Sophia Jacobs-Townsley can finally call herself an All-State Outdoor Track & Field champion.
The Amherst Regional junior has won many races from cross country through indoor track to outdoor track during her career.
But an individual title at the outdoor All-State meet had always eluded her. On Saturday, she got her first place.
Jacobs-Townsley worked her way to the front after the first half-mile, then held her position to win the 2-mile in 10 minutes, 49.67 seconds at Fitchburg State University.
“There’s always an extra level of anxiety at All-States,” Jacobs-Townsley said. “You’re always rolling the dice and you never know what can happen. I went in semi-confident that I would be in the mix to win. You never know what can happen. There’s a lot of competition.”
Jacobs-Townsley finished eight seconds in front of Julia Palin, of Norton. Meghan Davis, of Mohawk Trail, was third in 11:02.36.
“I feel really fulfilled, but to an extent it feels like another race,” Jacobs-Townsley said. “At this point in the season there have been so many races. All-States is what I prepare for. I’m happy that I could perform well at the meet.”
Davis took the lead from the start with Jacobs-Townsley in the middle of the pack. By the end of the first lap Jacobs-Townsley moved within the top five and by the first 800 she was in front.
“To some extent I felt like I was running my own race,” she said. “On the other hand, I always feel like there is someone behind me. I don’t have great sense of what is happening being me.”
Jacobs-Townsley also ran the mile. She placed 17th in 5:18.76.
“I put a lot of effort and mental effort into the 2-mile,” she said. “By the mile I was tired. My legs weren’t having it.”
Amherst Regional finished 26th with the 10 points Jacobs-Townsley earned.
Wellesley was first with 35. Bromfield was second (34).
South Hadley was 23rd with 11 points.
Lindsay Marjanski was fifth in the high jump (5 feet, 4 inches). She was fourth in the pentathlon last week. Savannah Sudyka was seventh in the shot put (38-2).
Northampton junior Emma Harder missed qualifying for the finals in the 200 by 0.06 seconds.
In the boys championship, Amherst Regional placed second in the 4×800 relay.
Aidan Shea, Jack Yanko, Willem Goff and Aiden Foucault-Etheridge finished in 7:53.43.
Lincoln-Sudbury was first in 7:50.99.
Amherst assistant coach Bob Rosen worked with the relay.
Northampton’s 4×400 team of Cole Lavalle, Ethan Cooper, Ben Gorden Sniffen and Christian Hodgson finished fourth in 3:22.49.
Lexington (3:20.16) won, followed by Newton North (3:20.64) and Needham (3:21.54).
Gordon Sniffen just missed the podium in the 800. He finished nine in 1:56.95, 0.48 behind Gabriel Medina, of West Springfield.
Lowell won the boys title with 55 points. Newton North was second (30).
Amherst tied for 27th (8). Northampton tied for 45th (5).
Frontier tied for 55th (3) with Jack Vecellio’s sixth place in the pole vault (12-3).
There are a couple meets left this season.
The New England championship is Saturday at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
New Balance Nationals Outdoor is June 15-17 at Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.