For the last 59 years, the MSTCA Coaches Invitational has served as a benchmark, a prelude to what many hope will be a fantastic winter track campaign. Usually, teams get a gauge as to just who will stand out during its upcoming championship season.

If Saturday’s latest installment of the competition was any true indication, fans should be rightfully excited across the board. Some of the best squads and individual athletes made their way to a jam-packed Reggie Lewis Center for its Large School meet, each looking to leave an imprint.

One of the day’s best highlights came during a team event, however – the boys 4×200-meter relay. Still fresh off winning a Div. 1 Super Bowl and from committing to UCLA for football, Xaverian star Henry Hasselbeck combined with Jordan Wilson, Charlie Comella and Alex Todorov for a winning time of 1:31.76.

As the anchor made his final turn, Hasselbeck saw himself in a dead heat with Brockton’s Jaden Lopes Ribeiro, the crowd growing louder with each passing step. With no room for error, the senior plunged across the finish line shoulder-to-shoulder with his opponent. When the final results were tallied, the Hawks had edged the Boxers by .01 seconds for the crown.

“You can ask anyone,” Hasselbeck said. “The Reggie Lewis Center is one of the funnest places in Massachusetts. You’re running, it might not be the biggest place, but it is definitely the loudest. It’s incredible. Gillette was such a special place, but here? The atmosphere is unmatched in the track world. We ran at New Balance National last year. Reggie Lewis blows it out of the water.”

By now, everyone knows about the success that John Griffith and his staff at Wellesley have had with constructing programs recently. One would have to think the school’s boys and girls teams will again be vying for school titles later.

Annie Comella opened the day with a victory in the girls 55-meter dash (7.13 seconds). It was the fastest time recorded for the event in Massachusetts to this point in the winter. Then, she closed it by placing second in the long jump (17-11.50 feet). The junior was later selected as the MSTCA’s Female Athlete of the Meet.

“I feel like I’ve been working hard all season to get where I am right now,” Comella said. “I feel super rewarded about that, and I also know I have more to improve on.”

Rising star Kayla Bohlin also made headlines for the Raiders, winning the girls 600 at 1:36.85. Emma Tuxbury impressed the crowd by winning the mile (5:05.99). Later, the two played key roles for their grouping during a second-place finish in the 4×800 relay (9:29.64).

Not to be outdone, Wellesley’s boys track team saw Christopher Brooks blaze to a stunning time of 6.39 seconds as he won the 55-meter dash in the process. He would also place fourth in the 300 (35.382 seconds) and was named one of MSTCA’s Male Athletes of the Meet. Brooks was chosen along with Boston Latin’s Colin Fisher, who won the boys mile in 4:19.31.

As he has been one to do in the past, Peabody’s Alex Jackson shined by completing a fantastic shot put of 57-02 feet. The mark earned the junior Outstanding Male Field Athlete of the Meet honors.

Weymouth’s team of Kate Carnes, Leah Glavin, Gracie Richard and Izzy Galusha were collectively named Outstanding Female Athletes after combining to set a meet record during the 4×800 (9:26.96).

While excited with his group’s success, Griffith and his fellow coaches were already focused on the next chapter when the meet concluded.

“We’ll get ready for the next goal,” said Griffith. “We won the (Bay State) League (last time), but we want to win the entire league. Then, we move on. It’s all about team goals, but these girls are making their own personal goals, and they’re reaching them. So, when they do that, and the team comes together like we did today, we put on a pretty good performance.”

Woburn’s Kayleigh Curll, right, clears a hurdle while competing in the girls 55-meter hurdle event during the MSTCA Coaches Invitational. (Photo by Paul Connors/Media News Group/Boston Herald)