BOSTON – Everything surrounding Westfield High School junior track star Morgan Sanders seems to be a blur. That’s only because Sanders has been gliding past the competition time and time again.
Sanders claimed a silver medal in the 55 meter hurdles at Saturday’s All-State indoor track meet at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center. She finished runner-up at 8.55, behind gold medal winner Notre Dame’s Isabella DiMare (8.44).
The Westfield junior has been on a fantastic run.
After Sanders completed an unbeaten regular season, she extended her dominance into the postseason, winning a second straight west sectional championship in the 55 meter hurdles at Smith College in Northampton. Her time was a record shattering mark of 8.68.
“I’ve been working really hard this year,” Sanders said at the time. “I have a lot of support from my team, coaches, and my parents too.”
Sanders won again at states with a time of 8.56, besting Plymouth South’s Jayci Andrews (8.82).
JULIE CARROLL
At the All-State competition, Sanders was just a tenth of a second short of yet another victory. Her fine finish propelled the Bombers to a top 20 finish – they were 20th – in the team standings with eight points.
Wachusett was the top team with 33 points, followed by Cambridge Rindge and Latin (28), and Needham (25).
In the men’s results, Andover (31), Mansfield (26), and Amherst (25) placed 1-2-3.
Westfield senior Jordanio Oquendo placed 14th in the 300 meter dash (36.81).
Other notables involved Holyoke Catholic’s Julie Carroll (Southwick), who placed 23rd in the 2-mile run (12:08.65). Carroll earned a trip to the all-state meet with a sixth-place finish in the 2-mile (11:46) a week earlier.
AUSTIN SHREWSBURY
GRAPPLING WITH SUCCESS: Another Westfield athlete, senior wrestler Austin Shrewsbury took home second place hardware this past weekend.
Shrewsbury fell to Barnstable’s Owen Murray 6-3 in the state championship heavyweight finals (285-pounds). The Westfield senior actually led 3-2 late in double overtime before Murray’s reversal and near-fall.
Jordan Cree (7th place finish) and Ryan Bucko (8th) also cracked the top 10 Saturday.
