The future is bright for the Concord High track and field teams, especially if the Salem Kiwanis meet is any indication.
The Crimson Tide boys won the meet, considered the Division I state championship for freshmen and sophomores, for the first time since 2011, while the girls took fifth place out of 20 teams on Saturday.
Forrest MacKenzie won the 3200-meter run in 10:08 to put Concord in the lead, then the Tide clinched things in the relays, which were all run at the end.
Concord won the 4×100 in 46.42, and won the 4×800 in 8:53. The Tide also took second in the 4×400 (3:46) and fourth in the 4×200 (1:42).
“This team wanted this win badly and it showed on their faces when they were competing,” Concord Coach Hayden Daly said. “I could not have asked for anything more from this team on Saturday. They deserve this win.”
Along with MacKenzie’s 3200 win, Oliver Spencer took second in the 1600 (4:44) with teammate Alex Duncan just four seconds behind in fifth, and Colin Conery was second in the 800 (2:10).
“The distance crew crushed it, with Ollie, Colin and Forrest leading the way,” Daly said.
Seven other Tide athletes also scored, led by Liam Devanny, who took third in the triple jump (37-4) and fifth in the 400 (55.76).
Nate Hillyer (fourth high jump, 5-8), Liam Bennett (fifth high jump, 5-6), Adam Dwight (second pole vault, 9-0), Dalton Mutz (second 200, 23.23), Jacob Nichol (third 110 hurdles, 17.6) and Sam Orzechowski (sixth triple jump, 36-2) also turned in top-six finishes.
“Our thoughts going in were that we could be in the top three, but then our depth really came through today,” Daly said. “It started with Jacob Nichol and Adam Dwight getting better-than-expected results in their events and then it snowballed from there.”
The Concord girls scored 45 points, good for fifth place.
Grace Devanny was second in the 200 (26.27) and was part of the Tide’s winning 4×100 relay team (53.19) along with Ennosen Yen, Hannah Barton and Kaitlin Jelley.
Yen then won the triple jump (31-1) and Ella Fabozzi took second in the pole vault (7-6).
“Both of the girls had the biggest smiles on their faces I have ever seen,” Daly said.
Abby Hemeon (third shot put, 24-9), Rebecca Bosa (sixth 300 hurdles, 55.9) and the 4×200 relay (fifth, 2:03.3) rounded out the scoring.
“The girls had an impressive day with a few pleasant surprises along the way,” Daly said.