early lead, but eventually fading to 5th in 10:03.49. Feehan opened with Elizabeth Hannon (2:24) and followed up with Brynna Harum (2:26), before taking control with Abbie McNulty (2:22) and Katie Powell (2:22) for a fairly easy win in 9:35.53. Hingham stayed in 2nd in 9:44.31, using a fresh team and demonstrating incredible depth. Despite Hingham's win in the 4x100(50.38, featuring a blazing anchor from Katelyn Elinoff), the meet was now 67-60 in Feehan's favor, making the 4x400 a winner-take-all affair. The teams battled for 2nd behind Triton (4:02.45 in lead from the gun fashion), distancing themselves from Pembroke, and making the team scoring no longer in jeopardy. Feehan edged Hingham 4:06.79-4:06.95 for 2nd, and took the meet 75-66. Foxboro held onto 3rd with 46 points, ahead of Burlington (44), and Hopkinton (41). Coaches Paul Powell and Bob L'Homme seemed satisfied, as their mission way back in March had come to fruition. The Shamrocks used a little luck (and skill) of the Irish for a class title in Pembroke.
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106- That's the number that befuddled Hingham boys Coach Fred Jewitt when he counted the points in his head. In what was a back and forth affair all day long at Pembroke High School, the home team Titans (2nd, 84 points) and Bishop Feehan (3rd, could not keep pace with Hingham's Harbormen in the relays. When Jewitt watched sophomore Andrew Bolze cross the finish line in the meet's final event, the 4x400m relay, in 3:26.12, that number seemed almost impossible to believe. But there it was, and Hingham had a 22 point victory and another in a lone line of DIII EMass outdoor track titles.
The mile featured another great duel between Pembroke sophomore Christian Stafford (4:25.95) and eventual winner David Taranto of Burlington (4:24.00). Taranto took control in the final lap and outlasted Stafford over the final 50 meters to secure the win. Pembroke couldn't shake their competition either, as Hingham took 5th and 6th (McConville doubling back and Nick Nielsen) and Feehan's Rich Moschella was 3rd. The score was now Hingham 23, Pembroke 22, and Feehan lurking with 21.
together 8 points from Jane Freda (35'8.25") and Meghan Patrolia (35'1.5"). Hingham (8) had cut into Feehan's lead, with Foxboro (9) still in 2nd. Wayland's Hallie Cramer and Carolyn Jones would take the top two places in the pole vault, an event that none of the team contenders contested. The same story went for the javelin (aside from an 8th from Feehan's Jules Keene), as Marblehead's Kelly Rowland (110'7") took the win, ahead of three Burlington throwers over 108 feet. Adrienne Thornton of JD O'Bryant powered a toss 132'9" in the discus as well. After six events, Feehan led with 23 points, and Hingham and Foxboro were still a ways back.