Boys' Track Falls to Lexington in Deciding Meet

In a meet to decide the league championship Wednesday, Lexington’s distance runners and depth proved to be too much for talented sprinters to overcome.

Lexington won the meet 50-36 at Reading Memorial High School to take the Middlesex League title with an undefeated, 9-0 record. Woburn, 7-2, ended the season in three-way tie for second place with Reading and Burlington.

Also at the meet, coaches named Woburn’s Craig Langes the league’s MVP. The senior won the 55-meter dash and long jump at the league’s individual championships.

After the meet, Lexington coach Bill Babcock said it took an overall team effort to defeat Woburn.

“When we needed someone to pick us up, they did,” he said.

Lexington clinched the victory in 55-meter hurdles, the meet’s third-to-last event, with seniors Matt Hunter and Ben Sharma finishing first and third, respectively, for six points. Hunter won in 7.6 seconds; Sharma ran 8.0.

Lexington got off to an early 23-4 lead, as the Minutemen swept the two-mile and took first and third in the 1,000-meter, first and second in the 600.

Sophomore Nat Adams, senior Sam Jones and sophomore Jeramy Smith got all nine points for Lexington in the two-mile, with times of 10:14.2, 10:34.2 and 10:43.7, respectively. Babcock said he was particularly impressed with Smith, a first-year runner who was able to hold off Woburn senior Tyler Brady in the final laps.

In the 1,000, Lexington’s Noah Coolidge won in 2:48.7, with Woburn sophomore Dylan Crowley less than two seconds back. Lexington Amanual Abate picked up third place in 2:51.9.

Lexington seniors Thomas Ballenthin and Peter Schirripa took the top two spots in the 600 in 1:28.3 and 1:28.6, respectively. Woburn’s David Cooper finished third in 1:31.2.

Woburn fought back as the events got shorter.

The Tanners placed first and second in the 300, as Mike McAdams won in 39.0 and Gavin Wilson edged out Lexington’s John Daley in 39.6.

Later in the meet, Woburn took first and second again, in the 55-meter dash. Langes won in 6.3. He was followed by teammate Valerio Silva in 6.4.

In the field events, Lexington got a couple surprise performances.

Senior Dennis Nesline had a two-foot personal best in the shot put, throwing 45 feet, 1 inch to take first over Woburn’s Brendon Flaherty, 41 feet, 2 inches. Also, Ballenthin, usually just a mid-distance runner, placed third in 41 feet, 1 inch in his first time competing in the event.

Langes won the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 11 inches. Lexington’s Daniel Finch and Evan Finch finished second and third, respectively, with jumps of 5 feet, 9 inches.

Woburn senior Jake Rousakis won the mile in 4:49.9. Lexington’s Felix Chung and Mateo Palfreman took second and third in 4:52.8 and 4:56.0.

With league competition over, the teams’ top athletes will look to the state meets to make their mark.

Lexington will compete in the Division 1 Championships on Friday, Feb. 18, at the Reggie Lewis Track in Boston, while Woburn will race at the Division 2 Championships on Saturday, Feb. 19, at the same location.

The top competitors from both meets will compete at the All-State meet the following Saturday, Feb. 26.