Walpole Boys Indoor Track and Field entered the Reggie Lewis Center for their first meet of the season on Dec. 15. In his first meet as the head coach, Corey Coogan led his team to a 47-44 victory over Norwood. Although down 37-44 going into the final two events, the Rebels won both the 4×200 and the 4×400 relays to notch their first victory.
“It was a very good feeling. I was nervous for a little bit, but the guys really stepped up in the relays,” said Coogan.
Tau Preacher, a junior, who competes in the long jump and hurdles came first place for hurdles with a time of 8.60, and placed second for long jump with a distance of 19”9’.
“I’m really proud of him,” said Samantha Rafferty who coaches jumping and hurdling events. “He jumped 19”9’, which is his [personal record] and also qualified him for divisionals at the end of the year.”
Preacher helped his team gain five points for hurdles and three points for long jump.
“I think I did pretty good. It felt good for the most part,” said Preacher. “Overall I think we did really good [at the meet].”
Senior Luke Berardinelli, an experienced long distance runner, high jumped for the first time of his career at this meet. The event has been a weakness for this team for the last two years.
“Before I was kinda nervous cause I have never done it before,” said Berardinelli about his first experience at high jump. “I didn’t clear, but after my last jump I felt pretty confident, even though I didn’t clear.”
Although he did not clear opening height, the Norwood jumpers did not either.
After the high jump, Berardinelli came in second for the 1000 meter with a time of 2:51.08. He also ran in the 4×400 relay, which placed the team in first allowing them to win the meet.
During the 600 meter race, junior Jack Kennefick placed first with a time of 1:30.94. Junior Stephen Colleran followed with a time of 1:35.07 in third to notch six more points for the Rebels.
For long jump, sophomores Jack O’Meara and Patrick Hinton placed fourth (O’Meara) and fifth (Hinton). Hinton also ran in the 55 meter dash with a time of 7.27 and O’Meara ran in the 300 meter with a time of 39.12 coming in second.
O’Meara said, “I thought it went pretty well, in the long jump, second farthest jump I’ve jumped this year and last year. And then [made personal record] in the 300 with a 39.12.”
The boys first meet against Norwood was a close matchup, yet they pulled out victoriously in the end to win their first meet of the season. But with their record now at 1-0, they head back to the Reggie Lewis Center on Thursday Dec. 22 to face their next opponent: Wellesley.
