By PJ MONTEZUMA
When students think of Malden High School sports football and basketball come to mind. Yet the underdogs of MHS sports is the track teams. Being led by head coach David Londino, who was named this years Division 1 “Coach of the Year”, so there is no surprise behind their success. Londino is “proud of their efforts and the way they represent themselves both on and off the track.”
Some of the MHS boys outdoor track team was able to extend their season until Mid-June which is Londino’s definition of a “successful season”. The seniors on the team have led the team on the track, classrooms and the community, becoming great examples for the underclassmen to look up to. These seniors including Richard Mulo, David Kibazo, Janah Chapman and Claude Bonnet who are some of the team that advanced to the State tournament. Others include Juniors Mark Ortiz, Kingdolphe Julien, Nahom Ghile and Jodens Didie alongside sophomore Gutemberg Santos and freshmen Isaac Mukala and Marvens Fedna.
Those boys listed put on a display at the Division 1 State Meet and placed in various rankings. Such as Chapman running a 11.15 in the 100 meter placing fourth which made him advance to the All State Meet. And Julien ran a 49.2 in the 400 meter placing second also advancing to the All State Meet.
The All State Meet was yet another success for the MHS outdoor boys track as they put on a stellar performance. The 4×400 meter team of Mukala, Kibazo, Santos and Julien ran a 3:26.28, beating MHS longstanding record of 3:28.5 set way back in 1956. That time placed them in 13th at the meet. Also running at this meet was the 4×100 meter team that consisted of Fedna, junior Chris Voltaire, Didie and Chapman who ran a 44.21 and placed 14th in that event. Two runners that not only stood out at this meet, but all season were Julien and Chapman whose times at this meet qualified them to participate at the New England Championship.
The New England Championship took place on June 14, and the two represented MHS and did their job. Julien ran the 400 meter and placed second in his event. Whereas Chapman placed 9th overall in the 100 meter.
Londino feels that the teams success comes from the runners “working real hard but having fun while doing it.” Which seems to work due to the success behind the MHS track teams. Didie thinks that the season went well other than a few slips but the success came from a majority of underclassmen which makes him “excited to see what next track season brings” from the underdogs.
