Sophomore Justin Connolly qualifies for the Divisional Meet with the mile time of 4:48

Each track athlete faces the challenge of qualifying for Divisionals in a span of nine meets. The individual events in each meet have their own specific qualifying standards. The boys’ team ended with a winning record of 4-2 and six talented athletes met the requirements to participate in Divisionals: Seniors Skip Kitchen, Joey Rockwood, and Ben Goula; Juniors Alex Lee and Jackson Paslaski; and Sophomore Justin Connolly. The girls’ track team finished their season with a record of 2-3-1 and Senior Erica Hawley and Juniors Brigette Lawton, Liz Jelloe, Courtney Shea, and Jackie Clinton moved forward into Divisionals.

The Divisionals are a competition between all Division two track athletes. This year Walpole was successful in setting many personal records.  The athletes compete in various events including hurdles, the high jump, the long jump, the mile, the 600, the 55, and the 1000. In the mile race competition Walpole broke two personal records with Shea at 5:31 and Connolly at 4:48.6. Rockwood ran a 36.99 second 300 meter sprint granting him a spot in finals; unfortunately, Rockwood was not as successful in his second race. Both Lawton and Jelloe ran the 1000 m and both set a personal record within seconds of each other.

The top five athletes in all four divisions and the next top four overall qualify for All States on February 26. Two of Walpole’s team members achieved a place in the onto All States competition. Erica Hawley set personal record in both the high jump, 5’5”, and the 55 meter hurdles, 8.85 seconds. Jackson Paslaski earned another spot for Walpole with his 20’1/2“ long jump.

With a goal of reaching the New England tournament on Friday March 5 both Palaski and Hawley competed in All States.  Although Palaski set a personal record with a 20′4″ long jump he did not qualify for the next tournament.  Despite Hawley’s below average height of 5 foot 2 inches in the high jump she managed to tie for fifth place with Milton’s Cheryl Tran.  Hawley will move onto New Englands for high jump on March 5th.