Members of the Amherst Regional indoor track and field team earned the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to strong showings throughout the season, as a handful of ‘Canes competed in the New Balance Nationals in Boston over the weekend.

The Amherst 4x400-meter relay team, one of the best relay teams in western Massachusetts history that has already won state and New England championships this season, competed in the event’s championship heat on Sunday. Their normal lineup of Ololara Baptiste, Skylar Fox, Emilia Luetjen and Moriah Luetjen saw a tweak, as freshman Claire Fortin subbed in for Baptiste as the first leg of the relay.

Fortin, Fox and the Luetjen twins turned in a sub-four time of 3:58.21, good for 20th out of the 71 teams competing on Sunday. Amherst wrapped up a terrific relay season with yet another strong showing. The first-place team from Bullis (Md.) set a new national record, posting a blazing time of 3:35.54 that was nearly seven seconds faster than the team in second.

Logan Alfandari was also in action over the weekend, as the senior competed in the boys weight throw championship. His top heave of 65 feet, 5.5 inches had him finish 17th out of 70 competitors on Saturday. Alfandari won the shot put at the MIAA Division 3 Championships earlier this season and capped off a terrific career with a top 20 national finish.

Amherst’s 4x200-meter relay team of Ololara Baptiste, Emilia Luetjen, Ruby Austin and Moriah Luetjen raced in the event’s prelims, turning in a new Massachusetts season-best and school-record time of 1:43.29 – good for 33rd place out of the 99 participating teams. The prelims were held on Friday, and the finals – which Amherst did not qualify for – took place on Saturday.

On Thursday, Amherst freshman Claire Fortin participated in the girls freshman long jump and recorded an impressive 12th-place finish. Fortin’s jump of 16 feet, 3.25 inches placed her in the top half of the 25 participants. Fortin also competed in the freshman 60-meter dash on Saturday, turning in a time of 8.22, good for 47th out of the 65 sprinters in the event.

Elsewhere, Baptiste, the Luetjen twins and Fox participated in the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay on Friday afternoon. Out of the 72 teams in the event, the quartet of ‘Canes finished in 24th place in the championship division. Their time of 4:15.10 was less than a second away from the group in front of them.

The experience of competing against the best high school indoor track and field athletes across the country is something these Amherst athletes will never forget, as they put a bow on a wonderful campaign.