By JONATHAN DECICCO
Ready…set…bang! As the sound of the gun echoes through the Salemwood School gymnasium, the MHS girls indoor track team are more than ready to race. With the season coming to an end the team is making remarkable strides to finish off. Completing the long winter season with a record of 2-1-1 in the Greater Boston League(GBL), the team has certainly accomplished a lot and shown their improvements from last season.
Losing to Cambridge, on Jan. 16, 2013, the girls redeemed themselves with a stunning win against Somerville on Jan. 24, 2013. Throughout the meet the two teams tied for much of the competition. As the last event, the 4×400 relay, approached, the girls were behind 42-39. Needing first place in this event the girls were certainly determined. The relay consisted of freshman Carine Exume, junior Jacqueline Bouley, and senior Blue and Gold members Haley Dowdie and Lauren Benoit. Placing first in the relay with a time of 4:33, compared to Somerville’s 4:35, the Malden girls became only the second team to beat Somerville since 2006. Head Coach David Londino tells us that, “Those four girls won their individual events and bounced back to win the most exciting 4×400 relay I’ve ever seen. Their effort and determination was just absolutely amazing.” Exume, Bouley, Dowdie, Benoit, and senior Kristina Thorne accounted for 33 of Malden’s 44 points against Somerville.
Not only did the team stand out in the GBL, but they also made some huge impressions at some of the invitationals. Qualifying for the state meet on Feb. 16, 2013 were Exume, Bouley, Dowdie and Benoit, as well as the girls 4x400m relay team and boys 2x200m relay team. After the cancellation of the GBL Championship meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts the state-qualifying girls trained hard for their final meet of the season.
Some standout performances at the meet included senior Blue and Gold member Lauren Benoit who place 8th in the 1000m run with a time of 3:09. The 4×400 relay team also had a personal record with a time of 4:18. Freshman Carine Exume ran 43.18 seconds in the 300m to meet the US Second Team Elite standard and set a Malden High School record.
The girls track team finished up a successful indoor track season breaking new school records as well as personal goals. After a strong season, the girls team looks forward to carrying on their success to the outdoor track season.
