Lampron Leads Mansfield to State Title

By Joe Reardon

Josh Lampron put together a stunning tune up for Saturday’s Dream Mile and more than proved he’s ready for an assault on the 4-minute mark after his record-breaking performance at yesterday evening’s MIAA State Track & Field Championships at Fitchburg State University.

Lampron is the epitome of an athlete taking his talents to the next level.

The Mansfield senior found the cool temperatures and calm conditions at Elliot Field to his liking as he pushed the pace from the gun in the 800 and drew away from Somerville’s Andre Rolim to break the 37-year-old meet record in 1 minute, 51.99 seconds. The record came an hour after Lampron sat on Marshfield’s Joel Hubbard and then surged into the lead with 300 meters for a stunningly easy 4:07.88 win. Hubbard never faltered in second, smashing his personal best with a 4:09.27. Framingham’s Ben Groleau finished third with a quick 4:14.53.

“I wasn’t really expecting it,” Lampron said. “Getting the meet record was a big surprise. I never thought I’d be winning two state championships last year. It gives me confidence for the next couple of weeks. I feel like it’s starting to get a lot more comfortable running in the low 4s.”

Rolim was a strong second in the 800 in 1:53.38 and Sean Gorham of Oliver Ames took the bronze in 1:53.69.

Lampron’s two wins along with Matt Baldasare’s win in the 400 clinched the team title for the hornets. Mansfield finished with 49 points to defeat Pembroke (37 points) and Hingham (33 points). Baldasare’s win came against a quality field. He was dominant down the stretch on the way to a quick 49.30. Acton-Boxboro’s Brian Sommers was second in 49.42 and Waltham’s Nathan PierreLouis was a strong third in 49.83.

“We (Mansfield) have a lot of good guys around us and I was fortunate to do my job,” said Baldasare. “I tried to pace myself at the beginning so I’d have a kick.”

Catholic Memorial’s Donovan Henry left no doubt who the winner would be when he hit the straightaway, surging away from the field with a controlled 21.87 win. Andrew Bolze of Hingham checked in at 22.23 and Natick’s Matt Powers was third with his 22.24. Henry’s plan was to run the turn hard and then switch gears on the long straightaway.

“I kind of wanted to break 21.7,” said Henry, who will bring his talents to Northeastern in September. “I still felt pretty good in the final. The turns are really long on this track.”

Wachusett’s Colin Bennie played hockey during the winter but not competing indoors didn’t slow him this spring. Bennie kicked from home from 400 meters out and crossed the finish line with the win after closing in 59.5. His time of 9:07.44 was a startling personal best from his 9:23. Bennie defeated two of the best 2-milers in the state as Wesley Gallagher of Pembroke took second in 9:08.93 and King Philip’s Chris Allen was third in 9:10.46.

The personable Bennie was very much aware that Gallagher and Allen were in his back pocket on the gun lap. “I knew it was going to be a fast race,” said Bennie. “There was a lot of talent out there. My plan was to go out there and see what happened. I knew they were right behind me and they were running fast. I definitely worked on finishing fast.”

King Philip’s Charles Ruffin continued his dominance in the 100 with a 10.75 win to easily defeat Craig Green of Falmouth (10.89) and Brockton’s Kevin Brizard (11.08). Westfield’s Juan Maysonette took the 110 hurdles in 14.65 to defeat Michael Darmiento of Algonquin (14.84) and Perry Nowell of Springfield Cathedral (14.88).

Weymouth high jumper Khary Bailey-Smith wrapped up his golden season by easily capturing the high jump in 6-8. Alex Niamiec of Chicopee was second in 6-6. “I tried hard and did what I had to do,” said the UMass-Amherst-bound talent. “We came here to win and have fun.”

Brendan Sullivan of Westford Academy owned the pole vault, posting a new meet record of 15-3 and Cameron Herbert of Masconomet ran a 53.73 in the 400 hurdles to defeat Weymouth’s terrific Tyler Mulcahy (54.24) and Nashoba’s Jair Cruikshank (56.04). Pembroke’s Kris Horn edged Andrew Bolze of Hingham to win the long jump at 22-9. Bolze leaped 22-7 and Kevin Brizard of Brockton checked in at 22-4. Xaverian’s Dana Pagliuca was an easy winner in the triple jump at 46-3-1/4. Amherst-Pelham’s Tchuijo Nkambo was second at 44-9-3/4 and David Oluwadra of Newton North took third at 44-6-1/4. Brian Sullivan of Hingham took the discus at 164-11 while Trinity Catholic’s TJ Noonan was victorious in the javelin with a 182-6 effort. North Attleboro’s Eric Beckwith won the shot put with a heave of 57-10-1/4.

