Three Pioneers named CAL All-Stars

Published in the February 21, 2018 edition

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

BOSTON — It has been a solid season for the Lynnfield High girls’ indoor track and field team. The Pioneers ended up going 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the Cape Ann League Small division as they finished in second place.

Veteran assistant coach, Marini Benson, became the head coach this season.

“The girls did fantastic,” said Benson. “This year we had one of our larger teams and we had seven members qualify for the states with their times.”

KATE MITCHELL concluded her outstanding indoor track career at LHS by being named the CAL Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in the Baker Division. Mitchell had another great performance at the D5 State Meet and will compete in the upcoming All-States at the Reggie Lewis Center. (John Friberg Photo)

Leading the way is senior co-captain Kate Mitchell. The Boston College bound 12th-grader runs the 600, 1,000 and the mile and she made the CAL All-Star team for the fourth year in a row.

“The sky is the limit for her,” said Benson, as Mitchell broke the school record in the mile and 1,000 this winter.

Last Saturday in the Division 5 State Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Mitchell came in first place in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:57.38 to win by over two seconds.

She was also part of the first-place 4×200 meter relay team that features her twin freshman sisters, Ashley and Lauren and senior co-captain Juliana Passatempo. Their time was at 4:11.

Of the 40 schools there, the Pioneers came in ninth place with those 20 points for those two wins.

This Saturday, the relay team, along with Kate Mitchell in the 1,000, will perform in the All-State Meet back at the Reggie Lewis Center.

One of the surprises this year has been the development of freshman April Luders. She competed in the 55 meters, relay, long jump and 300 and she made the CAL All-Star team.

Fellow senior co-captain, Aja Parker also made the CAL All-Stars as she competed in the 55-meter hurdles.

The other senior co-captain this year is Brie Giarmarco and she also competed in the 55-meter hurdles.