HOLYOKE — Facing teams with bigger numbers, the Northampton girls track & field team had to be close to perfect individually to contend at the Western Massachusetts Division 1 championships Friday.
The Blue Devils did just that with a roster of 16 and placed second behind champion Longmeadow.
“We were like a slow wave building and building,” Northampton coach Ryan Davis said. “We kept going up, up and up. Everyone gathered around and rose up.”
Especially Sierra Loomis, who finished first in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 20.14 seconds) and the triple jump (36 feet, 1 inch).
“We had a small team compared to other teams,” Loomis said. “We were shooting for first place as a goal. Why not? But second place is great.”
Loomis hadn’t run the 800 much this year, but came in with a strategy.
“I stayed behind the first girl,” Loomis said. “But she slowed up so I decided to take the lead. I was confident in my ability to kick it. I was able to hold on in the end.”
Loomis also got second place (1:07.46) in the 400 hurdles.
The Blue Devils got an important third-place performance by Tori LaVerdiere in the pole vault (8-6).
Longmeadow, which had 29 competitors, won the championship with 118 points, with the Blue Devils right behind with 99.
Third place Minnechaug had 35 athletes and finished with 76 points.
Longmeadow “has a really large school,” Davis said. “They were the team to beat and had a great day. But I’m extremely proud of our team.”
East Longmeadow as fourth with 74 points, followed by Amherst Regional with 72 points.
Amherst’s Sophia Jacobs-Townsley was first (11:34.30) in the 2-mile by about 13 seconds.
“I do a lot of mileage,” Jacobs-Townsley said. “About 45 or 35 miles a week. You can’t go out too fast and let your nerves take over.”
Leila Markosian led a trio of consecutive Northampton runners in third place (12:06.11).
“Sophia could have run faster” in the 2-mile, Amherst coach Chris Gould said. “But we had to save her for two more events.”
Northampton’s Erica Dean (5:24.58) came from behind on the final lap to place second in the mile. Teammate Stephanie Jordan (5:27.72) was fourth followed by Jacobs-Townsley (5:28.36).
The Amherst girls got second (4×100), second (4×400) and fourth (4×800) in the relays. Northampton won the 4×800 in 10:09.05.
Amherst’s Ariel Christie (16.62) placed second in the 100 meter hurdles. Frances Duncan was second in the 800 (2:21.02) and Claire Basler-Chang was third in the javelin (101-4).
“I’m thrilled with the whole team’s performance,” Gould said. “The relays were the best thing that could have happened. They came out with tired legs to do that.”
Belchertown was 13th with seven points. Marissa Shaw was third in the long jump (16-5).
