The MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships are upon us, and athletes all over Western Mass. are gearing up for one of the most competitive races of the season. 

Gazette area athletes will span across three divisions this week, with Amherst competing in Division 3, Northampton in Division 4, and South Hadley, Frontier and Hampshire Regional in Division 5. 

Here’s a look at some of the top competitors to watch over the coming week. All meets will be held at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Roxbury.

Division 3

The Amherst boys’ team doesn’t just have a chance to bring home some hardware – a few of their athletes have the opportunity to take home a state title. 

Seeded in the No. 1 spot in the 600 meter run is Miguel Pinero-Jacome (1:25.05), and his twin brother David Pinero-Jacome is the No. 2 seed in the 1,000 meter run (2:35.99). Also high up in the rankings is Logan Alfandari, who enters as the No. 2 spot in the shot put (48 feet, 11 inches). 

The Hurricanes also have a shot at taking home a championship in a relay event – their 4x800 relay team is back and better than ever, with both Miguel and David Pinero-Jacome joining forces with Diego Lopez and Kyle Yanko to enter as the No. 1 seed (8:21.82). Their 4x400 relay team of Yanko, both Pinero-Jacome brothers, and Owen Platt, is ranked No. 5 (3:36.77). 

Other competitors to watch for the Hurricanes are Nicholas Lisle in the 600 run (No. 19, 1:29.84) and Lopez in the 1,000 meter run (No. 14, 2:42.69). 

Tamar Byl-Brann is the top-seeded Amherst runner on the girls’ side. Byl-Brann has the No. 2 seed in the 2-mile run (11:32.67), though she’ll have to hustle if she wants to chase a title – top-seeded Anna McElhinney from Billerica is more than 30 seconds ahead with a 10:56.12 seed time. 

April Schilling is seeded 10th in the 1,000 meter run (3:12.70) while Courtnegail Rose has the No. 9 spot in the shot put (31-10).

The Division 3 meet will be held on Sunday.

Division 4

The Blue Devils are bringing an entire contingent to the Division 4 meet. 

Competing in a couple of distance events is Northampton’s Norah Reade, ranked No. 12 in the 1,000 meter run (3:16.39) and No. 8 in the mile (5:38.02). She’s joined by fellow mid-distance competitors Kira French, seeded 14th in the 600 meter run (1:46.98), Anna Zamer seeded No. 14 in the 1-mile (5:47.69) and Tess Geis-Benton seeded No. 18 in the 1-mile mile (5:52.34). Lily Zamer is the lone ’Hamp runner in the two-mile with the No. 12 spot (12:42.75).

Eleanor Lewis tied with a few other competitors in the high jump with a 5-1 mark, earning her the No. 6 spot, and is seeded No. 20 in the 55-meter hurdles (9.93). Allie Sullivan will also compete in the high jump (No. 8, 5-1).

Camilla Brewer is No. 15 in the 55 hurdles (9.74) and will also compete in a pair of field events – the high jump (No. 20, 4-1) and the long jump (No. 15, 15-8.5)

For the Northampton boys, Rowan Hodgson is the No. 11 seed in the 55-meter dash (6.81) and will race teammate Ryland Breen (No. 19, 6.89). Breen is also seeded No. 15 in the 300 meter dash (37.65). 

The Blue Devils also have a chance to take home some hardware in the mid-distance and distance categories. Teddy King-Pollet is ranked No. 5 in the two-mile race (10:14.99). Jack Kamins is the No. 6 seed in the 600 meter run (1:28.83) and is also No. 6 in the 1-mile (4:40.67). Kamins will be joined by Jude Mourad in the 1-mile (No. 12, 4:47.27). Meanwhile, Davis Wheat will compete in the 1,000 meter run at the No. 13 spot (2:47.54).

Juan Jose Adams-Causton will also compete in the long jump (No. 20, 19-3). 

Northampton will kick off the state meet slate on Wednesday.

Division 5

South Hadley’s Emma Sanford has been tearing up the track during the regular season, and she’s not slowing down at all for the postseason. 

Sanford secured the top mark in two events, picking up the No. 1 seed in both the 55-meter hurdles (8.75) and the long jump (17-2.5). She could end up medaling in three events; the senior is also the No. 6 seed in the high jump with a 5-2 mark. 

There could very well be three Western Mass. athletes on the podium for the 55-meter hurdles. Besides Sanford sitting in the top spot, Frontier’s Caroline Crocker holds the third seed (8.90) and her teammate Hannah Davis is less than a half a second behind her in the No. 10 spot (9.37). 

Other top competitors on the girls’ side include Crocker, who’s also the No. 15 seed in the long jump (15-5), South Hadley’s Abigail Gelinas, who’s ranked No. 10 in the 55 dash (7.63), No. 11 in the long jump (15-8.5) and No. 18 in the 300 dash (44.54), and Frontier’s Summer Sobieski, who’s No. 14 in the high jump (4-10).

Also up for a podium finish is Hampshire’s Kathleen Barry, who’s seeded No. 11 in the two-mile (12:42.32). Lilly Novak from Frontier is also seeded No. 19 in the shot put (29-9.5).

On the boys’ side, Frontier’s Ben Cachiguango is seeded No. 9 in the 55 hurdles (8.54) and teammate Evan Hedlund is ranked No. 15 in the two-mile run (10:24.12). Close behind him is Hampshire’s Gavin DaFonte, seeded No. 20 in the two mile (10:48.81). 

The Division 5 meet will be on Thursday.

]]>