Division 4 state track: Burlington athletes sweep the pentathlon

NORTH ANDOVER In passing Burlington boys outdoor track and field coach Matt Carr says the whole campaign has perpetually really liked and cared about the pentathlon The first day of the Div state championships at Merrimack College on Friday added yet another chapter to the Red Devils rich history as juniors Ryan Brooks and Leila Gilligan took the respective boys and girls pentathlon state titles Brooks won the pentathlon s long jump - and shot put - on the way toward setting a school record in the event leading a group of four Red Devils to place in the top eight Top-seeded Gilligan won the pentathlon s -meter run and felt her progress in the -meter hurdles stood out as part of her -point performance This was the first time either had won the outdoor event I had a lot of pressure to do it because I was seeded first so I felt like I needed to perform really well Gilligan revealed Currently I felt like all the events just fit together really well I PR-ed in a scant so I felt really good about it It feels great If you required me this a year ago I would not have expected it So it just feels really good to win it Thomas Smith of Apponequet Regional reacts to clearing a height in the high jump in the pentathlon at the Div state track meet in North Andover Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill Boston Herald Former standout and current UMass sophomore Elijah Wolinski the old record holder was at the meet earlier in the day It was only fitting for Brooks to see him before besting his mark He s one of my good friends so I was really trying to go for his record this year Brooks explained He s kind of my role model I m going off of I love him I hit almost every PR except for long jump in my events which got me to that school record I ve just been pushing toward that school record for the past two years now and now I m trying to qualify for nationals Between Brooks Leon Sekandi fourth Justin Gray sixth and Shane Sheehan seventh Burlington earned points in the event as part of a good tone set heading into Sunday The Red Devils points overall is fifth in association scores Martin Nguyen of Bedford lands after soaring in the triple jump at Merrimack College Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill Boston Herald Pembroke and reigning champion Wakefield ended the day tied in the lead with points The Titans were boosted by senior Luke Lamar s title in the -meter hurdles and Gabe Lamar s second-place finish in the -meter dash Wakefield s pole vaulting club saw Henry Brown finish second - Ryan Hogan take third - and James Fabbri come in eighth - for points to lead the way Broderick Wyatt also finished third in the -meter hurdles Ludlow s Logan Walsh won the -meter run to repeat his crown Fal mouth s Silas Gartner won the two-mile run after taking second last year On the girls side Amherst Pelham ended the day in the lead with points but Holliston points Melrose points and Canton points are right on its heels Annabelle Lynch finished second in the two-mile run and Maggie Kuchman took sixth supporting Kaitlyn Quealy s state title in the triple jump - to lead Holliston Reilly Powell won the two-mile and Emile Boyer placed third in the discus throw - to anchor Melrose Elizabeth Sawicki of Amherst-Pelham Regional lands in the long jump Friday Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill Boston Herald For Canton Chloe Dubuisson improved on her second-place finish from last year by winning the -meter hurdles and Sally Hoban took third in the pentathlon