Girls Indoor Track suffered their first loss against Wellesley, 60-35, making their record 3-1. Despite being down top athletes due to sickness, the athletes who did compete really stepped up both on the track and in the field. Junior Jackie Applin said, “The fact that a lot of girls were sick gave the team a sense of leadership. A lot of underdogs stepped up to help out the team and even though we lost, it highlighted what some of the girls are capable of accomplishing for the rest of the season.”
The distance girls stepped up on the track without senior Captain Megan Peterson and junior Kristen Coyne. In the absence of key point scorers, senior Micaela Barry said, ” The distance girls knew that Megan and Kristen were going to be big parts of their races and they had big shoes to fill for their team and for themselves.” To start the meet, sophomore Lucy Lynch took first place for the Rebels with a time of 5:44. Lynch stepped up big in the absence of Coyne. Sophomore Kaitlyn Flinn also PR’d running 6:05 and stealing third place for the Rebels. Freshman Tess Lancaster and senior Micaela Barry finished a second apart to both PR. Behind Barry, junior Jackie Applin PR’d to finish at 6:07. In the thousand Walpole was unable to take first but sophomores Allie Morris and Molly Lanahan were able to take second and third place. Morris crossed the line at 3:29 and three seconds later Lanahan finished behind her at 3:32. Freshman Julia Averill PR’d finishing at 3:36. Junior Megan Jenkins won the 600 meter race setting a new PR for herself. Jenkins crossed the line at 1:46.43; she is only .02 seconds away from qualifying for States. Unfortunately, Wellesley took second and third place, but that didn’t stop the Rebels from stepping up in the two mile. Junior Ashley Waldron took first place for Walpole and set a new PR finishing at 12:36. Sophomore Kathyrn Lawton was moved at the last minute from the 600 to the two mile in the absence of Peterson. Lawton ran her fastest two mile of the season, 13:36; she was .34 seconds away from taking third place for the Rebels.
In the absence of senior Captain Maddy Shea, the sprinter girls and the girls in the field stepped up. Junior Captain Gina Conti won the 300 meter race and PR’d crossing the line at 42.65 seconds. Freshman Kelley Flinn PR’d finishing at 48.29 seconds and freshman Hiromi Kondo was able to finish in third place for Walpole at 8.03 seconds. Freshman Nicole Tobin PR’d finishing at 8.21 seconds. Returning from an injury, sophomore Claire Rinne finished in second place at 10.59 seconds. Returning from a hand injury, junior Ana Orfanidis took second place in shot put, she threw a distance of 23′ 9″. Unfortunately, the Rebels were unable to clear opening height in high jump. In long jump, Kondo was able to take second place and jump a distance of 14′ 2.25″.
After the loss junior captain Gina Conti, said “Hopefully we can be the strong team that we know against wellesley.” The girls are hoping to put the loss behind them next Thursday, January 24 to compete against Natick. If the Rebels are able to defeat Natick, who is currently 4-0, they will have a chance at tying in first for the Herget along with Natick and Wellesley.
