In the second-to-last lap of the Mile, Ralph Skinner ’16 surpassed two Phillips Exeter Academy runners to secure first place in 4:24.19 minutes for Andover Boys Indoor Track & Field. After losing to Exeter last week at Governor’s by three points, Andover avenged its loss by defeating Exeter 61-42 on Wednesday.
The raucous home crowd provided support and motivation as Andover competed in its final home meet of the season.
Skinner, who also placed second in the Long Jump at 19 feet 0.5 inch, said, “The home crowd really turned out for us in volumes, and you get motivation from wherever you can get it so the crowd was great. I have a lot of respect for Exeter’s distance runners, so I wanted to let them set the pace and go from there. Fortunately, I had a little energy left with 400 yards to go and was able to [outstrip] them.”
Captain Andrew Wang ’16 also provided strong motivation and inspiration for Andover.
Basil Alfaro ’18, who finished third in the 600-Yard Race in 1:25.43 minutes, said, “Wang is so down to earth and adaptable with his leadership. Especially today, telling us to be committed to ourselves and to our teammates.”
Wang, who ran the first leg of the Andover 4×400 Relay team that finished in 3:49.45 minutes, more than 14 seconds faster than the Exeter team, wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “To be a member of this team is to realize that there is something in this world that is greater than ourselves. As our bones ached, we got a glimpse of flying. As we lost our voices screaming, we got to see our teammates soar ahead.”
In addition to Andover’s strong finishes on the track, Noah Ward ’17 broke his own class record in the Shot-Put with a second place finish of 54 feet 3 inches.
The team’s top competitors are now tapering and preparing for the U.S.A. Track & Field New England Indoor Championships at Harvard University this Sunday.
