With the sun beating down on Lincoln-Sudbury’s track, the MSTCA Division 1 Relays were primed for some fast performances on Saturday afternoon.
The Andover High girls’ team took full advantage, taking first place for the second year in a row with 88 points, while setting two meet records.
The Golden Warriors’quartet of Hope Joel, Hannah Lansberry, Delia Barbanti, and Ally Bennett set meet records in the 4 x 100 (48.46 seconds) and 4 x 200 (1:43.27), breaking their own 2008 school record (1:43.58) in the latter event.
“We weren’t expecting [to break both records],’’ said Andover coach Peter Comeau. “This is the first time we’ve put this team together. I knew we were going to run well, but the times were off the charts for April.’’
Wellesley’s 4 x 400 team of Abby Comella, Charlotte Freniere, Avery Mohan, and Anna Jordahl-Henry also set a meet record (48.46), bettering the 2009 mark (48.64) set by North Attleboro.
Andover also took first in the triple jump with a combined mark of 29.91 meters and placed first and second in the pole vault with its A (91.71 meters) and B (85.13 meters) teams.
“This is the best meet to win as a team and we’re a complete team,’’ Comeau said.
“I told the girls in a meeting earlier this season that I wish it would never end. I wish our seniors would never graduate, I wish our juniors wouldn’t become seniors. The chemistry, the camaraderie is outstanding.
“We’ll see what they can do in June, but this could end up being the best girls team I’ve ever had,’’ Comeau said.
Newton North finished second (59 points) with Natick in third (52).
On the boys’ side, St. John’s Prep rode first-place performances in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump in piling up 47 points for the victory. Newton North and Lowell tied for second (40).
“This felt like it was the spring opener,’’ said Prep head coach Zach Lankow. “It was nice we got to compete on a day like this, our guys rose to the occasion and it was nice to see.’’
Division 4
Trailing Pentucket by 5 points with one event remaining in Lakeville, the Amesbury girls’ team staged a dramatic comeback with a victory in the 4 x 400 (4:10.49) to steal first place in the meet.
Amesbury (48 points) edged Pentucket (46 points), with Triton third (40).
Amesbury also set the meet record in the 4 x 100 (49.53) and took first in the pole vault (21.6 meters).
Pentucket won the 4 x 200 in a meet-record 1:44.53.
East Bridgewater captured the boys’ title (44 points), with Weston second (39) and Lynnfield third (31).
Weston led for most of the afternoon with a victory in the 4 x 100 (44.4), and runners-up finishes in the 4 x 400 (3:31.69) and 4 x 200 (1:34.37).
“It’s always an honor to be able to finish and anchor for your team,’’ said sophomore Peter DiBold, the anchor of Weston’s winning 4 x 100 relay.
But East Bridgewater vaulted ahead of Weston with a win in the long jump (18.01 meters) and second-place efforts in the high jump (5.09) and triple jump (34.71).
“I said that we could make some noise today if we paid attention and did what we were supposed to do,’’ said East Bridgewater coach George McCabe. “They believed in that and went out did what they were supposed to do.’’
P.J. Wright reported from Sudbury, Mike Kostopoulos reported from Lakeville.
