'Our goal is to perform our best when it counts the most': Westborough boys' track continues to thrive
The Westborough boys' track and field team, under coach Roger Anderson for the 26th season, enjoyed great success while residing in the Mid-Wach B.
Last season, the Rangers moved up to Mid-Wach A, but the transition has been seamless.
Westborough went 3-2 last spring and finished second at the league championship. This season, the Rangers are 3-0, with victories over Wachusett and Shepherd Hill before defeating former Mid-Wach B foe Marlborough on Wednesday.
“We have a really good league,” Anderson said. “The Mid-Wach A is tough. We always want to chase the league title. You’ve got to beat good teams to do it. We value our league, so striving to win the league championship is always on the table.”
“Definitely win the league,” senior Ben Verheijen said. “That’s going to be pretty possible.”
The Rangers have been a perennial power over the years while building quite an impressive résumé.
Westborough captured Central Mass. championships in 2005 and 2011, and in 2021 earned its first and only Central/Western Division 1 crown.
Under Anderson’s guidance, the Rangers also collected five CMass Class B titles from 1999 to 2005, and secured Class A championships in 2008, 2011 and 2021. The traditional class meet format has been replaced with an all Central Mass. Championship.
“Our goal is to perform our best when it counts the most,” said Anderson, whose team placed sixth at the Division 3 state meet last May. “We’ve been training with that in mind. It’s a tricky balance.”
“I just want to see everyone, individually get better,” junior Sebastian Grillo said. “Do what we do. Everyone does their job and performs what they’re supposed to perform at.”
“We have a chance to win districts,” Verheijen said. “That would be pretty awesome. It’d be pretty cool to see a lot of people go to states.”
Anderson is proud to point out that 112 boys came out for the team this spring. Westborough’s No. 1 asset is obviously depth.
And it doesn’t hurt to have talent and experience, either.
“We try to make sure we go two, three guys deep in each event,” Anderson said. “Our sprinters and jumpers this year are clearly our strength. We have a good group of throwers who have been working hard. When you’re working hard, things come your way. For me, it’s always trying to maximize what we have.
“I like my senior leadership this year, and our practice habits are very intentional,” Anderson added. “Our coaching staff has morphed into using our strengths across both the boys’ and girls’ teams. Matt Wilson, our girls’ coach, is outstanding with sprinters, so he really helps us there.”
“It’s a very talented team,” Grillo said. “It has a lot of potential. There is a lot of energy on this team. Our coaches just push everyone and push them to be better. It’s a great team to be on. It’s just a great atmosphere.”
Verheijen is excited about the postseason.
“I feel really good about it,” he said. “In the three years I’ve been on this team, this is the most talented I’ve seen this year. We have a lot of depth. A lot of people are stepping up and getting (personal bests). Everybody is just excited and having fun. Everywhere you go, there’s a lot of energy.”
Westborough is led by senior Alan Nguyen, who holds the Rangers' record in the long jump at 22 feet, 4½ inches. Nguyen, who was dubbed “a great athlete” by Anderson and is a T&G Super Teamer, also competes in the 110-meter hurdles and pole vault.
Anderson pointed out that Verheijen has progressed to be a fine sprinter and jumper. Verheijen has run the 100 in 11.4 seconds, 200 in 23.5, soared 20-2 in the long jump, and hopped, skipped, and jumped to a 40-9 in the triple.
“I’d love to go to All-States”, said Verheijen, who is considering trying to walk on to the track program at Northeastern, where he is attending in the fall. “I’m looking to get down to 11 flat in the 100, 23 flat for the 200, 21 feet for the long jump, and 41 feet for the triple jump.”
Grillo, a running back, linebacker and captain in football and a Mid-Wach B all-star, has thrown 48-1 in the shot put and 140-4 in the discus.
“He has shown great promise in shot put and discus this year, improving dramatically over the last year,” Anderson said.
Grillo said he’s hoping to surpass 150 feet in the discus and 50 feet in the shot put. “I just want to do better in my events and help my team, overall, and push my teammates,” Grillo said.
Others to watch are senior Michael Lelacheur, the Rangers' top distance runner, and classmates Timofey Tylik and Brendan Martin (400 hurdles, jumps), Taylor Quigley (discus, shot put) and Zach Veiby (sprints, jumps).”
Saturday is for Relays
The District E Relays are Saturday, with both meets beginning at 9 a.m. The Division 1 boys’ and girls’ relays are at Shrewsbury High, while the Division 2 boys’ and girls’ event is at Gardner High.
—Contact Steve Farley at sports@telegram.com.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Westborough boys' track continues its winning ways
