Members of the HHS boys track team pose for a photo after finishing second at the state Division 2 meet. PHOTO/HHS ATHLETICS
Hopkinton High School boys track and field coach Brian Prescott got a sense of just how good his team was this spring when he talked to the coach at North Andover following the state relay meet. The seniors at North Andover had never lost a meet in four years, capturing state titles and state relay titles — until they ran into the Hillers this spring.
“In the moment, winning the state relay meet was really cool and exciting,” Prescott said. “But stepping back, it feels like an even bigger accomplishment in the context of the past four years.”
Prescott did not mince words when describing Hopkinton’s success this year.
“I think, without question, this was the best performance the Hopkinton boys team has ever had in its history,” he said.
In addition to unseating North Andover in the state relays, the Hillers finished second to North Andover in the Division 2 state meet late last month.
“The goal was to be here, but I didn’t know if we would be able to do it because D2 has some of the best track and field teams in the state,” Prescott said. “To be in that top mix was definitely the goal, but we didn’t know what it was going to look like. Overall, I was really happy with how they performed, and winning the state relay meet was far beyond our expectations.”
Unsurprisingly for a championship-caliber team, Hopkinton did not rely on one or two athletes but instead had a large group of consistent point scorers throughout the season. Senior Sean Golembiewski led the way, winning the 110-meter hurdles and the 400 hurdles at the state meet (a feat he repeated at the Meet of Champions a week later).
Will Bialobrzeski, a junior, also qualified for the Meet of Champions by scoring in both hurdle events and the javelin. Will’s twin brother, Drew, was another consistent point scorer.
In the throwing events, Kavin Prasanna was a huge point scorer in the discus and the shot put. Junior Russell Perryman won every javelin event up until the state meet. Senior Craig Salois stood out in the distance events and chipped in on the 4×400 relay as well, while Declan Mick and Andrew Budden, two more seniors, were all-around multi-event athletes.
Hopkinton also enjoyed significant contributions from Leo Shinmura in the long jump and triple jump, Tommy Engel-Chatten in the high jump, and Seamus Murphy in the 100 meters, 4×100 relay and high jump. Golembiewski teamed up with Ruben Noroian, Sam Dadagian and Matt Zettek in the 4×400, and Paul Litscher and Luke Boothroyd also contributed significantly to the cause.
“We have only been in D2 for a couple of years, so to win the relay meet and finish second in D2 is a testament to the kids and all of the coaches,” Prescott said, summing up the season. “This was a really, really great year.”
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