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N.H. state track meets: Exeter girls second; Oyster River, STA boys fourth

LONDONDERRY - All but one event was completed in the Division I girls track and field championship meet on Saturday, May 30 at Londonderry High School.

Exeter held a slim lead over Pinkerton when darkness suspended the meet with just the pole vault to be completed.

The meet resumed on Sunday, May 31 and Pinkerton's Delaney Paquin placed second in the pole vault with a jump of 10 feet, and lifted the Astros to the state championship with a team score of 117. Exeter was second in the 18-team field with 111.

Exeter's Martelle McBride competes in the long jump at the Division I state girls track championship on Saturday, May 30 at Londonderry High School. McBride placed second in the event and helped the Blue Hawks to a second-place performance behind Pinkerton.

"Our girls had an outstanding day," Exeter coach Laura Smith said. "There were a few events we weren’t competing in, and ultimately, that was the difference for us. We competed well everywhere and had some girls come up big when it mattered. Overall, everyone gave it their all, and we scored 111 points, which is an excellent day."

Portsmouth placed fifth with 32 points, Dover (2) tied for 16th, and Winnacunnet (1) was 18th.

Exeter's Paterna sets state record

Exeter senior Lexi Paterna won the 1,600, setting a state and Division I record in 5 minutes, 08.78 seconds. She also won the 3,200 in 10:41.40, and was second in the 800 (2:11.58).

Exeter distance coach Joe Scascitelli said it wasn't a goal for Paterna to set a new state record going into the meet.

"(Paterna) was doing three events, and was competing against one of the best runners in all of New England, Makita Barry of Bedford, in all three races," Scascitelli said. "The plan was to attempt to wear Makita down, so that Lexi would have a better chance to prevail in the 800, Makita’s specialty, and 3,200 races. Lexi’s fitness level is peaking right now, and she is surely one of the best distance runners to ever come out of New Hampshire."

Exeter girls get many top-six performances

Exeter's 4x800 meter relay team, consisting of Danica Caron, Abigail Riccio, Eli Cross, and Madie Poteet, placed first in 9:41.55. The 4x400 team, comprised of Emma Roeder, Martelle McBride, Poteet and Izzie Bremer, placed second in 4:00.54.

Exeter took three of the top five spots in the 400 as Bremer (59.51), McBride (59.87) and Roeder (59.97) placed third through fifth, respectively. McBride was also second in the long jump (16-06.75), Brianna Paterna was third in the 3,200 (10:42.28) and Autumn Fabiano was third in the shot put (33-00.75).

Other top-six performances from Exeter were turned in by Poteet (fourth, 800, 2:15.47), Sydney MacVicar (fourth, 100 hurdles, 16.89), Callen Myers (fourth, shot put, 32-08.25), Sam Gutowski (fourth, discus, 98-8) and Bremer (fifth, 800, 2:22.89). Mallory Fisher was fifth in both the 100 hurdles (17.23) and long jump (15-09.5). The 4x100 relay team, consisting of Finley Mason, McBride, Isabelle Ernst, and Lexy Rogers, placed fifth (50.84), MacVicar was sixth in the 300 hurdles (50.34), and Caron was sixth in the 800 (2:22.38).

Other Seacoast standouts at DI girls meet

For Portsmouth, sophomore Leiana Cory placed second in both the 100 (12.67) and 200 (26.13), and Emmie Wentworth was fifth (96-08) in the discus.

In the 4x100 relay, Evelyn Avery, Ella Carter, Cayla Gonzalez and Cory placed second in 49.79; the team of Alexa Baryiames, Jenny Ryan, Georgia Parrott, and Kelsey Campbell placed fourth in the 4x800 (10:17.12), and Parrott, Carter, Sienna Metcalf, and Cory placed fifth in the 4x400 (4:09.18).

For Dover, Kathleen Lynch placed sixth in the 400 (60.62), and Norah O'Malley was sixth in the javelin (87-11).

Pinkerton wins boys title, Portsmouth seventh

Pinkerton won the 19-team field with a 156 points, beating Nashua North (47.33). Memorial (36.33), Concord (34) and Bishop Guertin (32) rounded out the top five, respectively.

Portsmouth (27.33) placed seventh, Spaulding (24) was 10th, Winnacunnet (12) was 14th, Dover (11) was 15th and Exeter (10) was 17th.

Portsmouth's Leo Guarracino won the pole vault in a school-record height of 14-2. In the 4x800, the Portsmouth foursome of Luke Boynton, Gavin Leader, Will Hart and Nicky Beidleman placed second (8:20.12).

Other top Portsmouth finishes included Will Hart (third, 800, 1:55.01), Jake Vance (fifth, 400, 51.50), Ben Lucy (sixth, javelin, 132-07), Ben Bloom (sixth, high jump, 5-08).

