If this is how the 2022-23 winter season is going to go for the Manchester Essex indoor track teams, then this promises to be a memorable season for both Hornets squads. Members of the boys’ team set school records and the girls’ team saw some personal bests in the season-opening Winter Festival held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on December 10.
Jack Newton led the way for the boys’ team by finishing fifth in the 600 with a time of 1:32.08, the fifth-best time for the event in school history. The senior captain also finished second in the high jump with a school-record measurement of 5-feet, 10-inches.
Fellow captain Nate Gardner set a school record with a time of 8.99 in the hurdles (finishing eighth overall). Sophomore Nicky Clement set a personal record in the 55 (7.60) and senior Logan Cooper set a personal record in the 100 (2:58.75). Senior Lucas Rodi set a personal best in the mile with a time of 5:29.66, and sophomore Sam Heanue set a personal record in the shotput (32-feet, 2.5-inches).
On the girls’ side, senior captain Caroline MacKinnon finished in fourth in the 1000 with a time of 3:35.42, while sophomore Sabine Cooper (mile, 6:23.58), freshman Cecilia Donohoe (600, 1:59.05) and sophomore Gwen Berger (600, 2:25.61) all recorded personal bests. Also of note were performances from Summer Demeo in the 1000 (3:50.71) and shotput (19-feet, 3.75-inches), and freshman Caroline Eliassen in the 300 (53.31).
"It was a great start to the season, and I hope will bode well for the rest of the year,” says Manchester Essex indoor track coach Nelson Desilvestre. “Lots of good times and performances as well as learning about the team. There is a lot of enthusiasm, and we hope to build upon what happened this weekend."
The girls’ team is coming off of a winless season in 2021-22, but returns talent and experience in captains MacKinnon, junior Whitney Turner and sophomore Megan Hurd. The boys team finished fourth in the Cape Ann League Baker Division last winter with a 1-3 record, with Gardner, Newton and junior Finnian O’Hara returning to captain the squad.
The regular season was slated to begin in earnest on December 13 against Amesbury, with a break for winter vacation and the resumption of the winter season with the Freshman/Sophomore meet on January 8.
