Two Walpole hurdlers earn their medals for 2 and 3 place.

The Reggie Lewis Center has been filled with commotion for the past two weeks.  The Division II State Meet was held Thursday February 16.  The Walpole boys scored a total of 32 points: brining the team to fifth place.  The girls however came in 14, with only 14 points.  Although the girls did not do as well as they anticipated, the team however did the best they ever had at the state meet.  A total of 9 medals were brought home, through individuals or their relay team.

Walpole had a strong performance mostly in the jumps and sprints.  Junior PJ Hayes was undeniably the star of the meet.  Hayes not only smashed his personal record with a 6.45, he broke the Division II meet record in the 55m dash.  With Hayes’ win, he was seeded first at the All-State Meet, February 26.  Junior Connor McCarthy placed second overall in the 55m hurdles, with a new school record, 7.79.  Also joining McCarthy is senior Conor Murtaugh with third place, with a time of 7.84.  McCarthy also placed eighth in long jump with a 20’01.25.  Junior Maddy Shea also had a huge PR of the season jumping 17’1.75, placing second.  Maddy was also part of the 4x200m relay, with senior Erin McCarthy, junior Seana Cofsky, and sophomore Savonna Small-Brown.  The 4x200m relay team not only placed eighth earning a medal, the team also broke the school record with a 1:50:53.  The boy’s 4x200m relay team also broke the school record with a 1:33:02.  Hayes, McCarthy, junior Kemble Lindh, and senior Bryan Rockwood came in third.

The distance races however did not perform to their fullest potential.  Only two medals of the nine was brought home.  Senior Justin Connolly placed eighth overall in the two mile but did not PR or make it to All-States. However, sophomore Gina Conti placed fourth in the 1000m run, although it was not a PR; a 3:07:46 still earned her a spot for the All State meet.

February 26 held the All State meet with Walpole bringing along their top competitors; McCarthy, Murtaugh, Shea, Small-Brown, McCarthy, Cofsky, and Conti.  Connor McCarthy ran the 55m hurdles, in the prelims he ran a 7.89, and in the finals he ran a 7.81, to get third, with this time he is now ranked seventh in Massachusetts.  Since McCarthy placed third in the State, he is now qualified to run at the New England Championships March 2.  Murtaugh did not PR he was only .11 off of his best time with a 7.84.

The girls 4x200m ran a 1:51:27, which did not give them a place, or a PR.  Maddy Shea who has never been to the All-State meet was part of the 4x200m relay and also long jump.  She jumped 16-04.00.  This was not a PR for Shea, but still it proved to herself that she belonged at the All State Meet, with the top competitors.

Gina Conti, who did not PR at the States proved that she was worthy of going to All States in the 1000 meter. Conti ran a 3:01.30 which is .07 off of her PR to place 5 overall and earned herself a spot at the New England Championships, March 2. She said, “I honestly didn’t think I would make it this far, after my run at the divisional meet.  At 3:07, I thought would prevent me from going to All States, so New Englands’ was not even crossing my mind, or even medaling at All- States.”

Not only did she make it to New Englands’, Conti along with Shea, Small-Brown, and Erin McCarthy are going to New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York on March 9 to run a sprint medley. A sprint medley is a 200, 200, 400, and an 800. As well as running the 800 in the sprint medley Conti is also running the open 800.