It's a Wrap: North Boys, Girls Sweep Framingham, Win League Titles

The Newton North girls are a relentless bunch. They don't have weak events; they don't give up points easily; they have enough state-caliber athletes to disrupt other teams' strengths; and they improve week-to-week, season-to-season, and year-to-year.

In a meet that was expected to be close, North vanquished a strong Framingham team by a lopsided score of 92-44. They did it by winning 13 of 16 events, including a paper-thin victory in the triple jump for Amy Ren over Alissa Howell (the two had identical best jumps of 35-3, and the victory went to Ren based on her second-best jump of 34-10.5 -- a half inch better than Howell's 34-10).

It was the last dual meet for seniors Michele Kaufman and Carolyn Ranti, but it's hard not to see sophomores Ren and Margo Gillis as a new generation that has the potential to equal or surpass their predecessors. It raises an interesting question: in two years will we be reporting that Amy Ren has passed Michele Kaufman as the all-time point leader for the North girls?

Yesterday, Gillis won the two-mile in 11:22. Emily Hutchinson threw 94' in the javelin to qualify for the state meet. Kaufman won the 100m in a PR 12.8. North also swept the 100-meter hurdles, and went 1-2 in the high jump, long jump, 400 meters, 400-meter hurdles, 800 meters, javelin, and discus.

Next up for the girls: the State Relays at Andover on Saturday.

North Boys Win

If it's any consolation to the other schools in the Bay State league -- the Framinghams, Needhams, and Dedhams, as well as the perennial rivals like Brookline and Weymouth -- Newton North never, ever, takes "easy" meets for granted. That's not Jim Blackburn's approach.

I can't remember a single meet where the team "took it easy" and, as a result, there have been remarkably few let-downs or lackadaisical efforts in the course of the Tigers' unbeaten streak.

Yesterday, the North boys showed no let up, and wrapped up their 7-0 season with an 86-49 victory, clinching their 12th straight undefeated campaign and conference title.

Ben Kiley won the 100 (11.5), long-jump (20-0), and high jump (5-3). Neil Fulwiler won the 400-meter hurdles (school record 62.5) and javelin (152-6), and placed second in the triple jump (37-4). Sam Arsenault won the 400 meters in 52.1, tied with teammate Kiley in the high jump, and placed second in the long jump (19-8).
Conor Ebbs (132-9) won the discus and Ryan Donovan (41-1.5) won the shot put.

Junior Jake Gleason (4:48.4) got his first varsity win in the mile, with Dan Ranti second. Jared Foreman ran 2:03.7 to lead North to a sweep of the 800 meters. Dan Hamilton won the 2-mile in 10:17, and North also won the 4x400 relay.