After finishing last season with a winning record of 4-3, Malden High’s Indoor Track team hopes to pull together another successful season. After returning to the GBL after three years, the Boys Indoor Track team is off to a great start, currently having a record of 4-0. Overall, this season compared to last seems to be going more smoothly, though coach David Londino mentioned that “[he does not] compare seasons because seniors graduate, the teams face change, and this year with [their] changing leagues, the comparison cannot be made.”
The team swapped back to the Greater Boston League (GBL) this year after having competed in the Northeastern Conference (NEC) for two years. The NEC consists of teams farther out from the Malden area, having the team face off against teams that were up to an hour bus ride away. Londino commented on the switch, stating that “The NEC was great in that there were more teams and some fantastic competition that pushed our top tier athletes,” however, went on to state that “[he feels they] are better off in the GBL, as the long bus rides and late meets made life more challenging for everyone.” Londino also mentioned that “facing local teams has reduced stress levels and provided people more time to get schoolwork and other things done.”
Due to the team seeing so much success this season, there are bound to be a few strengths that have defined the team so far. Though Londino feels “there [is not] necessarily one area where [they] are strong” and that they are “pretty well rounded,” he still feels that ”[their] strength has come from [their] top-end talent in each event, though people have developed well and are starting to provide [the team] with depth as well.”
Though the team has seen so much success this season, there is always room for improvement, regardless of how well they have performed. The track team does not seem to have many issues on the track or anything too glaring, but Londino mentioned how “track athletes, and all athletes, have to realize that preparation is a 24-hour process. Better sleep, hydration, diet, and general care are things [they] always need to work to achieve.”
As for the rest of the season, the track team hopes to pull in even more wins, securing their place to race for the GBL title. Goals are always common in teams, and the Boys Indoor Track team is no exception, as Londino hopes they “win what will be a very challenging meet against Revere on January 29th. Doing so will clinch the GBL title for [them].” In addition to defeating Revere, Londino also mentioned how “after [the meet, they] will take qualifying athletes to the Division 1 State Championships and let them achieve their individual goals.” When it comes to individual goals outside of the team, Londino stated that they “always put the team goals ahead of individual goals.” In doing so, the team will be able to achieve things as a group rather than individually, allowing them to focus solely on the team’s performance rather than individual gain.
The loss of seniors can always be detrimental for the start of new seasons. While the track team was affected by the loss of seniors, the blow was lessened with the emerging talent shown within the freshmen runners this season.
Londino mentioned how “among all 9th graders in the state, Johnny Emmanual is ranked 3rd in the 300m, Jonathan Brill is ranked 9th in the 1000m, and there are others who rank in the top 30 in their events. These guys combined with our solid sophomores have the future looking bright for Malden track.
While our upperclassmen have performed well, what has stood out is our freshman class of runners. This may be the best crop of freshmen the boys team has ever had. Among all 9th graders in the state, freshman Johnny Emmanual is ranked 3rd in the 300m, freshman Jonathan Brill is ranked 9th in the 1000m, and there are others who rank in the top 30 in their events. These guys combined with [their] solid sophomores have the future looking bright for Malden track.”
In all, the Boys Indoor Track team seems to have pulled together a really great season so far, and seems to only be looking up from here. After starting the season with a record of 4-0 as well as having consistently high scores in each meet, the team seems to be a force to be reckoned with in the GBL. With the highly anticipated meet against Revere coming up, the team hopes to prove themselves by keeping their flawless record, as well as go on to win the GBL championship title.
Junior Brendan Santos running. Photo by David Cartledge 
Junior Damien Huynh Throwing the shot. Photo by David Cartledge 
Senior Ezra Kruckenberg competing in the high jump. Photo by David Cartledge 
Senior Jean Gerard Throwing The Shot. Photo by David Cartledge 
Sophomore Jelani Garrett competing in the high jump. Photo by David Cartledge
