NORTHAMPTON — For the first time since 2011, the Northampton boys indoor track and field team won the PVIAC Championship, finishing with 97 points at Smith College on Friday.
Amherst, winners the past five years, finished third with 64 points. West Springfield was second at 72.2.
Northampton coach Brandon Palmer has watched his athletes prepare for this moment for a long time.
“These kids are hungry, man,” Palmer said. “They’ve been waiting to eat like this for a while, so it’s good they can come out here and start eating something here. They’ve been way too hungry for too long.
“One of the things I try to tell all the coaches I work with up here in Northampton is never underestimate these kids, and tonight is one of those nights where you get to see that kind of live in effect,” Palmer added.
The Blue Devils were led by senior Nik Smith, who achieved a personal record in a first-place finish in the 55-meter dash (6.47 seconds), and also finished first in the 300 (35.59).
“He’s always been a guy to set the bar pretty high for these guys, not just during practice, but at the meets too,” Palmer said of Smith. “Performs at a high level and he brings out the best in all my guys, that’s Nik.”
Said Smith, “I’ve been waiting my whole high school career for that (team title) so it’s really exhilarating. Finished second to Amherst back-to-back years and I think we just really had the depth this year and we had the will to go out there and win it, so I’m really happy.”
Even in setting a new personal record, Smith still thought he could have done better in the 55.
“I felt I could have improved my drive phase in there. I think I may have popped my head up too early, but I think it was just the adrenaline going. I had good competition. I think that really drove me to a good time, so I’m really happy about that,” Smith said.
Northampton also finished first in the 4×200 relay (1:36.03) with Josiah Tudryn, Ethan Salem, Patrick Quinlan and Cole Lavalle competing.
Northampton was second in the 4×400, while Gordon-Sniffen was second in the 1,000 (2:39.11).
After winning five straight championships, Amherst coach David Thompson watched his team fall just short of a sixth title.
“My guys came out and did everything we wanted to do,” Thompson said. “We wanted to compete and them leave everything they had on the track, and they did that. It just came down to not having enough bullets left and at the end we wasn’t able to catch up.”
The Hurricanes were led by Jack Yanko, who finished first in the mile (4:31.07) and the 2-mile (10:03.83).
“Yanko’s a fighter, all those guys are fighters. Those guys, day in and day out, they come to practice, they show up, they run outside everyday rain, hail, sleet, or snow, those guys are out there competing,” Thompson said.
Amherst’s Aiden Foucault Etheridge finished first in the 600 (1:22.73).
The Hurricanes also finished first in the 4×400 (3:33.18) behind Julian Fisher Frank, Gabriel Mepham, Foucault Etheridge and Andre Shepard. The 4×800 (8:22.70) of Shepard, Fisher Frank, Yanko and Foucault Etheridge also won.
Amherst was disqualified from the 4×200 because a runner went outside of their zone.
“The relays could’ve been a little better. It was a technicality in the 4×200 or we would’ve been fine. I moved it around, probably should’ve left it alone, that’s my fault,” Thompson said.
Thompson was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I’m not disappointed because that’s a huge accomplishment. No one else can say they won it five years in a row. We had a good group of kids, they work hard, they’re outside running in the cold when other people not,” Thompson said.