EASTHAM — The Nauset track and field program has had much success in the last few years, and the state’s athletic association has taken notice. Last month, head track coach Moira Nobili was named MIAA Track Coach of the Year for the 2020-21 season. But Nobili doesn’t want to take all the credit.
“I think it should go to the team,” she said. “We have an amazing hurdle coach, sprinting coach, and jumping coach, and the kids are so dedicated. The athletic director, trainer — it’s all the right ingredients.”
Nauset Athletic Director John Mattson said Nobili is the whole package when it comes to coaching. “Moira is everything you want in a great coach,” he said. “She is energetic, knowledgeable, reliable, and extremely competitive. But most of all, she truly cares about each one of her athletes.”
Nobili said she thinks of the track team as a family.
“You get kids together who wouldn’t normally hang out together,” she said. “The sprinters are crazy high energy, distance runners are thoughtful, and the throwers are powerful and strong.”
Last Sunday, at the Cape & Islands League Championship meet, several Nauset runners and field athletes earned medals by placing among the top six finishers. It’s an annual event that was missed last year because of the pandemic and the restructuring of the athletic schedule.
Tracking the Team’s Success
Nauset track made some noise during the 2019-20 season when, with just seven members, the girls indoor track team won the Division IV State Championship.
Last year had no winter indoor track season. But Nauset track competed well in the strangely timed “Fall II” season, from late February through late April.
Senior Richard Ramsey tied Nauset’s 100-meter dash record from 1982, while senior Sophie Christopher broke three school records: a long jump record from 1996, a 100-meter hurdle record from 2016, and her own triple jump record from the previous season.
Five seniors from last year’s team signed commitment letters to run at the next level. Ramsey and Monique Malcolm now compete for Division II American International College, Christopher runs track for Division I University of Vermont, Isabelle Nobili runs cross country for Division III Johns Hopkins University, and Finn Riley runs both cross country and track at Division I Texas Christian University.
This year has been up and down for the Nauset team. Covid-19 still loomed during the season and forced some students to miss meets or practices. But indoor track is the only winter sport at Nauset that did not have to postpone any meets this season because of the pandemic.
“I’ve had a number of kids doing really well, then they get Covid and they’re out for a week or more,” Nobili said. “Some kids got hit harder. But I’m pretty strict. I’m a stickler on the masks.” The team was both careful and fortunate, she said.
Only the top six finishers in each event in Sunday’s league championship earned a medal. Some qualified for States. Nauset’s results follow.
Girls Results
Freshman Rhianna Sutherland placed third in the 55-meter dash with a time of 8.03 seconds. Despite being ranked first in the long jump after the regular season, Sutherland placed eighth out of 10 at the league event with a mark of 12-4.
Freshman Margaret Manganaro finished fourth in the 55, just behind Sutherland at 8.08 seconds. Freshman Zoe Labdon placed third in the 600-meter run with a time of 1 minute, 55.36 seconds. Sophomore Sage Lach finished fourth in the mile run, clocking 6:16.84.
Junior Cecilia LaBarge took first place in shot put with a distance of 30-5¾. LaBarge also placed fourth in the 55-meter hurdles. Junior Sara Cornell took first.
Senior Molly Keigans placed second in the 1,000-meter run, and teammate Mimi Bois finished third. Their times were 3:24.1 and 3:24.6. Bois also finished sixth in the shot put with a distance of 25-11¼. Senior Rose Freeman tied for first in the high jump with a height of 4-10.
Boys Results
Sophomore Damian Bebber finished third in the 300-meter dash with a time of 39.08 seconds. Paytah Dill won the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.07 seconds and placed fifth in the long jump with a mark of 17-7½.
Senior Ben Calsson finished second in the 1,000 with a time of 2:51.69. Ashton Nichols finished fourth in the 55 at 7.28 seconds and sixth in the long jump with a mark of 17-4. Will Mulholland took second place in the two-mile run, coming in at 11:29.36, and Jeremiah Pranga took fifth in the mile run with a time of 5:08.88.
Senior Luke McCarthy finished second in the shot put with a throw of 35-5 and sixth in the 600 with a time of 1:42.41. Aiden Rhodes finished second in the 55-meter hurdles, clocking 9.26 seconds, and in the high jump he reached a mark of 5-4.