Prepping for the nationals, Newton North’s Carla Forbes was victorious in both the triple and long jumps. The Tiger junior won the triple jump by more than four feet in 40-2 and dominated the long jump at 19-1. The Newton North girls were a big winner in the team division with 52 points.

Forbes has plenty of work to do before her debut at the outdoor nationals in two weeks in Greensboro, NC. “I felt ok about it,” said Forbes. “I was lacking with my aggression. Technically I was ok. I was a little off with my mark on the board. There were definitely things I could have improved on.

“Our training had been a little messed up (with the postponements). We sort of trained through it.”

Arlington’s Rebecca Robinson won the 400 title year and was just as dominant this time around in the 200. She never trailed as she surged away from the pack to win easily in 24.74. Emily Dawidczyk of Oxford was second in 25.03. “I saw her when I was turning,” said Robinson. “She made me run harder. I really enjoy the 200. I’ve really enjoyed myself this season.”

Laura Williamson of Wachusett pulled away from a deep 800 field to win with a quick 2:12.66. Meghan Grela of Ursuline was second in 2:15.80 and Jane Clark of Notre Dame took third with her 2:16.33. “My goal was to win and hope the time went with it,” Williamson. “It’s (state title) been the only thing on my mind the last week. I wanted to make my last shot count.”

Brockton’s Vanessa Clerveaux thwarted a near disaster in the 100 hurdles when she slammed into a hurdle halfway through, but held off Newton North’s Kayla Wong to win in 14.36. Wong finished in 14.51 and Old Rochester’s Ally Saccone took third in 14.73. “I completely smacked the sixth or seventh hurdle,” said Clerveaux. “I didn’t break the meet record I set last year. That’s what happens when you hit a hurdle. I’m happy that I won.”

Jen Esposito was among the happiest winners of the day after taking second in the 400 hurdles the past two years. Esposito was gone from the start and easily won with a strong final straightaway attack in 1:02.17. Wellesley’s Karla Ganley was more than two seconds back in 1:03.49. “I was happy to finally win it,” said Esposito. “I always try to get out fast and keep the lead.”

Foxboro freshman Liz Holmes burned through the first 400 meters of the mile in 68 seconds, but her lead slowly evaporated over the final meters. Belchertown’s Madison Granger passed the exhausted rookie 30 meters from the finish line and broke five minutes for the first time with a 4:59.90. Holmes hung on for second in 5:0023. Marika Crowe of Lincoln-Sudbury was third with her 5:02.19.

Holmes was disappointed with her finish, but already looking forward to next year. “I went into the race and I just wasn’t confident,” said Holmes. “I thought there’d be a girl who would kick right by me. I thought when they got to me I’d just follow through. That’s how I went out last week (at the Div. 3 championships) I was able to maintain it.”

In the meet’s opening event, Peabody’s Catarina Rocha ran with the pack for six laps before switching to middle-distance mode and leaving the field behind to take the win in 10:45.50 to defend her title.  “We went out in the right time,” said Rocha. “I was trying to feel things out the first mile.  At three laps (to go) I felt good so I picked it up.”

The race was a fast one with Weston’s Olivia Brackett taking second in 10:57.95 and Abby McNulty of Bishop Feehan surging across the finish line in 10:59.

Attleboro’s Briana Robitaille ran a strong race to win the 100 in 12.31 and Acton-Boxboro’s Maya Jarostchuk took the 400 in 57.36 to edge out Tewksbury’s 57.77. Wachusett’s Amy Collins won the high jump in 5-8 to defeat her biggest rival, Emily Cahill of Uxbridge (5-6). Maya Jarostchuk of Acton-Boxboro clocked a quick 57.37 to capture the 400 and Jessica Bridle of Tewksbury took second in 57.77.

Westfield’s Elizabeth Bray was victorious in the shot put with a 41-7 heave and East Longmeadow’s Lauren Kennedy fired the javelin 130-2 for the win. Winchester’s Jackie Vahey took the discus at 123-8 and Nashoba’s Casey Teska won the pole vault with an 11-6 effort. Brockton took the 4x100 relay in 48.94 and Wachusett edged Mansfield in the 4x400 in 3:53.08.