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Pentucket junior McKenna Kilian placed fourth in a field of 61 at the North Sectional heptathlon. She racked up 3,834 points to beat some talented locals including All-State hurdles champ Cole Godzinski of North Reading (6th, 3,578).

With the finish line just inches away and Wileshka Samuel running step-for-step with her opponent, the Methuen High sophomore let instincts kick in. “I knew I had to just go for it,” said Samuel. “I lookStan a leap of faith and it worked out.” It was more of a lean of faith, but it certainly did work out for the rising star. As Samuel and Sydney Fisher of Cambridge Rindge & Latin reached the finish line at the same moment, Samuel was able to lean forward just as she crossed the line to take a thrilling victory in 25.34, a hair ahead of Fisher’s 25.37, at the Andover Boosters meet yesterday afternoon. “It just shows nothing is impossible,” said Samuel. “I just told myself that I wanted it so bad and had to do anything I could. I had to keep pushing until it was over and just gave it the lean at the end. I had no idea if I won, but I knew it was close. I was so happy when I found out.” Doing it for coach Andover High took the girls team title and the overall combined team crown, dedicating the victory to late Andover coaching legend Dick Collins, who passed away in February. Collins won more than 400 dual meets as head track coach at Andover, and more recently served as an assistant track coach — even helping out at 80-years-old, under current coach Peter Comeau. Prior to the meet, a ceremony was held in Collins’ honor, which was attended by a large group of his family and friends. “Before the meet we said we knew Coach Collins was looking down on us,” said Comeau. “We were not the favorites to win this meet, so to do it, I really feel like he was up there helping us. We wanted to win this for him.” Falaras shocks meet, self Seeded eighth in the shot put heading into the meet, North Andover’s Yanni Falaras admitted he was not expecting any gold medals. “I sure didn’t think I was going to win,” said Falaras with a laugh. “My expectations were low. But on my first warm-up throw I felt so good and so relaxed. A lot of times I freak out at the big meets, but this was different.” Falaras threw a career-high 52-11.5, good for the championship on the day. “I felt so good and had a good grip on the shot,” he said. “I just let it fly. I love it. I was so excited to actually win.” Johnson sets personal best Central Catholic’s Erika Johnson was feeling a bit frustrated early on in the discus. “I was a little sore and tired, my first few throws were around 84 (feet) and I was started to get worried,” said Johnson. “But them I calmed down and threw 114 (feet), and I knew I just had to do what I do.” That was just the start for Johnson. She finished her day with a career-high discus throw of 117-0, easily taking first place ahead of No. 2 Kate Cowden of Wilmington (102-11). It also crept Johnson closer to her ultimate goal of breaking the Central Catholic school record of 125-5. “I had been throwing 110 for the last three meets and I felt stuck,” she said. “But after this I feel like I am reaching my goal.” Relay dominance A pair of relays ran to huge titles yesterday. The 4x100 relay was taken by the Lawrence team of Jacob Toledo, Bryan Morales, Jose Adames and Kevin Flores in a blazing 42.32. “It felt like heaven,” said Morales, who also won the 100 dash. “It was just beautiful to be out there and take it home. It was just wonderful.” Adames noted that the Lancers had one goal in mind. “We are going for first place every time,” he said. “That’s what we are here for, always.” Meanwhile, the Andover girls 4x800 entered the day seeded ninth overall. But they set out to prove that wrong. The team of Cate Donovan, Gwyneth Minor, Sarah Rothmann and Sophie Draper took gold going away in 9:53.97, far outdistancing No. 2 Newton South (10:00.40). “You just have to forget where you are seeded because it doesn’t matter,” said Draper. “We showed what we could do it we worked together and give it our all.” Naveed shines Following the 400, a talented competitor in the race looked at a bystander and said it all. “Wow,” said the athlete, “(Hamza) Naveed from Andover was amazing.” Naveed delivered his best outing of the season yesterday, flying to the 400 title in 50.14. “I was seeded second but I just knew I could win,” said Naveed. “I haven’t been running terribly well this season, so to show myself and everyone that I can still run a winning time means a lot. I really wanted this win.” Lucky and great With rain falling on the track early in yesterday’s meet, North Reading’s Cole Godzinski faced a difficult decision. Should she roll the dice with her lucky shoes, or play it safe? “My lucky spikes are pretty slippery when it’s wet so I didn’t know what to wear,” said Godzinski. “But by coach assured me it would be OK so I wore much lucky ones and it worked out.” That footwear choice proved to be the right one, as Godzinski ran to the 100 hurdles crown in 15.15 “Last year I lost (at Andover Boosters) by, like, a one-thousandth of a second, so I really wanted the plaque this year. I hadn’t run against competition this tough all year, so it was awesome to win.”

