By DAN BARILE
Eagle Times Correspondent
PLYMOUTH, N.H. — Several local athletes earned top 10 finishes during the third week of the indoor track and field season in the Granite State.
Kearsarge senior Daniel Dalbec ran away with the top spot in the 1,500-meter run at Plymouth State University on Saturday, Dec. 28 in a blazing fast time of 4:13.63. Fall Mountain’s Elijah Bodanza was the runner-up to Dalbec, completing the seven-and-a-half lap race in 4:24.03.
The other local event winner was Newport’s Callie Dixon, who fell just an inch short of her school record in shot put. Dixon launched a 32’10.5″ toss on her third attempt to earn the victory.
The Kearsarge girls were the top team locally, finishing fifth in the 12-team field that featured multiple Division 1 opponents.
Riley Raynes had the top individual performance for Kearsarge, placing second in the 300-meter dash in 47.21 seconds. Raynes was also a member of the 4 x 400-meter relay team that finished second to Keene in 5:06.22. Raynes was joined by Jenna Burkett, Javiera Eliessetch, and Daphne Henrichsen. The freshman duo of Eliessetch and Henrichsen also earned top individual performances, placing third in the 55-meter dash, and seventh in the 55-meter hurdles, respectively. Josefina Eliessetch (eighth in long jump) and Gabrielle Lamb (eighth in shot put) were the other top 10 finishers for the Cougar girls.
In addition to Dixon’s win in shot put, the Newport girls received strong performances from Emry Hooper, who placed sixth in the 600-meter run (2:01.01) and ninth in the 55-meter hurdles (11.60). On the boys side, Camryn Simpson was Newport’s top scorer with a fifth-place leap in long jump (15’1″) and a 10th-place finish in the 300-meter run (44.81). Michael Bohn was the other top 10 finisher for the Tigers, securing eighth place in the 1,500-meter run in 5:04.21.
Kearsarge’s Sullivan Merrill (fourth in the 300-meter run) and Johnathan Barselle (seventh in long jump) joined Daniel Dalbec as the top finishers for the Cougar boys.
