Central edges Andover for MVC girls crown

LOWELL — Despite having to wait nearly four hours after competing in cold worthy of Thanksgiving football, Central Catholic's Mackenzie Arndt couldn't contain her excitement after the team scores were called.

"This is such a big deal," she said. "It means so much to win the title and to know that I contributed. It is amazing."

Arndt more than contributed, she set a school record on her way to winning the pole vault as the Central Catholic girls took the Merrimack Valley Conference Meet with 118 points, edging archrival Andover's 112 points. The Raider boys (66 points) placed second to Lowell's dominant 103.

With a previous personal best of 8-6, Arndt saw teammate Tori Catanzano tie the school record of 9-0, good for second in the meet. Arndt then tied the mark, and went for the record.

"I didn't know what to think," said the sophomore, who now ranks sixth all-time in the region. "I had a new pole and I made myself so prepared. It just kept clearing heights. When I cleared 10 feet, I hope someone got a picture of my face because it was priceless. It was indescribable."

The Raiders also received another dominant effort from Boston University-bound thrower Lauren Berg, who won the javelin with a 125-0, just off her meet record, and also grabbed first in the shot put with a 37-91âÑ2.

Photo finish

Andover's Rob Martin didn't need to hear the competitors as he neared the finish line.

"I could even smell them," he said with a laugh. "I didn't know who had won."

Martin, Chelmsford's Joe Van Gelder and Lawrence's Ramses Rafael all crossed the finish line of the 400 so closely that they couldn't be distinguished with the naked eye.

"I was just thinking, 'Did I win?'" said Martin. "I ran over to my coach (Peter Comeau) and asked him and he didn't know. No one knew. I had to check the results."

After plenty of buzz in the crowd, it was announced that the Johns Hopkins-bound Martin had won the race in 51.07, just ahead of Van Gelder (51.12) and Rafael (51.14).

He followed that up by outleaning the opposition as the anchor leg of the 4x400 relay that won in 4:25.13, just ahead of Billerica (3:25.30).

Andover's other big highlight was the girls' 4x400 team of Colleen Shannon, Chelsea Angelatano, Sydney Eberth and Jessica Salley set a new meet record with a 4:04.99. Shannon also beat the meet record in the 800 with a 2:15.19, good for fourth in area history, but ended up finishing second.

Salley also took second in the high jump, two inches behind teammate Moira Cronin (5-6).

Testing big bro

Francisco Cuesta may have placed second in the 200, but his time of 22.16 was good for third in area history. It was also just .19 off the area record — set by his older brother Enrique Cuesta in 2004.

Running mate

While Methuen's Jared Reddy may have run to victory in the mile, he may not have been the fastest Ranger during the event. That title may have gone to coach Scott Ouellet, who would give Reddy an update every half lap, sprinting full-speed across the field to give him another update ever half lap.

"He does that for every meet," said Reddy. "I love it. He tells me how I'm doing and if anyone is gaining on me."

Reddy took the mile in 4:25.7, his best time of the season and 2.14 seconds ahead of the runner-up. He also placed in the two-mile.

McNaughton, Stabile grab gold

After being sick on the infield, Haverhill's Christine McNaughton admitted that her recent time away from the track hindered her.

"I was really worried going into today because I had to take a few weeks off because of tendinitis," she said. "I was pretty tired."

But she didn't look it on the track last night at the Merrimack Valley Conference meet. After running neck-and-neck for most of the race, McNaughton broke away on the final turn and cruised to victory in the mile with a 5:15.42, well ahead of Melissa Ulcena of Billerica (5:18.13).

Haverhill's Sam Stabile also won the 200 with a blazing 25.61, good for fifth in area history, but not her career best.

Boys MVC Meet

Team scores: 1. Lowell 103, 2. Central Catholic 66, 3. Methuen 65; also 5. Andover 58, 8. Lawrence 42, 10. Haverhill 10

Locals in top 6:

110 hurdles: 2. Danny Thoren (Methuen) 15.56, 3. Michael Sullivan (Central) 15.85, 5. Andrew Pallotta (Andover) 16.13, 6. Sam Kim (Lawrence) 16.60; 100 meters: 1. Francis Nova (Lawrence) 11.05, 2. Christopher McConnell (Andover) 11.13, 3. Jayson Martin (Central) 11.14, 5. Josh Adams (Methuen) 11.25; Mile: 1. Jared Reddy (Methuen) 4:25.07 3. Simon Voorhees (Andover) 4:27.92, 4. Cam Kelly (Methuen) 4:32.87, 5. Nate Webber (Central) 4:34.78; 4x100 relay: 1. Lawrence 43.60, 2. Andover 43.82, 3. Central Catholic 44.23 ; 400: 1. Rob Martin (Andover) 51.07, 3. Ramses Rafael (Lawrence) 51.14, 5. Connor O'Neil (Andover) 52.06; 400 hurdles: 6. Mike Brennan (Central) 1:00.91; 800: 4. Adam Vetere (Andover) 1:59.98, 6. Chris Goodwin (Andover) 2:02.37; 200: 2. Francesco Cuesta (Lawrence) 22.16; 2-mile: 1. Ethan Penney (Haverhill) 9:41.55, 4. Steve Fitzsimmons (Methuen) 9:52.25, 5. Justin Reddy (Methuen) 9:52.33, 6. Tyler Sullivan (Methuen) 9:55.93; 4x800: 2. Methuen 8:18.16, 4. Central 8:28.53, 5. Andover 8:31.69; 4x400 relay: 1. Andover 3:25.13, 5. Central Catholic, 6. Lawrence

