Sports

Boys Indoor Track and Field Welcomes Four Guests to Annual Exeter Meet, Finishes 2nd Behind Exeter

Andover runners sprint to the finish.

Andover Boys Indoor Track and Field continued its successful run of home meets this past week, hosting Marianapolis, Governor’s, Wilbraham, Landmark, and Exeter at Snyder Center. In this year’s annual 9th grade and 10th grade meet, Andover Juniors and Lowers came 2nd out of six teams on Wednesday.

According to Matt Leonard ’24, the lead that Emerson Kington ’24 gave the team in the 4 x 200-Meter Relay helped the team clinch the win.

Leonard said, “Emerson Kington ’24 had a phenomenal performance today with the 4×200-Meter Dash. He was… the first runner out of four, and he did a really really great job giving us a lead and the space he created between the next closest runner gave us momentum to take the win.” 

Kington shone in other events too. His improvement of half a second in the 300-Meter Dash demonstrated the hard work he has put in during practice.

“[I would highlight] Emerson Kington, he grew by I think half a second in 300 which is really hard to do,” said Bae.

The team’s success on the day would not have been possible without the constant encouragement from the team. According to Ozochi Onunaku ’25, the team’s “passionate” support for each other provided the push the team needed in spite of a nervous atmosphere on the day.

Onunaku said,  “The atmosphere was very nervous… emotions were running high…a lot of stress…but it was honestly just so wonderful to cheer on my friends and the community was wonderful as well. They were very passionate, screaming in your face, ‘you got this, you got this’, and that was honestly very exciting for me…that’s an experience that if I could, I would go through it again. It was just amazing.”

Despite the team’s fine performance, Onuaku emphasizes areas that the team must work on in preparation for Wednesday’s meet against Exeter. According to Onuaku, each player will focus on their own strengths ahead of the meet; he is confident of the team’s success in its next meet if it manages to do that.

Onuaku said, “We’re going to work on our own strengths… like short sprints, just getting off the speed blocks as well as dashing towards the finish line…but honestly I think we’re on a good track towards succeeding for the next meet,” said Onunaku. 

Leonard, for example, hopes to focus on his form, composure, run-up and consistency ahead of Andover’s next meet.

Leonard said, “Personally, I need to work on keeping my form and keeping composed…I need to work on my run up and making sure I’m not losing consistency.”

Andover’s next meet will be at Boston University for the annual Valentine meet.