ANDOVER — Chris Farren isn't the preening type. So while he politely answered a reporter's questions, three teammates surrounded him with hopes of inciting laughter.
Naturally, he obliged, then continued to talk quietly about his afternoon.
"He's a salt of the earth kind of kid," throwing coach Joe Welch said. "His performances are starting to reflect is work ethic."
The Central Catholic senior, a Plaistow resident, won the shot put (51-61/4) and placed second in the discus (138-10). He helped lead the Raiders to a second-place finish (74), six points behind first-place Reading (80), at the 49th annual Collins-McIntyre Andover Boosters Invitational.
The day was filled with spectacular performances.
Central's Sara Missert won the 400 (58.52), set a meet record in the triple jump (36-7), and anchored Central's second-place 4x400 relay team (4:02.35) to take home individual MVP honors.
"I didn't have any idea this would happen," said the senior, whose club finished fourth overall (49 points), the best local showing. First-place Newton South blew away the field, racking up 120 points, 66 points more than anybody else.
Unlike Missert, Farren flew under the radar. Still, he was his usual productive self.
"He's never not going to succeed at something for not working hard," Welch said.
Don't be fooled, however, by Farren's modesty. He's headed Worcester Polytechnic Institute later this year. He scored a 690 on the math portion of the SAT. As a part-time job, he tutors middle schoolers.
Welch described Farren as a team leader. It translates well to working with kids.
"It's the same idea," said Farren, who's leading the region in both the shot put and the discus. "You have to tell (the kids) to relax. It helps them get better."
This winter, tutoring proved hazardous. After a session with a student at Timberlane Regional, he drove away in his Buick LeSabre. Moments later, a car pulled out in front of him.
The vehicles T-Boned. Farren escaped with a bruises and a sore back. The Buick was not as fortunate. It ended up on the scrap heap.
"I was shell-shocked," said the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Farren, a second-team All-MVC end for the Central football team last fall.
To this day, he still has back pain and muscle soreness. But it's slowly wearing off. His 138-10 throw in the discus already tops his best from last spring (132-1).
"He's a very hard-working kid," Welch said. "Things are starting to come together for him. ... Hopefully his farthest throws are ahead of him."
More on Missert
Only in her second outdoor track season, Missert is already putting up historic numbers. The Windham resident's 36-7 leap is the fourth best all-time in the region. (Andover's Missy Famiglietti, who hit 36-4 in the 2004 Boosters, was the meet's previous record holder.)
"It's just awesome," said the Boston College-bound Missert, who admits she still isn't quite sure what to make of her success.
Several other records fell yesterday. The Andover quartet of Christina Muccio, Melissa Knapp, Kayley Pettoruto and Vanessa Singleton established a new meet record in the 4x100, notching a time of 49.79. It stands as the seventh best all-time in the region.
North Andover junior Kirsten Kasper placed first in the mile with a time of 5:04.02. That beat Newton South's Bridget Dahlberg, who set the mark last year with a time of 5:05.35.
Haverhill's Sam Stabile continued to cruise yesterday. The junior won the 200 (25.53) and finished tied for third in the high jump (5-0).
Andover's Chris McConnell seems to be enjoying his first outdoor track season. The sophomore finished first in the 100 (11.09). He said he's happy about his decision to forgo baseball for track.
"I just wanted to try it," he said.
The Golden Warriors are benefiting already.
Vetere rises above the rest
Andover's Mark Vetere figured he'd have a shot at placing in the pole vault. He didn't think he'd actually win.
The sophomore did just that, battling a head wind to clear 12-6, his personal best. The often daunting event doesn't intimidate Vetere, a former gymnast.
"(Gymnastics) helps you get comfortable with being upside down and high up," Vetere said.
Andover assistant coach Tim Thomas sees big things in Vetere's future.
"He has extraordinary potential," Thomas said.
Odds and ends
Classy move by the event's organizers to hold a moment of silence for Alex Farese, the North Andover senior who died a week after collapsing after a race in April. ... Central Catholic junior Lauren Berg is still recovering from a nagging shoulder injury. She finished fourth in the javelin with a 109-6 and hopes to be back at full strength soon. ... Andover's 4x400 team was certainly unique. How often do you see an all-freshman quartet? Rae Bronenkant, Moira Cronin, Sydney Eberth and Chelsea Angelosanto finished eighth with a time of 4:14.84.
