Tracia, DiVasta lead Peabody at Div. 2 state track meet; SJP third in Div 1

Matt Williams, The Salem News, Beverly, Mass.
·4 min read

Feb. 21—Northeastern Conference cross country champions Logan Tracia and Sarah DiVasta of Peabody High continued their distance dominance at Sunday's Division 2 state meet at the Reggie Lewis Center.

The pair were region's only two gold medal winners over five days of divisional track competition, with Tracia winning the 1000 in 2:33 and DiVasta taking the mile in 5:17. They helped the Tanners to impressive finishes in the respective team standings: third overall for boys (40 points) and fourth for girls (35 points).

Seniors Peter Gardikas and Brendan Smith impressed in the shot put, placing second and third respectively with tosses of 51 feet-6 1/2 inches and 50 feet 10 inches, respectively. The Tanners got points in two relays with the 4x200 of Alan Paulino, Eli Batista, Michael Perez and Colin Ridley coming in fourth (1:34) and the 4x400 of Cam Collins, Shaun Conrad, Marco DeSimone and Tracia also fourth (3:36).

Batista finished fifth in the dash (6.77 seconds) and Jovante Dailey was seventh in the high jump (5-10).

Savanna Vargas came in third in the dash with a 7.39 and Lindsey Wilson was silver medalist in the high jump, clearing 5-foot-2. Aaliyah Callahan placed fifth in the shot put with a throw of 33-7 1/2. The girls 4x200 relay of Vargas, Yosmery Batista, Stella D'Ambrosio and Ava D'Ambrosio was fifth in 1:51.

The 4x800 relay was in the top spot for the Beverly High girls, with Claire Brean, Emily Young, Olivia Young and Allison Prasse coming in fourth in 10:03. Meredith Pasquarosa was the Panthers' best individual with a fifth in the high hurdles (8.97). Emily Young came in sixth in the mile (5:23), her twin Olivia was ninth in the 1000 (3:11). In addition, Mia Kasperowicz was ninth in the 2-mile (11:45).

For Beverly's boys, senior captain Liam Ouellette blazed to fourth place in the 2-mile at 9:47 and Micah McMannus broke his own freshman school record by clocking 10:28 in the same event. David DiPietro was also 11th in the 1000 (2:41).

St. John's Prep finished third as a team in Saturday's Division 1 meet with 47 points led by four silver medalists that'll head to next week's All-State meet. Jason Bois was second in the high hurdles in 7.88 seconds, Tyee Ambrosh was second in the 300 at 36.46 seconds, Charlie Tuttle came in second in the 2-mile (9:29), and Callum Brown cleared 5-foot-10 in the high jump for second place.

Jesse OFurie raced to a fifth place finish for the Eagles in the dash (6.63 seconds) and teamed with Ambrosh, Dylan Aliberti and Carson Browne for fifth in the 4x200 relay (1:32.55). Drew McStay also cleared 5-10 in the high jump for fourth place and the 4x400 relay of Connor Perault, Brendan Burke, Declan Kelley and Dillion Duval scored points in seventh at 3:38. Also competing well were Nathan Lopez (9th, mile, 4:25) and Perault (13th, 600, 1:27).

Under this year's format, the top three finishers in each event in every division automatically advance to the All-State Meet, with the next nine best performances across all divisions also going on.

----At the Division 5 meet Friday night, Ipswich had its second-best finish in program history by taking third overall. James Robie was second in both the high jump (6 feet) and 55 hurdles (8.22 seconds, a PR). Colin Hansen finished third in the 500 (1:26.74, a PR), while Finn Russell was fourth in the 2-mile (10:03.93, another PR). Keith Townsend added a sixth place in the 55 hurdles (8:65). The 4x400 relay team of Hansen, Paul Wertz, Townsend, and Brian Milano placed second (3:32.65), breaking a 14-year-old IHS record.

The Ipswich girls, buoyed by a second place finish in the 4x400 relay (4:13.88) behind Colby Filosa, Amelia Mooradd, Chloe Pszenny and Linde Ruitenberg, led the Tigers to a seventh place finish. Filosa was also third in the 300 (42.38), while Olivia Novello took fifth in the 55 hurdles (9.25) and the 4x200 relay team of Novello, Filosa, Pszenny and Lucy Harmon came in fifth (1:51.39).

Swampscott's Joey Do earned a third place medal in the long jump (20-05) and Dylan Brawley was eighth in the 1000 (2:47).

Hamilton-Wenham's top finisher was Ava Cote in 11th place in the 1000 (3:16).