NORTH ANDOVER – A long fight with illness kept Mikey McNaught’s ever-supporting grandfather from attending his athletic events for much of the last year, but the North Andover senior felt every bit of his presence to accomplish something special on the first day of the Div. 2 boys outdoor track and field state championships Friday night.

Four days after his grandfather’s passing, McNaught set a strong opening tone for the two-time defending state champion Scarlet Knights by taking the boys pentathlon crown with 2,768 points – using first-place finishes in the 1,500-meter run (4:56.38) and long jump (6.10 meters) – in his first year competing in the event. He also took second in the high jump (1.75 meters).

“Just being able to say I did this for myself is such an incredible feeling,” McNaught said before tearing up. “(At shot put) I sat there and I was asking him for strength, just, ‘Please, help me.’ On that last throw I didn’t get where I wanted to be and I really thought it was all over, but then in the high jump I PR-ed by seven inches and in that 1,500, I really felt him right there with me.

“He was always there for me, always supported me, always keeping up with me. I said I was going to do it for him, and it felt really good to do it for him.”

With 2,726 points from teammate Lucas Ratcliff and 2,614 from Nate Solivan, each of the top three medals in the event went home with North Andover, following up a similarly strong effort in the event last year. They helped the Scarlet Knights head into Day 2 on Sunday with a second-place 39 points.

Just two points behind Wellesley (41 points), the group is hoping it sparks motivation for those still set to compete in going for a team three-peat.

“All three of us placing definitely helped the team,” McNaught said.

It won’t be easy, considering the depth the Raiders already showed off at Merrimack College on the first day.

Eli Merritt won gold in the 800-meter run (1:56.11) to help lead the way for Wellesley. Teammate Christopher Brooks also won in the 200-meter dash (21.35), while other teammate Sincere Fontaine took third in the same event (21.88) and Stephen Goehringer was the runner-up in the two-mile run (9:35.00).

Winchester’s 28 points on the day ranked third, anchored by Wesley Kaukas-Quinn’s gold in the two-mile run (9:33.95) and second-place finishes from Daniel Killian in the 200-meter dash (21.48) and Tyler Johnson in the 800-meter run (1:56.53).

Catholic Memorial dominated the triple jump as Thomas Kuefler won (45-06.50), Amar Skeete took second (44-11.50) and Orion Fernandez finished fourth (43-09.25).

It was much of the same look for the two-time defending girls state champions after the first day. Wellesley had a strong outing to stand in reach of a sixth championship in seven years, holding the second-place spot behind North Andover (50.5 points) with 45 points.

Charlotte Tuxbury took the two-mile run (11:08.08), Annie Comella won the 200-meter dash (24.88) and Kayla Bohlin finished atop the 800-meter run (2:15.25).

“It certainly gives us a lot of confidence going into Sunday,” said Wellesley head coach John Griffith. “Some girls really stepped up. Sometimes when you’re a top seed, everyone’s going after you. … The girls really put forth great times and really came together, so we’re excited, we’re confident, but we know that we have a long day on Sunday (to win).”

The Scarlet Knights soared in the pentathlon with second-place (Olivia Siwicki, 2,622 points), third-place (Whitney Smith, 2,528 points) and fourth-place (Juliana Yankowsky, 2,519 points) finishes. Makenna Dube also won the discus throw for them (125-08).

Algonquin heads into Day 2 in third place (38 points).