Ashley Leung
Reporter
Closing up the season with the same determination and vigor as they began with, Malden High School’s girls track team is finally finishing off the season with many successes under their belt. With only one defeat in the entire season, the team finished with a final record of 3-1. With the season wrapping up, the members of the team can look back and reflect on their season.
In their first meet, the team went against Somerville and won with the score of 69-67. Coach David Londino recalled one of the most unforgettable moments of the meet and the season during the 4×400 meter relay, MHS was moving into their last event with the score of 64-67, where they needed a five point victory in order to win the meet. In the end, the girls running in the relay won by only seven-tenths of a second. At the team’s second meet against Everett High School, the team finished with a score of 101-30, a large victory for the girls. On Apr. 29, the team faced against Medford, where the team scored 102-28.
On May 3, several members of the team participated in a highly competitive invitational called the Western Twilight meet. In order to participate in the invitational, the runner must be able to meet or at least come close to meeting the state divisional qualifying time.
Runners who were able to qualify for the meet included junior Victoria Hannafin, seniors Joviana Morin and Jacqueline Bouley, and sophomores Deborah Kibazo and Gillian Willcox.
The team’s last meet was against Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, where both teams, undefeated, met in the season. Throughout, the meet was an intense battle between the two teams. In the end, it was Cambridge that had taken the win, leaving Malden with their first and only defeat, the score being 77-54.
Looking back at the season, Londino recognizes senior Kim Du’s consistency in her running, as she is a consistent scorer in the 400 meter hurdles, 100 meter hurdles, and javelin in every meet in the season. She, along with senior Annie Woolley, sophomores Carine Exume and Carly Amos, junior Amalika Lucien, and a number of other athletes qualified for states.
On the seniors leaving the team, Londino states that they “definitely have some holes to fill when the seniors leave.” As the team is currently made up of underclassmen, they will try their best to fill these holes. The seniors this year will be remembered for their team efforts, according to Londino.
After the GBL League Meet, many runners ran state-qualifying times and because of that, the qualifiers ran in the Division 1 State Meet on June 1.
Runners included Exume in the 100m and 200m, Lucien in the 100m, Sanders in the 200m, Woolley in the 100m hurdles, Amos and Abigaëlle Leblance, in the shot put, and the 4×100 relay team.
