Girls Track Wins NEC South Title

The Winthrop High girls track team defeated Gloucester, 86-41, and Saugus, 76- 49, this past week to capture the championship of the South Division of the Northeastern Conference with a 5-0 record. The Lady Vikings finished at 6-1 overall, the lone loss coming to Swampscott of the North Division.

“Unlike in past years, when we might have had one girl dominate a meet, such as a Jenny Fucillo or a Nicole Giaquinto, our six wins resulted from everybody on the team making a contribution with points that came from mostly second place and third place finishes,” said longtime WHS head coach Warren MacPhail.

In the Gloucester meet, the Lady Vikings literally jumped to victory, sweeping the long jump and triple jump. The teams had been separated by only 10 points entering those events, but when Winthrop took all 18 points, the Winthrop lead ballooned to a 28point margin.

The Lady Vikings swept the400 low hurdles, led by Carly O’Keefe in 72.6, followed by Amy Sena in 72.8 and Jessica Dowson in 76.4; the long jump, paced by Mayomi Meggison with a leap of 15-1, followed by teammates Felicia and Theresa Jones with landings of 14-9 and14-7 respectively; and the triple jump, led by Lexi Vaccaro’s effort of 32-6, followed by Michaela McCarthy with a jump of 30-5 and Sena with a landing of 30-2.

Other Winthrop girls who finished in first place in their events were Alyssa Mackey in the 100 meter dash in 13.3 and the 400 in 63.5; O’Keefe in the100 high hurdles in 18.9; Kaitlyn Hershey in the mile in 13:45; Liz Anderson in the shotput with a toss of 26-4; and Jordan Griffiths in the 800 in 2.42.

In addition, the Lady Viking4 x 100 relay quartet of Vaccaro, the Joneses, and Meggison defeated their Gloucester counterparts in a time of 53.6.

Adding three points for second place finishes were: Corey Charvis in the mile in 6:32; Julia Wallace with a leap of 4-8 in the high jump; Lauren Lo Presti in the discus; Jessica Dowson in the 100 hurdles in 19.1; Sena in the 800 in 2.48; and Christina Russo in the 200 dash in 27.8.

Contributors of one point for third place efforts were: Russo in the 100 dash in 13.6; MiaSimonetti in the mile in 6:34;Lexi Vaccaro in the 400 dash in 66.0; and Felicia Jones in the200 dash in 28.8.

The Winthrop girls then took on a tough Saugus squad one cold and rainy Monday in search of a victory and a perfect South Division record. The Lady Vikings once again were in typical to team form, with no individual standing out, but all of the girls contributing to create what MacPhail termed “a perfect storm of team strength helping to gain the win.”

First place finishers were: O’Keefe in the 400 hurdles in71.1; Hershey in the two mile in13:30; Wallace with a high jump of 4-8; Lo Presti with a discus toss of 71-2; Dowson in the100 high hurdles in 18.9; and Vaccaro in the 200 dash in 28.1.The Lady Viking 4 x 100relay foursome of Vaccaro, Theresa Jones, Meggison, and Russo once again was victorious, defeating their Saugus rivals in a time of 54.0.

Second place finishes were recorded by: Sena in the 400hurdles in 72.0; Mackey in the100 in 13.4; Griffiths in the mile in 6:32; Meggison with a long jump of 14-4; O’Keefe in the 100 hurdles in 18.9; Maria Rago in the 800 in 2:55; and Russo in the 200 in 28.2.

Third place efforts were turned in by Meggison in the100 dash in 13.8; Sena in the mile in 6:34; Charvis in the two mile in 14:17; Vaccaro with a long jump of 14-3; Anderson in the discus with a twirl of 59-0and the shotput with a throw of25-5; Mackey in the 400 dash in72.0; and Gina Guiliano in the800 in 2:57.

The Saugus meet marked the last dual meet for senior Lady Vikings Colleen McCarthy, Lauren Lo Presti, Christina Russo, and Kaitlyn Hershey. The girls were given flowers and a team gift bag.

“All four will be missed for their wonderful contributions to the program,” noted MacPhail.“Winning the division was a fine way to finish up a high school athletic career.”

MacPhail and his crew will travel to Lynn on Saturday for the All-Northeastern Conference meet.

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