Several Hand Track Athletes Shine on Biggest Postseason Stages
Several Hand track athletes qualified for the State Open, New England, and New Balance National Championships after a successful spring on the track. On the girls’ side at State Open, Annecy Vlieks took seventh in the 3200 with a time of 11:15.28. Brooke Anderson took 15th in the high jump (5-00.00), and Alexis Kuszpa took 11th in the pole vault (10-00.00). In the triple jump, Brooke Anderson took 14th place with a school record score of 33-09.00.
On the boys’ side, Kyle Hoffman recorded a new personal record (PR) in the 400 meters with a time of 47.92, and he came in fifth place. John Daniels (41.64) placed 20th in the 300 hurdles, and the 4x400 team of Daniels, Nate Kraft, Aedan Virgulto, and Hoffman placed second with a time of 3:19.84. Matt Kasper earned his PR in the triple jump (46-08.00), as he earned a first place finish. In the 4x100, Kraft, Cooper Dunsmore, Virgulto, and Gavin Wagner placed 15th with a time of 43.65. Alex Osterman competed in the javelin and recorded a PR of 154-07. He came in 13th place in the event. In the pole vault, Sean Arms (13-06.00) placed seventh, and Ian Foster (12-06.00) took 15th.
At the New England Championships, Vlieks placed seventh in the 3200 with a time of 11:05.63. For the boys, the 4x400 team of Daniels, Kraft, Virgulto, and Hoffman took second place with a time of 3:20.59. Hoffman also ran the 400 and placed fourth, earning a time of 49.24. In the triple jump, Kasper placed sixth (45-07.00).
A handful of boys’ athletes qualified for New Balance Nationals after their standout performances at New Englands, including Kasper in the triple jump. The 4x400 squad of Daniels, Kraft, Virgulto, and Hoffman placed 19th in the nation and recorded a time of 3:18.90, their personal record in the event and also a new school record.