Track team races towards state championships

Feb 5, 2019

As the winter track season draws to a close, Head Coach John Breault is pleased about the team’s performance.

“They’ve done well, they really have,” Breault said, at a practice held outside Monday in the unseasonably warm weather.

The team, which began with about 140 students, is now down to about 25 students who have qualified or are hoping to qualify for states.

“We’ve had a really good season,” Coach Kate McCarron-Deely said. “We’ve had a lot of really strong freshman join.”

This weekend will be the “Last Chance” meet to determine the rest of the competitors for the state championships.

“It’s just a great group of kids,” Breault said. “They’re hard working, so that makes my job easier.”

In the last few weeks of the postseason, Breault said that the team is working to connect the dots.

Coaches Breault and McCarron-Deely said many athletes have had particularly strong seasons. Ben Rioux, a senior, has qualified for states in the 1000 and the mile. Will Smith has excelled in the 55, 300, and 4x200 relay. Jason Gin has performed very well in mid-distance.

Younger students have also made a strong showing, including Javar Williams in the 55 and 4x200, and Mike and Jake van Zyl in the 4x400, 4x200, 300, and 55.

On the girls team, senior and captain Charlotte Correiro has excelled in the 300 and the 4x200. Mia Clark has done very well in the mile, and as has Mackenzie Carnet in the 600 and Sorelle Lawton in the 300. Mia Carter, a sprinter, has been strong in the 55 dash.

“Me and Will [Smith] are on the 4x2, and we are .29 [seconds] away from qualifying for states, so we’re working really hard on it,” said Mitchell Taradash.

So far, 6 individual athletes have qualified for states, and several more, along with relay teams, will be vying for spots this weekend. The team moved to a new division last year, and the standards for states are tough.

For senior captain Charlotte Correiro, the 4x2 will be a bittersweet event.

“This is the last time I’ll run a 4x2, and it’s the best event,” Correiro said.

Despite the pressure of an upcoming meet, the team had fun at practice.

”We’re a loving family,” said Will Smith.