Indoor track: Frontier Regional girls finish second at PVIAC Valley Championships

NORTHAMPTON — Franklin County track and field athletes put together a host of dynamic performances at the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference Valley Championships on Sunday in Northampton.

The Frontier Regional girls team, led by Emmanuelle and Louise Flagolett, boosted the Redhawks to a second-place finish in the team standings. Frontier finished with 109 points. Hampshire Regional won the team championship with 126 points at Smith College.

Louise Flagollet earned individual championships in the 300, the high jump and the 4×400 relay. Louise Flagollet (43.24) outpaced Pope Francis’ Gabby Scibelli (43.86) in the 300 for a personal record.

“I was seeded second,” Louise Flagollet said. “I knew I was kind of close and I could possibly win it. So, I was really excited for that. I am really happy with the results.”

In the high jump, Louise Flagollet jumped five feet, two inches. Mahar’s Stellina Moore was second with a jump of five feet. In third (4-10) was Maia Christensen of Frontier.

“I wasn’t really confident going into it,” Louise Flagollet said of the high jump. “But I got a season best. Which I was really happy with.”

The 4×400 relay team consisting of Maddie Antes, Phoebe Radner, Emmanuelle Flagollet and Louise Flagollet also placed first (4:24.23) for the Redhawks. The relay team dusted the competition in the relay. Hampshire Regional was a distant second place (4:37.33).

Louise Flagollet is the anchor in the relay, taking the baton from Emmanuelle Flagollet for the final stretch.

“Usually we have pretty good handoffs,” Louise Flagollet said. “There’s been some that aren’t great. But it usually goes pretty well.”

Emmanuelle Flagollet took first (9.31) in the 55-hurdles for the Redhawks along with the relay win. She took second (15-2) in the long jump. The long jump was a season best for Flagollet. She was a little under the weather heading into the event.

“I am feeling kind of sick today,” Emmanuelle Flagollet said. “I did decently in the prelims, but I did better in the finals. Hopefully I am feeling better physically, but a win at Western Mass. is really great. I hope I can carry it on to states.”

Moore was third (14-6.5) in the long jump for the Senators.

Pioneer Valley Regional’s Carter Berthiaume wowed the audience at Smith College with his performance in the high jump. Berthiaume’s jump set a school record with a jump of six feet, four inches. The jump was good for an individual championship. Ben Gillis of South Hadley was second with a jump of six feet.

“I am definitely not used to being that high in the air,” Berthiaume said. “I felt good energy from my opponents. That was a key part of it. I had some fun conversations with them. They were all jumping great. That kind of pushed me to want to be good today.”

The high jumping competitors were all cheering loudly for each other the entire meet. Berthiaume is the only boy on the Pioneer team.

“It definitely gets a little lonely sometimes,” Berthiaume said. “I am just keeping to myself and doing what I am told to do. and just getting it done. I kind of took being the only athlete as a great way to focus on high jumping because I am passionate about that.”

Greenfield’s Mason Youmell battled through some head pains and overall sickness to finish first in the 55-hurdles (8.21) and the 600-meter (1:28.25). Some visiting friends rallied Youmell in both of his wins. The performance in the hurdles was a school record. After the hurdles, Youmell couldn’t believe his time.

“My body just didn’t feel it,” Youmell said. “You know that feeling where you feel like you went fast? I just didn’t feel that. But it ended up being fast.”

Ezra Rich of Frontier Regional practically launched a shot put into orbit for the Redhawks. Rich’s throw (43-04.75) lapped second place in the event. Lincoln Belsky of South Hadley was second (39-05.25).

Frontier’s Luke Howard placed first (4:36.44) in the mile. Howard continued his excellence in the distance events with a first-place finish (9:53.67) in the 2-mile. In the 300, teammate Adrien Pazmandy also placed first (37.21). Mohawk’s Tanner Biagini was third (37.46) in the 300-meter. Greenfield’s Kymel Ramsey registered a second place (6.83) finish in the 55-meter.

Ryan Spofford of Greenfield also grabbed a first-place finish in the 1000-meter (2:51.53).

The South Hadley boys team took the team championship with 115 points. Greenfield placed third as a team 62 points. Next up in Franklin County was Frontier Regional with 50 points. Mohawk Regional placed sixth while Mahar Regional was seventh. Pioneer Valley Regional and Athol High School were 10th and 12th, respectively.

Virginia Krezmien took third overall (5:42.21) in the mile for Mohawk. Krezmien also took third (3:28.71) in the 1,000 for the Warriors. Pioneer’s Harper Hake placed fourth (5:49.88) in the mile. The performance for Hake was a new school record.

Mahar’s Madilyn Moore placed second (27-2) in the shot put. Chloe Cusson of Frontier registered a third-place finish (26-7.5).

Rounding out the standings on the girls side was Mahar in fifth place with 35 points and Mohawk placing sixth with 29 points. Next up was Greenfield in eighth and Pioneer Valley Regional in ninth place.