Purcell, Fetherston break school records

Published in the May 31, 2018 edition.

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

NORTH READING — The Wakefield girls’ track and field team was well represented at the Div. 3 State Meet at North Reading High School on

ALLEE PURCELL is the D3 Eastern Mass State 400 meter Champion. Purcell ran a school record 59.20 at the state meet held in North Reading on Saturday.

Saturday as 21 student athletes competed for the Warriors.Wakefield had multiple impressive, individual performances which led to the Warriors taking 11th overall (20 points) out of 31 scoring teams.
Senior Allee Purcell provided one of the best state performances in Wakefield track history. The Merrimack track commit got first in the 400 meters with a 59.20, breaking a school record.
“She ran the best race of her career,” said Barrett. “She came from behind with 100 meters to go and still crossed the line in first.”
Purcell also got 12th overall in the long jump with a 16’05”.
Sophomore Olivia Fetherston also broke a school record, this time in the long jump. Fetherston’s 16’9” leap put her first in the Wakefield record books and 9th overall at the state meet. Fetherston also got 3rd overall in the high jump with a 5’2”.
Sophomore Madelyn Melanson had a great day in the high jump, as she medaled with a 4’10” placing 7th overall. Sophomore Adriana Minasian jumped 4’09” in the high jump.
Purcell and Fetherston will continue on to the All State meet at Fitchburg State on Saturday.
Sophomore Olivia Lucey picked up points for the Warriors in the mile as she ran a 5:33.01 for 7th overall.
Senior Ana Lucas competed in the 100 meter dash where she ran a 13.62 in the prelims to finish top 20 in the state. Lucas also ran a 28.59 in the 200.
Sophomore Sarah Labiad missed the final cut for the 200 by just one spot as she ran an impressive 27.25 to finish 9th overall. Labiad also got top 20 in the 100 with a 13.55.
Freshman Reignyah Grant ran a 13.69 in the 100.
Sophomore Retta Carroll ran a 6:04.95 in the mile. Freshman Audrey Schopperle also competed in the mile with a 6:13.57.

OLIVIA FETHERSTON was locked in on the history books Saturday at the D3 state meet in North Reading. The sophomore broke the school record in the long jump with a 16’9”, placing 9th in the state. (Donna Larsson Photo)

In the throwing events, junior Eadeen Beck had a great day in two events as she finished top 15 in both the shot put (31-07) and the discus (91-04).
Sophomore Rachel Cook got a 90’08 in the javelin for 15th overall.
Freshman Shannon Driscoll took 14th in the two mile with a 12:40.01.
In the 400 meter hurdles, sophomore Lillian Jones was 12th in the state with a 71.57.
Wakefield got 10th in the 4×100 relay with a 51.58. On the team was Grant, senior Olivia Cameron, junior Ava Vaughan and freshman Bridget Noell.
Wakefield also competed in the 4×800 relay when junior Isabella Kehoe, senior Gillian Russell, freshman Grace Butler and senior Yvonne Lucas ran a 10:36.11.
In addition to Purcell and Fetherston competing at All States, the Warriors will send a relay team (Purcell, Ana Lucas, Cameron and Vaughan) to the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 15.