Two area champions emerged at the Central/West Division 2 Track and Field championships at Gerry Gravel Track on the campus of Westfield State University on Saturday.
Mason Barrieau of Athol High School won for the 400-meter hurdles for the Red Raiders.
Grabbing the first-place medal was an accomplishment for Barrieau, but it did not rank very high in relation to other accomplishments during his decorated career.
“Definitely top five,” Barrieau said. “Not top three. It was a good race up until my last hurdle.”
Barrieau beat out Frontier’s Phaelon Koski even after hitting the final hurdle rather violently.
“I absolutely destroyed it,” Barrieau said. “I hit it so hard I stumbled and almost fell over.”
Even with the stumble at the end, Barrieau posted a blazing time of 57.77 seconds.
Koski bested Barrieau just a week earlier in the same event at Mohawk Regional at the WMass Division 2 meet.
“There wasn’t much of a difference,” Barrieau said. “It was the same type of strategy. I had some people to chase down. I wanted to go out not too fast and just kind of pace myself. After the second to last corner I just went all out.”
Mohawk’s Cullen Brown finished sixth in the event at 60.01 seconds, while Franklin Tech’s Zack Conway was seventh at 60.8. Mohawk’s Guy Rice-Lesure was ninth in 61.21, and Franklin Tech’s Lucas Upham was 13th at 62.8.
Mahar freshman Sienna Moore was the other area champion as she broke her own school record in pole vault en route to the Central/West crown.
Her starting height was 9-feet, which surprised some of her opponents. She won with a height of 10 feet cleared.
“When I said nine feet, they did a double take,” Moore said. “I knew I had to do the best that I could do.”
The top-seed in the pole-vault, Christy Teska of Maynard, missed the event with an injury.
“I know her from Patriot Pole Vault,” Moore said. “If we were were both jumping at 10-6, I think I could have pulled something out. Just having that competition and needed to get that height.”
Mohawk’s Meghan Davis placed second (11:12.28) in the two-mile run, finishing behind Emily Boutin (11:03.28) of Pope Francis.
Theodor Popusoi secured second (10:49.28) in the pole-vault for the Green Wave on Thursday.
Scott McDonough of Pioneer, finished fifth (20-4½) in the long jump. Mohawk’s London Summers (155-10) secured third in the javelin.
In the 100-meter dash, Crescens Iavorschi of Greenfield placed fifth (11.45).
Frontier’s Jenna Martin got a 14th-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles.
Riley Drew of Mahar Regional (52.64) placed sixth in the 400.
Mahar’s Carra Fitzgerald ran her way to fourth place in the mile (5:18.54). The performance broke her own school record. Fitzgerald added a ninth-place finish (2:30.28) in the 800.
In the boys’ 800, Frontier’s Aidan Falla was 10th (2:05.66), and Dennis St. Jean of Athol placed 15th (2:12.15).
In the boys mile-run Alex Sharp (5:02.57) of Frontier and Anthony Marcucci (5:06.74) of Athol placed 19th and 20th.
In the two-mile on the boys’ side, Dennis Simmons of Mohawk Trail was 25th (10:49.28).
Lilah Evans of Frontier placed eighth in the 200-meter dash (27.29).
Frontier teammate Marisela Ackerman (1:04.53) took 12th in the 400 while Jenna Martin was 14th (1:12.28) in the 400-hurdles for the Red Hawks.
Greenfield’s Victoria Marin was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (16.29) tied for ninth (4-10) in the high jump and seventh in the long jump (16-10).
Mahar teammates Kamryn Reilly and Anna Wetherbee were 16th and 17th respectively in the long jump.
Chloe Taddeo placed seventh (31-3¾) in the shot for the Senators.
Jackie Phong of Frontier got 18th in the boys discus (98-1), while schoolmate Ivy Shattuck took ninth (89-4) in the girls discus.
Greenfield’s Kacia Kinsmith topped Franklin County in the javelin, placing fourth at 101-7, while Frontier’s Reilly Isler was sixth at 101 feet.
The South Hadley girls team won the overall competition with 86 points. Mahar placed tied for 12th (21), Mohawk placed 14th (18), and Frontier was tied for 30th (5)
Murdock won on the boys’ side with 56 points.
Frontier was tied for 16th , Mohawk tied for 24th, Athol tied for 27th , Mahar tied for 45th while Franklin Tech was tied for 48th.
