Boys earn 1st win in big week for CHS track

The senior members of the CHS outdoor track team pose for a photo during Senior Night. (Anna Amico photo)

In a great week for the CHS outdoor track program, the boys team won its first track meet in several seasons, beating Foxboro 78-58 last Tuesday.

In addition, Sarah Collins bested some of the state’s top runners to win the 400-meter hurdles at the MSTCA State Coaches Invitational at Sharon on Saturday. Head coach Anna Amico said the invitational meets feature top talent across all four divisions in Massachusetts.

Collins won the 400m hurdles with a personal-best time of 67.20. “What is even more impressive is that she is new to the event and only competed in it for the first time against Sharon on May 2,” said Amico.

Other Canton competitors in the invitational meet were John Guenthner, 400m hurdles, 7th place, and Riley McDonnell; Nicole Brown, Erika Lum, Rosana Cho, Dan Pierre, Dan Alice and Cordell Smith, 100m; Jimisha Williams, 200m; Cooper Ashcraft, freshman mile; Sean Mitchell and Smith, high jump; Guenthner and Claire Belisle, 100m hurdles.

Also participating were two 4×100 relay teams (Mike Marino, Smith, Pierre, Alice and Belisle, Lum, Williams, Brown) and two 4×400 teams (Ashcraft, Milne, McDonnell, Guenthner and Kristina Powers, Andrea McNeil, Belisle, Leianna Brune).

Regarding the boys’ win over Foxboro, Amico said she was “extremely proud” of the efforts. “The past few seasons they have been working tirelessly and improving every day,” she said. “Many of our top contributors are now juniors that have been gaining valuable varsity experience since they were freshmen. Their hard work and determination is starting to pay off in the wins column. With that group, we have added some newcomers that are great athletes that have stepped into important roles and delivered. The combination of solid returners and athletic newcomers are combining for a good team!”

Leading the way was Guenthner, who was a double winner in the 400m hurdles and 110m hurdles. Smith picked up a win in the high jump and also finished second in the 100m, while Jack Healey won the mile and finished second in the two-mile.

Other first-place finishers included McDonnell, 200m; Muhammad Sambo, 400m; Gerry Sullivan, 800m; and Colin Messinger, two mile. Canton also had two winning relays: the 4×100 team of Marquis Montes, Pierre, Smith and Alice and the 4×400 team of Will Amico, Brady, Chris Milne and Sambo.

Second-place finishers included Milne (400m), Cam McManus (800m), Adam Feeney (javelin), and Ian Ozer (discus). Placing third were McDonnell (400m hurdles), Ozer (shot put), Steven Brady (triple jump), and Tommy Pulcini (discus).

In a previous meet against Milford, the 4×400 relay of Milne, Guenthner, Amico and Sambo won the event, but what stood out was the anchor leg of Sambo. Coach Amico said it was one of the greatest anchor legs in CHS track history. Sambo received the baton about 60 meters behind and came through to win it on the final straightaway.

In the girls meet against Foxboro — an 82-54 loss — Collins qualified for states in the 400 hurdles with a winning time of 68.8 seconds and returned to win the 800m as well. Williams also qualified for states in the 200m with a winning time of 27.3 seconds.

Lum scored in three events, winning the high jump while placing second in the long jump and third in the 100m. Bronwyn Mahoney was a double winner in the field events, finishing first in both the shot put and discus. The 4×400 relay team also placed first behind Powers, Maggie Dunn, McNeil, and Brune.

Other point scorers for the girls team were Belisle, 2nd, 400 hurdles, and 3rd, triple jump; Brown, 2nd, 100m; McNeil, 2nd, mile; Chloe Pennacchio, 2nd, two-mile; Lilah Sullivan, 3rd, two-mile; and Brune, 3rd, 400m.

Both CHS track teams were due to face Stoughton May 16 and then compete in the Hockomock League meet on Sunday, May 21, at 10 a.m. at Attleboro High School.

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