Familiar names in familiar places: Reading’s Ryan Pulpi, Westford’s Abby Hennessy win at Meet of Champions
NORTH ANDOVER — As Reading senior Ryan Pulpi rounded the final turn in the boys’ 400-meter race at Saturday’s MIAA Meet of Champions, he found himself trailing Blue Hills senior Jiai Gonzalez by a half stride.
Read more Red Sox-Yankees rained out, rescheduled as a doubleheader Aug. 29 in New York
It was an unusual position for Pulpi, who logged an undefeated outdoor campaign in the 100, 200, and 400. He knew tracking down Gonzalez from his outside shoulder would require digging deep.
“I feel like [the last 100 meters] are a really strong part of my race,” said Pulpi. “So I just didn’t panic.”
Pulpi found an extra gear on the final straightaway, surging past Gonzalez en route to a thrilling victory (47.33 seconds) in front of a roaring crowd at Merrimack College.
The mark broke a meet record of 47.52 seconds, which was set by Mike Greene of BC High in 1983 and was the sixth-oldest standing record at the Meet of Champions.
“People know I’m really good in the 400, so it’s kind of like that target on your back,” said Pulpi. “So it was fun coming in here with a lot of emotion and just a lot of feeling in it — and I was able to harness that and just go hard [at the end].”
▪ Westford senior Abby Hennessy wrapped up one of the most decorated distance careers in MIAA history in dominant fashion, rolling to a five-second win in the girls’ mile in 4:42.58.
The performance didn’t quite match the 4:37.11 meet record Hennessy set last year, but it was a busy few days for the senior.
She competed in the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis on Thursday, where she finished third in the mile in a season-best 4:35.14, then flew home to attend her graduation ceremony Friday.
“It definitely hasn’t sunk in yet. I love this team. All my teammates are my best friends and it’s just been an incredible experience,” said Hennessy. “I just wanted to make the most of today and have fun with my team.”
▪ Following a runner-up effort in the girls’ discus Thursday, Lexington senior Ainsley Cuthbertson entered Saturday looking to end her MIAA career with a shot put victory.
With a final throw of 41 feet, 2.5 inches, Cuthbertson won by 5.5 inches and capped off an outdoor season in which she won the shot put in all nine meets she entered.
“It was definitely something I was looking to bounce back from,” said Cuthbertson. “I just wanted to end off my season on a high note, so I just was coming in to have fun.”
▪ Despite reaching greater heights in practice, Wayland senior pole vaulter Ryan McCormack entered Saturday stuck with a personal best of 14 feet, 1 inch, which he set in April.
That work in practice finally translated to a meet setting Saturday, with McCormack leaping 14 feet, 6 inches to earn an all-state crown.
“It was a relief, because it was one of my last chances to vault this season and I knew I could do it,” said McCormack. “So now I can keep working up from here.”
▪ Across the two days of competition, three athletes won multiple individual events: Pulpi, who took the 400 and the 200 (21.06), Sharon senior Nina Kyei-Aboagye, who won the 200 (23.56) and the 100 (11.83), and Cohasset junior Nicholas Askjaer, who claimed the discus (187-1) and the shot put (61-7).
Post Comment