RallyNorth.net

Generals take State Relays

Sunday, May, 18 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

A lot of people look at track and field and see an individual sport. Hamilton-Wenham coach Steve Sawyer isn't one of them.

 The multiple-time Salem News coach of the year knows that every athlete and every point counts in a given meet. No where was that more apparent than at Saturday's Class D state relays, which the Generals won with contributions from as many as 32 athletes and by placing in nine of the event's 15 events.

 "The nicest thing is that so many athletes were involved in the scoring and they all depend on each other," said Sawyer. "There were a lot of kids involved and they all did their part for the team."

The Generals' four-mile team of Nate McGough, Ben Von Staats, Harry Black and Gabe Pacione got the meet started with a dramatic 9:30 a.m. win -- besting Weston by less than a second. H-W also got the last win of the night, in the discus, with Isiah Rotondi-Gray, Josh Cummins and Bryan Cauley combining to throw 362-4 to clinch the meet title over defending champion Bridgewater.

 "Those were some big-time throws by all three in pressure situations," Sawyer said.

The Generals won because of their depth. They got contributions in all areas of track and field, including distance, field events and sprints. H-W also won the pole vault and the 4x800, got a second place effort in the shuttle hurdles, thirds in the high jump, 4x200 and 4x400 and a fourth in the triple jump.

In addition, the Generals set new school records in the hurdles and 4x200. The team, which was a perfect 10-0 in the regular season, hosts the CAL championships next Saturday before eyeing a Class D state crown the following week.