FITCHBURG — What a Saturday it was for Northampton’s Nik Smith at the Central/West Division I Track and Field Championships at Fitchburg State University.
The senior won the 100-meter dash and 200, setting meet records in both events. He also ran a leg for the winning 4×400 relay team as the Blue Devils finished second overall with 56 points. St. John’s of Shrewsbury won the meet with 81 points.
“Nik had very explosive starts today,” Northampton coach Brandon Palmer said. “He was totally impressive in both the 100 and 200.”
Smith tied the 100 record of 10.91 in a preliminary heat. George Biney, of Worcester Tech set the mark last season.
Smith broke the record with a personal-best 10.85 in the finals.
Smith broke his own record in the 200, beating his 2016 time of 21.62 in the finals. His mark of 21.51 qualified for nationals.
Smith said he has been working on his mechanics.
“My reaction time has been better and the mechanics come with it,” he said.
The 4×400 relay team finished first in 3 minutes, 22.40 seconds. Smith ran the final leg after Cole Lavalle, Patrick Quinlan and Ethan Cooper.
“Our week of practice was harder than expected and I’m still feeling it,” Smith said. “I didn’t quite give the performances that I wanted to, but I’m happy with the victories.”
Added Palmer, “He’s a leader by example. I can’t say enough about Nik. He came in wanting to do more for the team and it’s vital to have someone like him.”
Lavalle entered as the top seed in the 400 meter hurdles. He secured second at 56:56.
The Blue Devils’ Ben Gordon-Sniffen was third in the 800 in 1:56.75. Ryan Long was third in the javelin in 159-10.
Three weeks ago, Amherst Regional senior Meikkel Murray tried triple jump for the first time.
On Saturday, Murray took first place in the event with a leap of 45 feet, 1½ inches.
Earlier this month, Murray was busy practicing long jump when coach David Thompson suggest he try the triple jump. Thompson was impressed with what he saw and encouraged Murray to compete in the event.
Good suggestion.
“Working out with coach Thompson on my techniques helped a lot,” Murray said. “The more I did it, the more I like it.”
That’s what happens when a good athlete (Murray is also a basketball standout) embraces an event even though he has only done it for a short time.
“I really don’t understand the magnitude of it yet,” he said. “This means a lot.”
Amherst finished fifth in the meet with 41 points.
“Meikkel caught on quick because he’s such a great athlete,” Thompson said. “I told him he could go more than 40. He has it in him, but he’s raw. He can jump and I had him take a shot and he liked it.”
For Murray, this was more than an individual accomplishment.
“This is not only for our team, but the whole Amherst community,” Murray said. “We’re a small town and I want to do my best to represent it.”
Success, especially when unexpected, can be humbling and Murray chose not to solely bask in the glory, but to share it.
“Meikkel had a spectacular jump,” Amherst coach Chris Gould said. “He’s just a beautiful, natural athlete: he’s just got great hops and he’s so calm out there. Dave Thompson’s done a very good job of teaching him.”
Thompson only wished he had Murray for four years.
“He’s so humble and such a team player,” Murray said. “He just need an opportunity.”
Another impressive showing for the Hurricanes came in the javelin. Zachary Ellis finished second and his toss of 166-9 qualified for nationals.
“I was only throwing in the 150s and I knew I could do better than that,” Ellis said. “I could see what I wanted to do and I had to just go out and do it.”
Ellis cleared his head and focused on throwing. It paid off as Ellis improved on his seed mark by 5-2.
“He’s worked so hard and I’m happy for him,” Thompson said.
Amherst Regional’s Jack Yanko, who won the mile at last week’s District F&G Division 1 meet in Holyoke, finished second in the event Saturday — but it took a meet record by Holyoke’s Cameron Correia (4:21.28) to beat him.
“It was just nice to get out there and run against a lot of fast guys,” Yanko said. “Going into the third lap, I maybe gave him a little more space than I should have and it was too much to make up. He’s an incredible runner.”
Yanko put on his trademark late kick, but Correia just pulled away to win the event.
“Jack ran a great race,” Gould said. “He was excellent and poised all the way through and that’s a trademark in him.”
Yanko’s time of 4:24.25 was a personal best.
“My previous PR was last November, so it’s been a while,” Yanko said. “This was a super nice day to run.”
Amherst took third in the 4×800 in 8:14.60 and third in the 4×400 in 3:27.46.