With an overall successful season, the Walpole Girls Track team tied for second in the league with Natick and Milton. The team’s final record was 3-2, an improvement over last year’s record of 2-3-1. The third win for the Rebels was against big rival, Norwood, who put up a good fight in a close meet with the Rebels taking the victory, 56-39. The last meet of the season, however, ended with a disappointing loss to Wellesley, the undefeated league champion, with the score 58-35.
The dual meet against Norwood on Thursday, January 20, was a victory that brought Walpole to a 3-1 record. After scoring 18 points in the meet against Milton in the previous week, sophomore Maddy Shea was eager to improve her scores some more. She set new personal records (PR’s) in three events. Shea placed third in the dash (7.87), and second in the 300m (42.84) – both behind Norwood’s senior Corey Ryan, a soccer all-star. Behind Shea in the 300m was junior Erin McCarthy, placing third (45.05). The final PR set by Shea at this meet was in high jump with a height of 5’1 – this time beating out Norwood’s Ryan, along with junior Danielle Ringler.
Freshman Gina Conti, with her new position as top 600m runner, gained another first place win (1:46.91). Three of the team’s top senior runners – Liz Jelloe, Brigette Lawton, and Jocelyn Lydon – also all performed well, gaining a combined 13 points. Jelloe followed behind Conti in the 600m to get second with 1:51.38. For the 1000m, Lawton placed first in 3:14.58, beating out Norwood’s runner by two seconds. The mile brought yet another first place for Lydon who set a new PR with a time of 5:54.63.
Similar to Conti, freshman Kristen Coyne has also become comfortable with her role on the team and has kept improving in her race — the two mile. Coyne (PR of 12:51.78) led senior Lane Kelleher and freshman Gabbi Petruzziello to sweep the longest distance race for 9 points total.
Other personal records included junior Rebecca Goula’s second place finish in the 55m hurdles, 10:75, giving her enough points to receive a varsity letter. Senior Jackie Clinton set two PR’s of her own in shot put and in long jump, 26’6.5 and 14’3.0 respectively – both second place finishes. The meet finished with a 4×400 victory for Walpole of 4:26.26, only one second ahead of Norwood.
The Wellesley meet did not bring as exciting results for Walpole, with only a total of 8 PR’s for the team – the lowest amount in the season. The only points earned in sprinting events were by Clinton, who placed second in the dash (8.01) and Shea, who placed third in the 300m (45.41). Conti took first place again in the 600m (1:45.20), .31 seconds in front of Wellesley’s sophomore Tessa Broholm. For distance events, Jelloe placed third in the 1000m (3:25.07), Lawton placed first in the mile (5:39.36), and Coyne placed second in the two mile (12:58.37).
Sophomore Nicole Browne was finally back to compete at the Wellesley meet after being out with a knee injury. Browne finished second in the 55m hurdles (9.57) and third in high jump (4’10). Right in front of her for the high jump at second place was Shea at the same height, but with fewer misses. Shea also placed second in long jump (15’07.05).
Seniors Clinton and My’Lissa Hope placed second and third in shot put, 25’06.50 and 25’05. Finishing the meet, Walpole won the 4×400 relay again, with a time of 4:30.11, compared to Wellesley’s 5:04.76.
The times definitely could have been better for the Wellesley meet, but the Rebels were still proud with their league placing. After Natick’s loss to Milton (53-42), both Natick and Milton now had two losses just like Walpole. Natick, Milton, and Walpole share the second place title for the Herget League, while Wellesley holds first place. Upcoming in the season, the varsity runners still have the League Meet, and for some of them, the Division II State Championships. Hoping to recover from the devastating loss against Wellesley, the girls’ training will continue for a few more weeks into the season.
