
MSTCA Small Schools track: Dennis-Yarmouth’s Breanna Braham puts on a show
Dennis-Yarmouth track star Breanna Braham made history again at the Reggie Lewis Center by being a double winner Saturday and shattering a meet record at the annual MSTCA Small Schools Invitational.
“It feels amazing coming here,” said Braham. “Just showing what I’ve got from all the work I’ve done. It feels really great.”
Almost par for the course now, Braham opened the weekend showcase with a bang by winning the girls 55-meter dash (7.17 seconds). However, her crowning moment came in the 300, when she pulled away from the pack to finish first in 39.26 seconds. The time shattered the previous meet record set in 2011 by Arlington’s Rebecca Robinson (by .01 ticks). The senior was later selected as the MSTCA’s Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Meet after an impeccable performance.
“The key for me was to open up my first 200 in 25 (seconds) or under,” Braham said. “I don’t know my splits, but it was kind of there. Then, it was just finishing what I had to hopefully break 39. I didn’t, but I was pretty close to it.”
Oliver Ames sophomore Lavender Kozaka made headlines in the girls long jump with a distance of 18 feet, 3.75 inches. The mark was the longest set in Massachusetts this season, and earned the rising star Female Field Athlete of the Meet honors. North Reading’s Giuliana Ligor placed first in the girls 600 (1:35.47) and was named the Female Runner of the Meet.
“I didn’t really know (how well I was doing),” Kozaka said. “But my coaches were really great with telling me how I was supposed to go about it. I jumped my jump, and I took their advice.”
Noah Mulligan finished a double-winner for Norwell, capturing the boys 300 (35.26 seconds). He later lifted the Clippers to a win in the 4×400 (3:28.45) as the anchor, teaming up with Sam Pesko, Brody McVay and Griffin Murphy. He was chosen as the MSTCA’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Meet.
“It was (about) pushing harder than I usually push today,” said Mulligan. “I’ve been sick lately, so I pushed myself hard today, and it worked.”
After nearly lapping the field in the boys two-mile run (9:23.13), Danvers star William Conklin was tabbed as the Male Runner of the Meet. Hopedale’s Ari Levine turned in a mighty toss of 57-06.75 feet at the boys shot put, and named the MSTCA Male Field Athlete of the Meet.
No team awards were handed out at the showcase, but Billerica would have been in the running given the school’s performance. Gianna McGowan blazed to a winning mark in the girls seeded two mile (10:56.57). Meanwhile, Nyrah Joseph placed first in the girls 55-meter hurdles (8.52 seconds) while finishing runner-up in the long jump (17 feet, 9.50 inches). Kylie Donohue registered a victory in the girls mile (5:09.96).