The Athol High School indoor track & field team competed at the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Pentathlon on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
Mason Barrieau, Colby Soltysik and Anthony Marcucci participated from the Red Raiders boys’ team, while Grace Dufour competed from the girls club.
Overall, it was a very cool event,” Athol coach David St. Jean said. “This was the first time I brought athletes to the indoor pentathlon. In fact, I am fairly certain it was the first time any Athol athletes have competed.”
Athletes competed in the following events for a cumulative score: 55- meter high hurdles, 1000-meter run, high jump, long jump and shot put.
Barrieau placed 27th at the event out of 111 participants.
“I was really eager to see how Mason would do being such a natural athlete,” St. Jean said. “He gained some excellent experience for college where I believe he can grow in to a very good multi-event athlete.”
Barrieau’s top finish was in the long jump where he placed 26th (18-7¾).
Soltysik placed 59th (1.54 meters) in the high jump for the Red Raiders, while Marcucci (1.52) tied for 60th in the same event.
Marcucci had an impressive showing in the 1000, where he placed 21st (3:01.47) for Athol.
Barrieau was 33rd (3:04.82) in the same event out of 104 runners.
Dufour got past a tough start in the high jump to have a solid showing for the Red Raiders.
“She settled down a performed solidly across the board,” St. Jean said. “She is easily one of the hardest workers I have on both teams and now that she has experienced this once, I know she will be hungry to improve next year.”
Dufour was 65th in the 800-meter run (2:55.44) out of 122 athletes for the Red Raiders. In the long jump, Dufour placed 66th (14—03.00) out of 120 athletes.
Barrieau ran the best time for Athol in the 55-high hurdles (8.96).
Barriueu also impressed in the shot put for Athol, finishing 27th (10.35 meters) overall out of 110 athletes.