Andover Invitational Boys
Team scores: 1. Reading 80, 2. Central Catholic 74, 3. Brookline 63, 4. Whitman-Hanson 62, 5. Andover 56, 7. North Andover 23, 10. Methuen 20, 18. Haverhill 1, 18. Lawrence 1 (19 scored)
Locals in the top 6:
100: 1. Chris McConnell (A) 11.09, 6. Francis Nova (L) 11.74; 200: 6. Chris Wilbar (CC) 23.44; 400: 4. Kyle Medolo (NA) 52.35; Mile: 6. Jared Reddy (M) 4:38.12; 2-mile: 6. Alex Kramer (NA) 9:38.71; 800: 4. Mike Zappala (CC) 2:01.67; 110 hurdles: 1. Josue Henriquez (M) 16.14, 4. Chris Chu (A) 16.8, 5. Erik Swahn (NA) 16.83, 6. Brendan Lavoie (H) 17.21; 300 hurdles: 4. Santi Costello (A) 41.52, 6. Sean Donahue (M) 41.80; 4x100: 2. Andover (McConnell, Brendan Crawford, Kerrick Stevens, Costello), 44.35, 3. Central Catholic (Mike Leavitt, John DiBitetto, Phil Taberner, KB Oshodi), 44.39; 4x400: 2. Central Catholic (Andrew Gauthier, Mike Sullivan, Jay Smith, Wilbar), 3:31.18, 3. 3. Andover (Crawford, Connor O'Neil, Mark Vetere, Stevens), 3:32.10, 5. Methuen (Henriquez, Josh Adams, Nate Pinciak, Kevin Pereira), 3:34.15; 4x800: 3. Central Catholic (Mike Zappala, Victor Silva, Andy Scott, Mike Bakhtiari), 8:16.34
HJ: 3. Alex Grimble (NA) 6-0; 5. Armando Bucciarelli (CC) 6-0; PV: 1. Vetere (A) 12-6, 5. Michael Reading (NA) 11-6; LJ: 3. Costello (A) 22-2, 4. Adams (M) 21-7; TJ: 1. Oshodi (CC) 45-13/4, 2. Walson Constant (CC) 42-91/2; SP: 1. Chris Farren (CC) 51-61/4, 3. Greg Brown (CC) 46-73/4, 5. Justin Marsan (Methuen) 45-111/2; Discus: 1. Adam Lurvey (NA) 140-4, 2. Farren (CC) 138-10, 4. Jimmy Haddad (CC) 132-11; Javelin: 2. Steve Lattari (A) 166-0, 6. Alberto Nunez (CC) 157-5; Frosh/Soph mile: 5. Simon Voores (A) 4:52.24
Andover Invitational Girls
Team scores: 1. Newton South 120, 2. Reading 54, 3. Tewksbury 52, 4. Central Catholic 49, 5. Haverhill 48, 5. Andover 48, 11. North Andover 22, 12. Lawrence 10, 14. Methuen 6 (18 scored)
Locals in the top 6:
200: 1. Sam Stabile (H) 25.53, 3. Christina Muccio (A) 26.12, 4. Melissa Knapp (A) 26.48; 400: 1. Sara Missert (CC) 58.52, 3. Kayley Pettoruto (A) 60.25, 5. Michaela Poulin (CC) 61.48; Mile: 1. Kirsten Kasper (NA) 5:04.02*, 3. Christine McNaughton (H) 5:18.46, 6. Beth Fullerton (H) 5:24.96; 2-mile: 6. Julie Solimine (H) 11:32.59; 800: 4. Elyssa Penney (H) 2:24.78, 6. Mary Fullerton (H) 2:25.20; 100 hurdles: 1. Katie Lafrance (CC) 16.55, 4. Mallory Cayon (A) 16.84; 300 hurdles: 1. Vanessa Singleton (A) 46.67, 3. Rebecca Stabile (H) 47.33; 4x100: 1. Andover (Muccio, Knapp, Pettoruto, Singleton), 49.79*; 4x400: 2. Central Catholic (Poulin, Kristen Wilson, Brittany Gorsky, Missert), 4:02.35, 4. Haverhill (S. Stabile, Shannen Styrczula, Penney, R. Stabile), 4:10.65; 4x800: 5. Central Catholic (Molly Rokos, Megan Jowett, Kate Burke, Mary-Pat Conlon), 10:09.91
HJ: 3. Lea Freeman (M) 5-0, 3. S. Stabile (H) 5-0, 3. Moira Cronin (A) 5-0, 3. Lauren Small (NA) 5-0; PV: 2. Kathie Andrusin (NA) 9-6, 5. Katelyn O'Brien (H) 7-6, 5. Allison Pickett (NA) 7-6; LJ: 5. Singleton (A) 16-3, 6. Ashley Evangelista (CC) 16-21/2; TJ: 1. Missert (CC) 36-7*; SP: 5. Lourdes Pena (CC) 33-5; Discus: 1. Karina Lopez (L) 108-6, 2. O'Brien (H) 90-10, 5. Lauren Fuller (NA); Javelin: 4. Lauren Berg (CC) 109-6, Frosh/Soph mile: 3. Corinne Clifford (H) 5:37.77
*New meet record
