By Ethan Gaffney
The snow has melted, buds have started growing on the trees, and the long lost, but familiar warm air has filled the sky. It’s spring, where highly anticipated high school athletes from Westborough High School are excited to show their hard work and new talents from the offseason in this year’s 2016 spring sports season. High expectations are on the minds of these Westborough student-athletes; these goals can be a daunting task in the beginning of the season, but no goal is more daunting than the goal of the Westborough Boys’ Track and Field team: winning the league for the 16th year in a row.
Hard work and success have always been two major keys in the way veteran Boys’ Track and Field Coach Roger Anderson has taught his boys. “The reason why we have been successful these past 15 years is because our guys aren’t afraid of hard work, and our guys never take anything for granted,” comments Coach Anderson.
This year, like in years past, the Westborough Boys’ Track and Field team look for team leadership from their senior captains: Tim Askew, Ben Feldman, Isaac Grosner, and Eric Latimer. These seniors along with solid contributors from the junior class (Kofi Dadzie, Mike Reh, Connor Schoen, Max Polich, Aaron Baublis) and sophomore class (Isaiah Powers, and Eugene Meleskevich) look to fulfill the goal that is always presented at the beginning of the season: win the league title.
Eugene Meleskevich, one of the most talented young sprinters that WHS has seen in awhile, is making great strides in this year’s track season. Meleskevich has improved from his disappointing freshman year filled with injuries and has really shown his talent this year. On Monday (5/9/16) against Hudson High School Meleskevich ran 22.3 in the 200 meter race. A personal record for him, which moved him up to number three on the all-time top 25 list for boys 200 meter race at WHS. Meleskevich has improved a lot this year and is making an impact not only for the team, but for all of Central Mass. Another solid contributor who has also improved this year is junior sprinter Kofi Dadzie. Dadzie, who put in a lot of work this winter during indoor track season, has really proven to be a force in the league. This year Dadzie has improved on his speed and jumping ability, making a personal record in the 100 meter race (11.5) and has improved his long jump tremendously, jumping 19’6” in Wednesday’s meet (5/11/16) against Groton-Dunstable. “We have a diverse pool of talent and tremendous depth throughout the grades. Coach Anderson knows what he’s doing and I think we have a shot to contend for the title like we have for the past 15 years of success,” comments Dadzie. Meleskevich and Dadzie are only a few of the strong performers that the WHS boys’ outdoor track team possesses.
The Boys’ Track and Field team finished the regular season undefeated in the league with a 6-0 record (6-1 overall). The league meet is next Wednesday (5/18/16) at Nashoba Regional High School and they enter as the highest seed. Even though the boys have finished the year undefeated in the league they know there is a lot of preparation that needs to take place to be “great” and to accomplish their goal.
The Boys’ Track and Field team is a well-oiled machine with talent that spreads across its throwers, sprinters, and distance runners making them a skilled team with tremendous depth.They are excited to reach their goal of 16 straight league titles. The Sweet 16.
