RallyNorth.net

Sat, Jun 02, 2018 03:30 PM @ Pinkerton

Team	Final
Salem	2
Pinkerton	1

Ruimwijk rallies for gold at Meet of Champions

Saturday, June, 02 By David Willis
Staff writer

MERRIMACK, N.H. — Jadyn Ruimwijk was angry as he settled into his blocks for the 200 meter.

Nearly an hour earlier, Ruimwijk had failed to defend his Meet of Champions title in the 100, falling to second place.

So, as the Pinkerton senior awaited the 200, he had one simple goal.

“I had to win!” he said.

Ruimwijk did just that, taking gold in the 200 in 22.31, defending his title at Meet of Champions on Saturday at Merrimack High School. There was no team scoring.

“The 200 meant so much,” said Ruimwijk. “I needed to win at least one race in my last Meet of Champions. It felt great.”

The record-setting Eagle-Tribune All-Star’s 11.22 in the 100 fell just short of Dalton Mutz of Concord (11.07).

“My hamstring hurt, and I came out really slow,” said Ruimwijk. “My knees weren’t in rhythm. I just ran so badly.”

But he made a comeback in the 200 in dramatic fashion by just holding off Mutz (22.45).

“I needed to win,” said Ruimwijk, who also ran on the winning 4x400. “I wanted it so bad. I just had to keep my knees high, try to keep my form right, and when I crossed the finish line I knew I won.”

Woodman dominates again

Noah Woodman may have been left feeling a bit ill after his race, but it was all worth it.

The Pinkerton senior repeated as champion in the 400, winning in 48.42.

“I feel really good,” he said. “I was nervous going into the race, but I knew I had the training, and I was confident I could win it.”

Woodman trailed early, before racing past the competition for a convincing win.

“(Trinity’s Stephen) Duckett takes off right out of the gate,” said the University of Connecticut recruit, who also anchored the winning 4x400. “I don’t do that. I wait to kick. So it was a different race. I had to keep up with him at first, but it worked out fine. It all felt so good.”

Pinkerton rules relay

By the time Pat Hanlon handed the baton off, he knew his Pinkerton 4x400 relay was in great position.

Having superstars Ruimwijk and Woodman running behind you is reason to be comfortable.

“I have a LOT of confidence,” he said. “If I can even keep it kind of close, with those two finishing it off I feel very confident.”

Hanlon handed the baton off to those stars in first place on Saturday, and the Astro 4x400 ran to a dominant victory in 3:27.24.

After Adam Spencer — who was third in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles — ran the opening leg, Hanlon came on with a blazing second leg before the Eagle-Tribune All-Star duo finished it off.

“It feels amazing to win,” said Hanlon, who was also a member of last year’s Meet of Champions winning relay. “It feels great. We took No. 1 at Division 1s, and we wanted to take it again. I felt confident when I got the baton. I held my ground, and the guys finished a great win.”