ORANGE — The Mahar boys track & field team hurdled Mohawk Trail Regional High School, Thursday.
In a meet that pitted two undefeated Intercounty League teams, the Senators defeated the Warriors, 79-66, to take sole possession of first place. The Senators’ last meet is Tuesday against Pioneer Valley Regional High School.
“It’s a testament to how hard they work in practice,” Mahar coach Kyle Magoffin said. “I couldn’t do the stuff I do with this team without the seniors. I’ve got a group of seven or eight seniors where track’s their thing. They’re good at it, they’re passionate about it and they take the time to work with the middle school kids and the younger kids to make it fun. When we win it’s fun and these guys are hard workers. It shows on meets like this today.”
Senior Hugo Frost set a school record in the 400-meter hurdles in 58.6 seconds. He also placed first in the 110 high hurdles in 16.6 seconds — beating teammate Aaron Hendry by 0.3 seconds — and first in the triple jump in 40 feet, 10¼ inches.
Senior Ash Shaw jumped 6-2 in the high jump to place first. He also took first in the 800 (2:12.4) and second in the triple jump (36-11).
Senior Alex Gurganus reached 9-6 to win the pole vault.
Hugo Frost clears 40 feet on the triple jump pic.twitter.com/m6w1NfXba9
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“Kids just stepped up where they needed to step up,” Magoffin said. “They were feeling it. We joke. We’ve got the bottle of Sweet Baby Rays (barbeque sauce) in the fridge and it never goes bad, the sauce lasts forever. That’s our motto, we’ve got the sauce and the sauce lasts forever.”
Mahar’s Ash Shaw clears six feet in the high jump pic.twitter.com/AJkqEhCdeR
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Jon Gariepy sealed the victory for the Senators when he earned first place in the 200 (24.4). Gariepy, who plays running back on the football team, lost the 100 to Mohawk’s Seth Hoynoski, who also plays running back for the Warriors. Gariepy used the loss as motivation in the 200 and channelled it into a win.
“He got pretty mad losing the 100 to another running back,” Magoffin said. “I don’t think he really liked losing to another football player, so we told him to stay angry and he ran mad and got them so that was good. Good for Jon. A nice confidence booster.”
Hendry finished first in the long jump (18-6) for the Senators, while Sebastian Shaw (high jump, mile, 800), Peter Currie (javelin), Tim Griffin (pole vault) and Camron Burnett (discus) all earned second-place finishes.
Currie reached 126-4 with his throw in the javelin, which beat his personal best by 10 feet.
Riley Drew (long jump), Aidan Didonato (triple jump, 400), Ed Bennington (pole vault), Gariepy (100) and Connor Vaillancourt (2-mile) all placed third for the Senators.