Going to the starting line, John Bianchi knew there was some strong competition in the mile at Saturday’s Coaches Large School Freshman/Sophomore Invitational – much like the spring when he missed winning by a step.
The Natick sophomore, though, had no intention of taking second on the Reggie Lewis Center oval this time around. Bianchi bolted into took the lead at the gun, pushed the pace on the middle laps before kicking home for an enormously satisfying win in 4-minutes, 26.67-seconds. The time was a season best for Bianchi and No. 3 in Massachusetts this winter. Reading’s Tim Connolly pushed Bianchi early but settled for second in 4:32.03 and Mateo DeOrio of St. John’s Prep took third in 4:39.64.
“That (winning) was the goal,” said Bianchi, who was barely out of breath. “I just wanted to run fast. I kind of assumed a couple of guys would go with me. I was definitely going for the win. I lost by a step in the spring.”
The infield finals were pure fire in the 55 dash and hurdles alike. Lexington’s Simon Tandeih was high over the first to hurdles, but was quick to recover and bury the field for a 8.16 win. Vinicius Silva of Framingham was second in 8.47 and Brookline’s David Liang took third in 8.48.
Tandeih was pleased with his start and sure not to panic after the two opening hurdles. “I was high on the first two,” he said. “After that I was able to stay low. My reaction time was good. Everything felt fine.”
Woburn owned the hurdles with a 1-2 finish led by Nicole Gangi in 8.92. Her teammate Kayleigh Culi took the silver medal in 9.19. “It wasn’t my best start but enough to get out,” Gangi said. “I think I was a little behind and then I moved up.”
In the girls’ 55 Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien led a strong field with a solid win in 7.37. That time was just ahead of runner-up Alex D’Amadio of King Philip who was nearly even across the line in 7.38.
Edozien’s overall strength proved to be the difference as she accelerated late and won with a lean at the tape. “I felt like I had a lot of arm and knee push coming out of the blocks,” she said.
Ajani Muzasadila of North Andover knows what he needs to work on in practice after just holding on to take the 55 in 6.64. Loaded with talent, Muzasadila was quick out of the blocks but felt himself slowing near the finish.
“I didn’t have a fast finish,” he said. “I could feel them coming on me, but I leaned and got it. I need to work on the last 10 meters of my races. I can sometime feel myself losing my form.”
North Quincy’s Maddy McGillicuddy captured the 600 in 1:39.99 and Lexington’s Arjun Raha won on the boys’ side. Abigail Hennessy of Westford Academy won the 1000 in a quick 3:02.20 and teammate Emily Wedlake ran 5:21.32 to take the mile. Nicholas Begic of Lincoln-Sudbury broke the meet record in the 300 in 35.88.