Wildcats Enjoying Rare Run to New England Track Meet

Thomas Bradley’s winter track and field season is usually wrapped up by this point each year. But thanks to one group of runners, he’s making a trip he’s made just three times.

Bradley, the Wilmington High School girls track head coach, will join his 4x400 relay team at the New England Meet on Saturday, a competition he has had athletes qualify for just twice during his winter coaching career and once during the spring season.

“It’s a huge meet,” said Bradley. “It doesn’t happen very often.”

During the state competition on February 23, the Lady Wildcats ran to a fifth place finish with a time of 4:05.99. The team that will run on Saturday ranked No. 9 entering their event is made up of Alex Bischoff, Rachel Alatalo, Cassie Grasso and Michelle Barnes.

Those four runners won’t, however, be the only Wilmington athletes at the event.

Boys team members Steve Halas and Eli Jennings also earned spots in New Englands thanks to their own state performances. Jennings heaved his way to a sixth-place result in the shot put while Halas was seventh in the 1,000-meter run during the state competition.

Entering Saturday’s meet, Halas is seeded 12^th while Jennings is ranked as the No. 9 shot putter in the region.

Bradley said he is currently looking into if the girls relay team broke the previous school record, as he can’t recall a faster time in his 16-year tenure or before. Regardless, he said he’s enjoying the run the Lady Wildcats are on.

“They’ve all had their moments to shine, and have been a great source of pride for everyone on the team and in the school,” said Bradley. “It’s a big deal.”

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