Hopkinton High School girls indoor track and field coach Jean Cann said a longtime coach told her that a victory at the state relay meet can be a harbinger of good things to come in the divisional state competition. The competition is the same, and winning the relay meet showcases a team’s depth.

In mid-January, the Hillers took home the Division 2 MSTCA Kalperis Relays for the first time since 2020, when they also went on to win the D2 states.

“We are a balanced team,” Cann said. “We have a good mix of sprinters, field events, hurdlers and distance runners. There is no one area that really outshines the other.”

Hopkinton outlasted challenges from Algonquin and Wellesley to win the relay meet, thanks to numerous standout efforts. Bella Walkiewicz anchored a pair of winning relay teams, and Cann said she has been a strong addition to the winter team after previously only competing in the spring.

“She started to really improve in track and she decided to focus on it,” Cann said. “It has been a good decision for her — and us.”

Senior captain Abby Burke is another consistent point scorer and one of the most versatile athletes on the team.

“She can help in any area,” Cann said. “It’s hard to know where to use her because she is so versatile. She can throw the shot, high jump, she has one of the fastest legs in the 400 relay, she can hurdle, she can do everything.”

The Hillers have a deep bench of sprinters and middle distance runners. Callie Owens is among the team’s top sprinters. Kaelyn Geremia, Addie Morrissey and Chloe Tumbleton are strong runners as well. Meaghan Burdulis is another versatile runner. In addition to aiding the distance medley relay, she also teamed up with Phoebe Klein, Sofia Castonguay and Morrissey to run a strong 4×400 relay that helped seal the meet victory for Hopkinton.

Kaelyn Faber has the team’s top mark in the shot put and helped that relay team place at the state meet. She is one of the team’s captains along with Burke, Mary Finnegan and Wafiya Syeda. Cann praised all of her captains and cited Finnegan for her leadership.

“She is really good at encouraging the younger runners and making sure everyone knows what to do during practices and meets,” the coach said.

Sophomores Clara Bransfield and Emily Miller, junior Kylie Rogers and freshman Grace Getchell are scorers and key cogs on a team that has more pep in its step after capturing the relay meet. The Hillers are believers that they have a chance to win it all again when the state meet rolls around.

“I would certainly say that we have a shot,” Cann said. “I think winning this gives us confidence. It shows us what we can do.”