The Classical High girls? track team got off to a rousing start with a 44-22 win over host Swampscott Thursday.
The meet came down to the relay where the Classical team of of Agnes Bangura, Jenn Ierardi, Devyn Astucio and Jenn Gaudet won with a time of 4:33.0 to Swampscott?s 4:35.5.
?We had some really great runs today,” Classical coach Steve Martin said, citing in particular Astucio’s performance in the third leg of the relay.
?She ran an ?oh, my God? lap,” Martin said.
It took some doing for the Rams to get to the point where the relay would decide the meet. Laurie Rodriguez got a third-place finish in the two-mile with a time of 15:24 to keep Classical in the hunt. The Rams also had key performances from Auguste Soraya and Ivy Martin, who finished first and second in the shot put. They both threw 15 feet, 11 inches. Astucio won the 55-meter hurdles in 9:22 and Bangura won the 55-meter dash (7.3). Gaudet won the 300-meter race (46.3) and Rachel Jordan won the 600 (1:53.4).
Taylor Ferraro’s second-place finish in the mile (6:45.1) was clutch, as was a two-three finish in the 1,000-meter race by Ierardi (3:49) and Sydney DeJoie (3:54).
Martin was pleased with his team’s performance.
?I think we’re going to be able to compete with anyone,” he said.
Swampscott coach Joe Tenney said he believes believes it has been at least 12 years since Classical last defeated Swampscott.
?They ran really well,” Tenney said. “Classical has done a great job building its program. It was a great meet all around.”
Swampscott had first-place finishes from Michelle Connor in the high jump at 4-feet-10, Vivien Gere in the 1000-meter race (3:44.8), Ocean Crawley-Sweeney in the mile (6:42) and Veronica Rizzo in the two-mile (14:05).
Peabody 67, Saugus 19
At Peabody, in their first meet, the Tanners had wins from Sabrina D’Angelo in the 45-yard hurdles (7.7), Samantha Cummings in the 45-yard dash (6.0), Cynthia Aroke in the 300-meter dash (46.1), Macayla LaChance in the 600-meter race (1:51.5), Lauren Barrett in the 1,000 (3:22.5), Emily Christensen in the mile (5:56) and Josie Pagliuca in the two-mile (13:57.6).
Saugus (0-1) had wins from Gianna Filaretos in the high jump at 5-feet and Mikayla Perella in the shot put, at 30-feet, 4-inches.Beverly 65, Gloucester 21
At Gloucester, the Panthers (1-0) had wins from Natalie Coughlin in the high jump (4-feet-9), Gracie Sparkman, shot put (30-feet, 9 ?-inches), Kelly Pierce in the 55-meter hurdles (9.7), Amanda Rosenberger in the 300 meters (47.1), Nora Monahan in the 600 (1:51.4), Julie Curtin in the 1,000, Julianna Wesley in the mile (5:27.4) and Abby Walsh in the two-mile (11:48.9).
Gloucester had a win from Gloria Kabulo in the 55-meter dash.BOYS TRACK
Swampscott 53, Classical 33
At Swampscott, the Big Blue (1-0) got sweeps in the 600-meter race and in the mile to knock off the Rams. Taking wins for Swampscott were Jordan James in the high jump (5-feet-2), Barry Tevrow in the shot put (42-feet-11), Jack Herlihy in the 300 (41.3), Ethan Smith in the 600 (1:38.6), Thomas McDevitt in the 1,000 (3:05.6) and Jack Dennehy in the mile (5:22.1).
The Rams got wins from Elias Gervacio in the 55-meter hurdles (8.8), Renzo Pappaterra in the 55-meter dash (6.8) and Tom Mackin in the two-mile race (11:06.8). Classical also won the 4×400-meter relay relay (4:01.0).
Peabody 69 ?, Saugus 16 ?
At Peabody, the Tanners (1-0) swept three events en route to a convincing win. Peabody got first-place finishes from Hunter Josselyn in the high jump (5-feet-8); Marcus Vieira in the shot put (50-feet); Doug Santos in the 45-yard dash (5.3), Anthony Saputo in the 300 (41.7), Josh Fiore in the 600 (1:34.6), Joao Correia in the 1,000 (3:09.2), Steve May in the mile (5:39.3) and Anthony Pizzo in the two-mile (11:54.5).
Saugus (0-1) got its only individual win from Alex Kotowski in the 45-yard hurdles (6.3). He also finished third in the high jump (5-feet-4) while the Sachems won the relay (4:12.3).
Gloucester 45,