By Kameron Towle
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WINDSOR, Vt. – The Green Mountain girls can now call themselves state champions after Saturday’s first-place finish at the D-IV Vermont Championships in Windsor.
Out of 13 schools, the Chiefs boasted the best score with a 164, beating out second-place Northfield by 16 points.
The Green Mountain girls certainly rose to the occasion.
“Most of our athletes got personal bests or season bests,” said GM head coach Jon Rice. “Nearly all of our athletes placed in their events. It was truly a team effort.”
Their 4×800 team of Olivia Bernier, Brigid Karl, Lily Jones, and Laurel King set a new Green Mountain Union High School record with a time of 11:36.91. The Chiefs’ 4×400 team of Paige Karl, Grace Tyrrell, Alyssa Ripley, and Brigid Karl won their event with a time of 4:42.73 to wrap up the day, edging Sharon Academy by about three seconds.
GM also placed second in the 4×100, as Paige Karl, Eva Svec, Lily Jones, and Jackie Parker-Jennings scored a time of 57.15.
Grace Tyrrell had herself a day for the Chiefs, with first-place finishes in the 200m, 400m, and 300m hurdles. She set new personal records in both the 300m hurdles and the 200m. Teammate Eva Svec trailed just behind in the 200m, placing third.
Following Tyrrell in the 300m hurdles, teammates Sarah Warnecke and Ripley placed second and third, respectively.
Warnecke also placed fourth in the 100m dash, behind Eva Svec, who picked up a first-place finish with a time of 13.35.
Rileigh Thomas helped the Chiefs out with a first-place finish in the pole vault.
Abigail Williams led the Chiefs in the throwing events, placing second in shot put and fourth in both the discus and javelin.
Olivia Bernier placed fifth in the 1500m and third in the 3000m to add solid points for GM with Northfield trailing not too far behind.
Some more scoring for the Chiefs: Alyssa Ripley placed third in both the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles; Jackie Parker-Jennings placed fourth in the long jump; Deirdre Moore placed third in the triple jump; Grace Johnson placed fourth in the shot put; Paige Karl placed fourth in the 400m and fifth in the 200m; Laurel King placed fifth in the 800m; Brigid Karl placed fifth in the high jump; Rileigh Thomas placed fourth in the 100m hurdles; Deirdre Moore placed third in the triple jump.
GM seniors Alyssa Ripley, Paige Karl, Grace Johnson, and Deirdre Moore can now graduate as state champs.
The Chieftain boys finished eighth on Saturday. The scoring for them: Mitchell Rounds placed third in long jump; Kameron Cummings finished first in high jump and fourth in 300m hurdles; Thatcher LaPrise placed fourth in shot put.
BOYS TEAM SCORES
Northfield (141); Leland and Gray (87); Arlington (82); Richford (51); West Rutland (36); Craftsbury (33); Winooski (32); Green Mountain (24); Rivendell (16); Sharon (16); Long Trail (2).
GIRLS TEAM SCORES
Green Mountain (164); Northfield (148); Sharon (63); Arlington (47); Richford (45); Craftsbury (18); West Rutland (18); Winooski (9); Hazen Union (8); Leland and Gray (4).
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