Deerfield Track and Field vs. Phillips Andover and Taft – 4/14/12
The sun shone brightly and the mercury reached seventy degrees for the opening meet of Deerfield’s track and field season, a sharp contrast to the cold, blustery weather that greeted these same three teams at their meeting last year. Deerfield played host this year for the annual tri-meet with Andover and Taft, and the warm weather proved conducive to some strong early season performances. In the boys meet, Deerfield finished first with 71 points, followed by Taft (52.5) and Andover (48.5). The Andover girls began their defense of their 2011 New England championship with a strong win, earning 73 points. Taft was second with 61 and Deerfield finished third with 47.
The Deerfield boys won the day with a balanced attack, capturing first in eight different events. Jack Shumway ’12 (110H and 300H) and Wyatt Sharpe ’13 (High Jump, Pole Vault) were both double winners on the day. Shumway later joined forces with Kellam Witherington ’12, George Reich ’13, and Reed Horton ’14 to take first in the 4x400m relay, too. Horton also picked up a blue ribbon in the 800m. Deerfield’s other event winners included Harry Glor ’12 (100m) and Mack Chandler ’12 (200m). Deerfield’s throwers picked up valuable points in all three disciplines: Rajab Curtis ’12 took second in the javelin and third in the discus, while Jeff Van Oot ’12 began the season with a solid 2nd place throw in the shot put. Not to be outdone, the distance boys took second in both the longer runs including an impressive debut at 1500m for George Reich and a strong early season time from Robert Beit ’13 in the 3000m.
Despite missing a few athletes, the Deerfield girls improved significantly on their point total from last year’s Andover/Taft tri-meet (29). Senior Alanna McDonough enjoyed a strong debut in winning the 300m hurdles, nearly equaling Deerfield’s school record in her first circuit of the track. Classmate Kerry Krause competed in four events, scoring in three: she won the high jump and the 100m hurdles, and ran a leg on Deerfield’s 2nd place 4x400m relay. Deerfield’s pole vaulters had a good start to their season, led by Marina Vranos ’12 in 2nd and Natalie DeMuro in 4th. Carley Porter ’12, another member of the 4x400m, finished 2nd in the open 400m to start her senior campaign, and in the other long “sprint,” Tatum McInerney ’13 finished 2nd overall.
The forecast calls for a warm week ahead which should lead to some good training and – hopefully – a brighter, warmer day for this year’s edition of the Hunt Relays. Deerfield’s next scored meet will be the annual Hotchkiss/Loomis tri-meet at Loomis Chaffee on Saturday, April 28th.
