NORTHAMPTON – Westfield senior Ryan Prenosil’s championship run is showing no signs of slowing down.
On Friday night, Westfield’s track star added to his laundry list of accolades, cleaning up with another fantastic finish. Prenosil fought off a rough start to nearly capture gold in the 600 meters, finishing second in 1:22.79 at the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference indoor track and field championships at Smith College.
Amherst’s Aiden Foucault Etheridge was only six-tenths of a second better in 1:22.73.
Prenosil trailed from the outset, getting stuck behind a small pack of runners.
“I was going ‘uh oh, this isn’t good,’” Prenosil said.
Westfield senior Ryan Prenosil runs to a second place finish in the 600 meters during Friday night’s PVIAC Championships at Smith College in Northampton. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
At the first turn though, the Westfield runner sprinted past everyone. Prenosil led the entire field until the last turn when he noticed Etheridge up on his shoulder. The Amherst Hurricane just edged out Prenosil in the final 10 meters of what turned out to be a thrilling race.
“Overall this was a big PR (personal record) for me,” Prenosil said. “I’m excited for D2s and All-States.”
There have been a lot of PRs for Prenosil.
The senior Bomber broke a record for the first time in his high school career when he set a new mark in the 400 meters. Since that time, he has gone on to shatter a total of nine school records in the following events – 300, 400, and 800 meters; 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, and 4×800 relays; the sprint medley relay; and, the distance medley relay.
Also, on Friday night, the boys’ 4×400 relay team took third, recording the second best time in school history. The official timed results were not available at press time.
The spotlight not only shone brightly at the PVIAC championships, but wide and far-reaching as several female student-athletes rose to the challenge.
Westfield junior Moira McDonald claimed silver in the 300 meters (43.44), and added a seventh-place finish in the 55 meters.
“It was my first time using blocks (in the 300 meters),” McDonald said, “so I was kind of freaked out.”
Apparently she scared off the competition, only finishing behind repeat champ Kyla Hill, of Minnechaug, who won the race in 43.18.
“I didn’t think I had anything to lose,” McDonald said. “I just had to run.”
And run she did.
McDonald fought to the outside line by the 200 meter mark and stayed on the outside through the home stretch to pass Central’s Damahya Phipps (3rd, 43.37).
Westfield’s Mckenzie Chaban leaps over a hurdle in the girls’ 55 meter hurdle competition. Chaban went on to finish third. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
In the 55 meter hurdles, an event that Morgan Sanders dominated for three years prior to graduating last spring, another Bomber stepped to the forefront.
Westfield senior McKenzie Chaban emerged from Sanders’ shadow to officially announce her arrival with a third place finish in the 55 meter hurdles Friday night.
Chaban’s 9.51 finish not only earned her a medal, but also a trip to the state championships.
Chaban smacked into the fourth hurdle in the first race of the trials Friday night – conjuring images of Sanders’ freshman year trip (she obviously recovered nicely) – opening a wound in her leg, gushing blood. She got patched up, returned to the track, and smacked the competition just as hard.
Westfield senior Amanda Hall posted her highest finish ever in the shot put, throwing for 31 feet, 10 ¾ inches, good for sixth.
“I got better and better each meet,” said Hall, a self-taught shot putter, who willed herself to a medal with relentless training in the weight room and techniques she discovered on the internet.
Team results were not available as of press time.
COURT SESSION: Elsewhere on Friday night, the Westfield High School girls’ basketball team kept its slim tournament hopes alive with a big win against visiting Minnechaug, 47-45. Kaela Mochak (17 points) and Olivia Hadla (15) fueled the Bombers’ attack, and Clara Hinck finished with nine points. …The Westfield boys’ hoops team also continued its postseason push with a 71-62 win over West Springfield. Rodney Bernard scored a game-high 24 points for the Bombers, followed by teammates Kam Wells (13), Javy Santos (12), Gabe Piepergerdes (9), and Aidan Dunn (8). …Shane Mastello (22) and Brett Turban (15) led Gateway, a 51-45 loser to Smith Voke. …Jake Butler scored a game-high 31 for St. Mary, which lost to Pathfinder, 72-31.
