Losses are a rarity for the Hopkinton High School boys indoor track program. This season’s setback against Dedham in a dual meet was the team’s first such loss since the 2018 season, but the Hillers have not let it slow them down.
“After our loss, we licked our wounds and got back to work,” said coach Mike Donahue. “We had our opportunities, but we didn’t do what we would have liked to have done that day, and they took advantage of it.”
Donahue still believes his team can be a top-five or even top-three squad in the state, thanks in large part to the talented and versatile athletes on the roster.
The Hillers have two of the top hurdlers in the Tri-Valley League with junior Harry Millar, who is No. 1 in the TVL, and sophomore Jacob Logan, who is third.
Sean Finnegan is the top 2-miler in the league, and it’s not even close. At the midway point of the year, Finnegan was 45 to 50 seconds faster than the next best time and already had qualified for nationals.
“It really has been a breakout season for Sean,” Donahue said.
Senior Logan Sullivan’s 6-foot-4 mark in the high jump is the TVL’s best and has him ranked among the top jumpers in the state.
What has really impressed Donahue about his team, however, is its depth.
“There have been other years where we have had as many top-level athletes, but we are loaded with competitive athletes this year,” he said.
Junior Lean Berg is a skilled hurdler who also runs the 600. Senior captain Owen Champlin is a top sprinter. Junior Iago Ferreira not only competes in the sprints, but, like Champlin, has been a stalwart on the Hillers’ relay teams. Another promising sprinter is freshman Ian Weilding.
“He has really knocked it out of the park,” Donahue said. “He is running the 300, the 4×400, the 4×200, some middle distance. He is already the No. 7 guy in the league in the 300, and every guy ahead of him is a junior or a senior.”
Another middle distance runner, junior Jack Knutson, has “taken it to the next level,” his coach said.
“There is something about the way he approaches training,” Donahue said. “He has his eye on the prize, and he wants to be better. He is a kid we will be talking about a lot next year.”
The rundown of other contributors for the Hillers is lengthy. Senior Cam Arnold and junior Darian Leo are skilled distance runners. Ryan Morin and Tarun Prasanna are strong not only in the shot put, but also the weight throw, a relatively new event in Massachusetts. Mohamed Baba, a junior, and Matt Bernardin, a senior, are two of the TVL’s better high jumpers. Junior Mason Barros is a standout long jumper, and Josh Jones and Jonathan Winslow are two more shot putters in a stellar junior class.
“We could have two really solid years in a row,” Donahue said with an eye toward next winter. But the Hillers have some business to take care of this year as well.
“We want to make amends for our little slip-up earlier in the season,” Donahue said ahead of the league and district meets. “We want to show off a little bit and have some big days.”
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