BY SAPNA PATHAK

On Saturday, June 2, the state’s best track and field athletes converged upon the University of New Hampshire’s oval to take part in this year’s Meet of Champions. The final results yielded strong finishes and secured spots for several Neighborhood athletes in the New England High School Track and Field Championships, which take place Saturday, June 9, at Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Mass.

Manchester Central

The girls of Central track and field did not disappoint at the 2007 M of C. The Little Green 4 X 800-meter relay team took first with a time of 9 minutes, 30.09 seconds. The 4 X 100 team placed third in 50.37 seconds. Lucia Capano, who also competed in the 100-meter dash preliminaries, finished seventh in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.34 seconds, while Aria Levasseur took 10th in the long jump, posting a distance of 15 feet, 11.50 inches, and 14th in the triple jump with an effort of 31-02.5.

The Little Green boys dominated the 1,600-meter run, as the top three finishers came from Central. Matt Paulson took first, finishing the race in 4:15.23; Corey Sinotte placed second with a time of 4:21.02; and Craig Brown earned third with a time of 4:22.19. Dante Vitagliano finished 12th with a time of 4:40.20.

Brandon Coutts was 13th in the triple jump, leaping 39-01.25.

Pembroke Academy

Sophomore Allison Brehm represented the Spartans and placed third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.86 – .14 seconds off the pace – and fourth in the 200 with a time of 26.26.

Manchester Memorial

Junior Holly Banaian took first in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:04.59; Jacqueline Dussault finished 11th with a time of 11:59.52. The Crusaders took fifth in the 4 X 800 and sixth in the 4 X 100.

For the boys, David Irving earned first in the discus with a throw of 162 feet and took third in the shot put.

William Wrobel won the javelin with a throw of 186-05. Junior Chris Lemieux took second in the high jump, clearing a height of 6-04; third in the javelin; and 10th in the triple jump. Domingo Cruz placed second in the long jump with a leap of 21-00.50.

James Covey placed 10th in the 400-meter dash, while teammate Joseph Baroody placed 11th. Corey Duchemin took third in the 800 with a time of 1:59.73. Ben Coutu placed 10th in the 1,600; Auburn native Thomas Piccioli took sixth in the 110 hurdles.

The 4 X 800 relay team took second with a time of 8:07.21, while the 4 x 100 squad placed third. 

West

Senior Julianne Quinn placed eighth in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:16.48. Junior Kristin Johnson finished fifth in the 3,200 with a time of 11:23.99 while sophomore Kelsey Hunt took 12th in 12:01.16.

Elias Grijalva placed ninth in the 400-meter dash, posting a time of 51.66 seconds. Fellow junior Russell Johnson of Hooksett finished 12th in the 1,600 with a time of 4:41.74.

Trinity

Allenstown native Ashley Zielinski took second in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.79 – .07 seconds behind the winner – and placed sixth in the 100, finishing the race in 13.32. The 4 X 100-meter relay team placed ninth. Kate Schelling cleared 5-0 in the high jump, good for sixth.

Joseph Cardello placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles for the Pioneers’ boys team, then placed third in the 300-meter hurdles in 40.70 seconds.