For Spaulding, Caleb Plante won the long jump (22-02.75) and placed fourth in the 200 (23.29). Aaron Geldart was fifth (23.47) in the 200, and the 4x400 relay, consisting of Geldart, Brody Chaisson, Plante, and Quincee Lewis, placed second (3:28.46).

For Winnacunnet, Dexter Mariotti placed second in the 400 (50.7), Will Koutalidis was fifth in the 800 (1:59.26), and the quartet of Alexander Champney, Dylan Zumbach, Koutalidis and Mariotti placed fifth in the 4x400 (3:31.69).

For Dover, Melo Berdecia was fourth in the 800 (1:55.24), Ben Burke was fourth in the javelin (137-09), and Connor Lazarz was fifth in the discus (137-05).

For Exeter, Colton Ray was third in the long jump (21-7.5), Colby Orleans was fifth in the triple jump (40-07.25) and Kai Hollar was sixth in the pole vault (10-6). The 4x400 relay team, consisting of Avery Bourgeault, Tyler Ream, Wally Dangora, and Agee Griffith, was sixth (3:31.69).

Oyster River girls third in Division II

Oyster River won two events and had four girls place in the top six in two events, placing third in the 14-team field with 85 points. Coe-Brown won with team score of 118, and Hanover was third (103).

Oyster River's 4x800 relay team won in a time of 10:06.27, while Mollie Sexton won the javelin (104-3).

Olivia Kavanagh was second in the 3,200 (11:11.29) and third in the 1,600 (5:14.02), Elizabeth Carty was third in the 300 hurdles (49.15) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.71), Avery Baumgardt was third in both the long jump (15-10.5) and triple jump (33-09), and Madelyn Cook was third in the 800 (2:23.21) and fifth in the 1,600 (5:22.91).

Other top-six performances were turned in by Neely Roy (third, 3,200, 11:21.09), Nora Rogers (fifth, 100 hurdles, 17.58), Elizabeth Bessette (fourth, pole vault, 7-0) and Evelyn Kearney (sixth, 300 hurdles, 50.7).

Oyster River boys fourth in Division II

Oyster River had four boys place in the top six in two events, placing fourth in the 16-team field with 60 points. Coe-Brown won with team score of 94, while Hanover (78), and Souhegan (64) placed second and third, respectively.

Samuel Nunoo-Quarcoo won the 300 hurdles (41.07) and was second in the discus (117-05), Oliver Lehman won the 3,200 (9:36.22) and was second in the 1,600 (4:26.57), Michah Gedney was second in the long jump (20-1) and fifth in the 100 (11.49), and Levi Clapp was fifth in the 3,200 (9:48.42) and sixth in the 1,600 (4:30.23).

Other top-six performances were turned in by Rory Keegan (second, high jump, 5-08), Ronin Keating (fifth, shot put, 37-00.75) and Lucas Guyotte (sixth, pole vault, 9-0). The 4x100 relay was fourth (45.39) and the 4x400 was fifth (3:39.55).

PCA, Somersworth, STA girls place in Division III top 11

Hopkinton won the championship in the 29-team field with 86 points, while Gilford (70) was second. Portsmouth Christian was eighth (22.50), Somersworth was ninth (20) and St. Thomas Aquinas (18) was 11th.

For PCA, the 4x100 relay was second (51.58), the 4x800 was second (10:09.70) and the 4x400 was fourth (4:23.86).

For Somersworth, Skyla Hall won the high jump (5-0) and was sixth in the discus (97-9), and Savanna Comeau was second in the high jump (5-0).

For St. Thomas, Maia Scanlon was fourth in the 400 (61.65), Claire Harris was fourth in the 800 (2:25.94), Victoria Quintanilla was fifth in the 800 (2:28.22), Mallory Baker was fifth in the 300 hurdles (49.96), and the 4x400 relay was third (4:22.51).

St. Thomas boys fourth in Division III, PCA eighth

Pelham won the championship in the 26-team field with 77 points, while Mascoma Valley (72.5), Winnisquam (58) and St. Thomas Aquinas (34) placed second through fourth, respectively.

Portsmouth Christian was eighth (28), Newmarket (14) was 13th, and Somersworth was 17th (10).

St. Thomas' Breyden Sanchez was third in both the 100 (11.48) and 200 (23.58) and fifth in the long jump (20-04), Aaron Hughes was second in the 400 (51.12) and Oliver Schartner was third in the 1,600 (4:38.21). STA's 4x400 relay team placed third (3:35.75).

Newmarket's Aiden Ekamen was fourth in the 300 hurdles (43.19), the 4x800 relay was third (8:47.79) and the 4x100 relay was fourth (46.28).

For Somersworth, Orlando Wondall was third in the high jump (6-0) and sixth in the 110 hurdles (16.6), while Ray Labelle was fifth in the javelin (147-5) and Jevera Polliton was sixth in the triple jump (40-3.25). PCA won the 4x800 relay (8:36.12).

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH state track meets, Exeter girls 2nd; Oyster River, STA boys 4th

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