Shot put: 2. Justin Marsan (Methuen) 51-10 ¬½, 3. Zach Borrelli (Central) 48-2; Discus: 3. Michael Garcia (Central) 129-1, 4. Steve Moore (Andover) 126-11, 5. Borrelli (Central) 124-4, 6. Derek Feole (Methuen) 122-2; Javelin: 2. Francis Schaufenbil (Central) 158-8, 3. Justin Marsan (Methuen) 156-3; Long jump: 2. Josh Adams (Methuen) 21-71âÑ4, 6. Nygil Nelson (Central) 19-01âÑ4; Triple jump: 2. Armando Bucciarelli (Central) 42-10; High jump:1. Armando Bucciarelli (Central) 6-3, 3. Malcom Rodriguez (Lawrence) 5-10, 6. Danny Thoren (Methuen) 5-6

Note: Boys pole vault will take place on Tuesday

Girls MVC Meet

Team scores: 1. Central Catholic 118, 2. Andover 112; also 5. Haverhill 51, 10. Lawrence 12.5, 11. Methuen 4

Locals in top 6:

100 hurdles: 2. Katie LaFrance (Central) 15.71, 4. Emily Belluche (Andover) 16.39; 100 meters: 1. Kayla Baldwin (Andover) 12.87, 3. Ashley Evangelista (Central) 13.07, 4. Eve Bishop (Andover) 13.23; 200: 1. Samantha Stabile (Haverhill) 25.61, 3. Melissa Knapp (Andover) 26.27, 4. Shelby White (Central) 27.05; Mile: 1. Christine McNaughton (Haverhill) 5:15.42, 3. Lanie Jowett (Central) 5:19.50, 4. Maggie Mullins (Andover) 5:20.44, 5. Annie Bajor (Methuen) 5:25.79, 6. Beth Fullerton (Haverhill) 5:26.80; 4x100 relay: 1. Andover 51.38, 3. Haverhill 52.49, 4. Central 52.53; 400: 3. Michaela Poulin (Central) 1:01.94, 5. Sydney Eberth (Andover) 1:0.31; 400 hurdles: 3. Brittany Gorski (Central) 1:06.60, 4. Jess Salley (Andover) 1:07.91, 6. Alex Riddle (Central) 1:11.58; 800: 2. Colleen Shannon (Andover) 2:15.19, 4. Elyssa Penney (Haverhill) 2:21.55; 2-mile: 1. Megan Jowett (Central) 11:45.53, 5. Alicia Fannon (Haverhill) 12:01.44, 6. Molly Van Doren (Andover) 12:04.0; 4x800: 2. Central Catholic 9:55.46, 3. Haverhill 10:00.89, 4. Andover 10:23.84, 5. Methuen 10:40.33; 4x400 relay: 1. Andover 4:04.99, 5. Central Catholic 4:20.74, 6. Lawrence 4:21.14

Pole vault: 1. Mackenzie Arndt (Central) 10-0, 2. Tori Catanzano (Central) 9-0, 5. Kim Pham (Lawrence) 7-6; Shot Put: 1. Lauren Berg (Central) 37-9 ¬½, 3. Shea Mosquera (Andover) 34-6, 4. Hannah Davis (Haverhill) 34-03âÑ4; Discus: 1. Karina Lopez (Lawrence) 117-5, 4. Tori Markus (Andover) 92-0, 5. Kylie Giroux (Central) 90-8; Javelin: 1. Lauren Berg (Central) 125-0, 4. Katie Helms (Central) 96-5, 5. Nicole Rogers (Central) 94-0; Long jump: 3. Ashley Evangelista (Central) 14-11 1âÑ2, 5. Agie Comei (Haverhill) 14-6, 6. Melissa Laracy (Andover) 14-4; Triple jump: 1. Emily Belluche (Andover) 34-11, 3. Abbey Pettoruto (Andover) 34-4, 4. Tori Catanzano (Central) 34-01âÑ2, 6. Kristen Wilson (Central) 33-3; High jump: 1. Moira Cronin (Andover) 5-6; 2. Jessica Salley (Andover) 5-4, 3. Samantha Stabile (Haverhill) 5-0

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