Andover Boosters Boys Meet Top 10 and local team scores (23 teams): 1. Lexington 58, 2. Andover 50, 3. Reading 40, 3. Lawrence 40, 5. Westford Academy 39, 6. Brookline 36, 7. North Andover 32.5, 8. Billerica 30, 8. Needham 30, 8. Cambridge R&L 30; Also: 11. Central Catholic 29, 16. Methuen 19, 18. Haverhill 15 Winners and area placers: Pole vault: 1. Tim Breen (Westford Academy) 13-0, 2. Joe Vetere (And) 12-6. 4. Jonathan Mendonca (CC) 12-0; Shot put: 1. Yanni Falaras (NA) 52-11.5, 5. Stephen Sullivan (CC) 49-11.75, 6. Noah Joyce (CC) 49-11.25; Discus: 1. Eli Jennings (Wilmington) 159-9, 3. Jason Rice (NA) 136-3, 5. D’Andre Drummond-Mayrie (CC) 131-5, 6. Brian Davis (NA) 131-4; Javelin: 1. Tanner Gariepy (CC) 161-0; Long jump: 1. Evandro DaCosta (Randolph) 21-6.25, 4. Aneuris Burgos (Law) 20-3, 6. Raymond Gorzela (And) 19-9.75; Triple jump: 1. DaCosta (Rand) 45-9.5, 2. Dozie Onwuka (Hav) 42-0.25, 3. Joseph Staudt (NA) 41-4.25; High jump: 1. Quinten Clark (Lex) 6-2, 3. Gage Alicea (Hav) 5-10, 4. Bryan Morales (Law) 5-8, 5. James Testa (NA) 5-8 110 hurdles: 1. Justin Cox (Lex) 14.81, 2. Sean Caveney (And) 15.01, 3. Drummond-Mayrie (CC) 15.10, 4. Staudt (NA) 15.21, 6. Andrew Matteucci (And) 15.24; 100 meters: 1, Bryan Morales (Law) 11.02; Mile: Andrew Ernst (Marblehead) 4:24.83, 5. Zachary Frahlich (NA) 4:34.11; 4x100 relay: Lawrence () 43.32, 3. Andover 44.36, 5. Central Catholic 44.76; 400: 1. Hamza Naveed (And) 50.14, 6. Bryam Discua (Hav); 400 hurdles: 1. Aaron LeLacheur (Reading) 55.29, 2. Sebastian Silveira (And) 55.52, 5. Mike Milano (CC) 58.70, 6. Connor Donovan (Meth) 59.06; 800: 1. Peter Garmon (Billerica) 1:55.54, 2. John St. Hilaire (Meth) 1:56.93, 5. Chris Dalke (NA) 1:59.81; 200: 1. Jeff Santos (Brookline) 22.09, 3. Jose Adames (Law) 22.35; 2-mile: 1. Ben Jacobson (Lex) 9:31.29; 4x400 relay: 1. Reading 3:24.21, 3. Lawrence 3:33.51; 4x800relay: 1. Peabody 8:12.40, 2. Methuen 8:18.50; 800 Sprint Medley: 1. Brookline 1:34.84, 2. Andover 1:35.93, 5. Methuen 1:37.16 Girls Track and Field Andover Boosters Girls Meet Top 10 and local team scores (24 teams):  1. Andover 59.5, 2. Needham 51, 3. Newton South 45, 4. Lexington 41, 5. Central Catholic 40, 6. North Andover 39, 7. North Reading 38, 8. Westford Academy 35, 9. Brookline 28, 10. Tewksbury 26.5; Also: 12. Haverhill 24, 17. Methuen 13 Winners and area placers: Pole vault: 1. Ashley Craig (Westford Academy) 11-0, 2. Madison Arndt (CC) 11-0, 3. Julia Valenti (NR) 10-6, 5. Courtney Carver (And) 9-0; Shot put: 1. Emily Murray (NR) 39-2, 2. Katie McManus (NA) 37-10, 5. Rakel Tativian (Hav) 35-11; Discus: 1. Erika Johnson (CC) 117-0, 4. Murray (NR) 98-4; Javelin: 1. Allie Gregoire (Brookline) 109-01, 2. Erin Logee (And) 99-0, 3. Katie McManus (NA) 98-6, 4. Brenna Lonneman (CC) 97-3; Long jump: 1. Katie Mulkerin (Billerica) 17-5, 4. Jillian Gamache (And) 16-2.75; Triple jump: 1. Hannah Chapman (And) 36-9.75, 5. Katie Equi (CC) 33-8; High jump: Catherine Flaherty (NA) 5-4, 3. Audrey Zero (NA) 5-0, 4. Eladia Cespedes (Meth) 5-0, 6. Drea Greco (And) 5-0; 100 hurdles: 1. Cole Godzinski (NR) 15.15, 2. Hannah Chapman (And) 15.58, 4. Courtney Comeau (And) 15.63, 5. Marisa Quarti (NR) 16.43; 100 meters: 1. Calene Lazare (Newton South) 12.64, 2. Hannah Ameen (And) 12.69, 6. Miranda Lawrence (And) 12.03; Mile: 1. Kaleigh Hughes (Needham) 5:03.68, 3. Riley Gilmore (Hav) 5:15.36; 4x100 relay: 1. Westford Academy 51.01, 3. Haverhill 52.21, 5. North Reading 52.67; 400: 1. Katie Mulkerin (Bill) 57.67, 4. Taylor DePalo (CC) 58.87, 5. Jenna Smolag (NA) 59.45; 400 hurdles: 1. Emileigh Glode (A-B) 1:05.55, 3. Katie Equi (CC) 1:07.04, 5. Jillian Gamache (And) 1:07.61, 6. Mary Lavery (NA) 1:08.15; 800: 1. Samantha Colletti (Whitman-Hanson) 2:15.87; 200: Wileshka Samuel (Meth) 25.34, 4. Grace Stanton (Hav) 26.74; 2-mile: 1. Margie Cullen (Needham) 11:08.12, 6. Tiffany Simione (CC) 11:54.18; 4x400 relay: 1. Lexington 4:01.67, 3. North Andover 4:04.16, 4. Central Catholic 4:06.13; 4x800 relay: 1. Andover 9:53.97, 3. Haverhill 10:07.05; 800 Sprint Medley: 1. Westford Academy 1:53.17, 4. North Reading 1:54.43, 5. Andover 1:55.20, 6. Central Catholic 1:56.25

HAVERHILL — The last few weeks had been rocky, to say the least, for Andover triple jumper Hannah Chapman.

“I had just matched my personal best (37-2), then I injured my quad and was out,” said the Eagle-Tribune All-Star. “Then the day I got back from that, I got strep throat for the next six days. It was a rough stretch.”