Even when it seems like things could go sideways, usually the best course of action is to stick to the plan.

Soheib Dissa trusted his instincts, and put himself on the map in doing so. The Duke commit and Newtown (Conn.) track star rallied from the back of the pack to win the New Balance boys mile championship Saturday, finishing first with a stunning time of 4:06.64 at the annual MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge.

“It feels amazing,” said Dissa. “I was a little bit sick coming into this competition. But all I had to do was trust myself. Trust my family, trust God, and execute my race to perfection. That’s what I did.”

The regional showcase drew hundreds of athletes from across the nation to The TRACK at New Balance in Boston Landing, the second year in which the venue has hosted such an event. In total, 50 different competitions were held, with four races being spotlighted.

Dissa was one of two runners to be named a New Balance mile champion, with Sophia McInnes of Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.) winning the girls event. A Villanova commit, McInnes took a slightly different approach to her performance, sprinting out to an early lead before cruising to the finish with a mark of 4:47.62.

“So far, I’ve had a pretty good season,” McInnes said. “We just wanted to get here, get a good first mile in, and try to push the limits.”

Mason Niles of Billerica Memorial wins the freshman boys one mile run during the MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge. (Kylie Cooper/Boston Herald)

New Balance also crowned a pair of 400-meter national champions, both hailing from the Empire State. Abigail Robisky, an eighth-grader from the St. Charles School in Staten Island, was able to win her race in a photo-finish (57.10 seconds), out-pacing the field by .11 ticks. Wachusett’s Rahma Giwa represented Massachusetts in the race, finishing fifth overall (1:00.45).

“I’m very thankful to have opportunities that other winners might not have,” said Robisky. “To be able to come out to places like this. Thank you to New Balance for having me out here, thanks to everyone who helped me get here. My coaches, my mom, my dad, even my teammates who push me. I’m really thankful that I was able to run here, and it feels great to win.”

Nicholos Sealey, a Bronx native from the Harry S. Truman School (N.Y.), proceeded to build a comforable lead in the ensuing boys’ race, coasting to a winning mark of 48.58 seconds.

It was a rewarding New England trip for the senior, and a dream opportunity.

“I had a very beautiful start to the season,” Sealey said. “My coach came to me and said that I got invited, out of the blue. I got really excited.”

A few Bay State athletes also introduced themselves to the country in a big way, including Brockton’s Lucas Andrade. The senior and URI commit placed first in the boys 55-meter hurdles (7.46 seconds), while finishing as the runner-up in the 55-meter dash by .01 ticks (6.57).

Natick star Emmanuella Edozien made headlines in the girls 55-meter hurdles with a fantastic time of 8.20 seconds. Her teammate, John Bianci, was the lone Massachusetts participant in the New Balance boys mile championship, finishing fifth (4:18.56).

Meanwhile, in the girls varsity 400, which preceded the New Balance-centric events, Dennis-Yarmouth’s Breanna Braham was able to continue her impeccable career with an impressive mark of 56.68 seconds.

BOSTON, MA: Makayla Kokonezis of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School competes in the girls high jump event during the 2024 MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge at the TRACK at new balance. (Kylie Cooper/Boston Herald)

Andrade is hopeful that the anticipated showcase will serve as a springboard for the rest of the winter.

“We had a lot of meets,” said Andrade. “Like a lot. A lot. We were trying our best to get good times and all that. We didn’t have a lot of practices because of these meets, just so we could get better with all the competition we had. Today, I felt good about myself.”