FILE PHOTO
Justin Lewis jumped 6-6 1/4 at the national meet Sunday.
By STEVE KRAUSE
Lynn Tech senior Justin Lewis is more than satisfied with his Top 10 finish in the high jump in this weekend’s New Balance Outdoor Track National Championships in Greensboro, N.C.
Lewis jumped a 6-6¼ in Sunday’s event, and while it wasn’t the 6-8 he’d hoped for (and that he’d done several times in Commonwealth Conference meets) he was happy with it.
“It’s different jumping in something like this than it is in a league meet,” he said. “Also, I’m not used to jumping in 85 degree heat.”
Lewis was one of two Tech athletes to go to Greensboro. Akeem Blake was 19th in the freshman 100-yard dash event with an 11.33.
“I’m happy with their performances,” said Tech coach John Hogan. “They came down and did the best they could. And that’s very good with the quality of kids that came down here. They beat everyone from our area who came down here,” said Hogan. “That was a big thing. It was great exposure for him. I think he and Akeem represented the school well.”
Lewis admitted to being nervous.
“I was going against the best in the country,” he said. “That’s not something I’m used to dealing with.”
His only disappointment is not making it into the Top 6, which would have given him All-American status.
“But I’m satisfied,” he said.
Lewis, an Item football all-star, will return home and begin practicing for the Agganis football game, which is Thursday. He will attend Western New England University in the fall.
Other notable performances: St. John’s Prep’s Tristan Shelgren was 11th (9:36.04) in the two-mile; Marcelo Rocha of Peabody was seventh (14:53.27) in the 5,000-meter.
And in the 400 hurdles emerging elite category, Peabody’s Cynthia Aroke was 18th (1:05.42).
Other results: boys 800 sprint medley championship: 39, Peabody (1:35.99), Amisaday Quijano, Ugonna Okananawa, Phil Bynum and Moisse Irizarry; boys triple jump: 19, Nate Hobbs, Peabody (45-01.50); girls Javelin: 15, Devan Walsh, Danvers (123-07).
Emerging Elite
Girls 800: 37, Kate Mitchell, Lynnfield (2:17.36); boys 4×100 relay: 11, Peabody (43:39), Quijano, Hunter Josselyn, Bynum and Irizarry; boys 4×200 meter relay: 18, Peabody (1:32.46), Okananawa, Bynum, Josselyn and Irizarry.
Girls 4×400 meter: 12, Peabody (3:56.88), Amanda Andrews, Dayna Vadala, Sophia Anderle and Cynthia Aroke 16; boys 800 sprint medley: 32, Marblehead (1:40.04), Michael Weidenbruch, Jefry Cabrera, Joe Doherty and Jakob Wikar; girls 800 sprint medley, 43, Swampscott (1:58.38), Bailey Shorr, Catie Cullinane, Zoe Petty and Ella Parker .
Boys 1600 sprint medley: 6, Bishop Fenwick (3:37.87), Oliver Botthof, Colin Norton, Mitch Rivers and Shawn Carlson 17; boys hammer throw: 9, Peabody, Patrick Pang (165-2).