The boys’ indoor track team beat school records, went undefeated, and even won the league title. However, injuries and distractions led to a disappointing outcome at States.

At the state qualifying meet on February 10, senior Max Michaud broke his own school record by running 1,000 meters in 2:32.

Earlier in the season, the 4×800 team broke a school record with an 8:07 race.

At the state meet, senior Jake Gore competed in the high jump, Michaud ran the 1,000, and the 4×800 relay team was composed of seniors Matt Burmeister, Patrick Sullivan, Michaud, and junior Noah Brazer. However after Michaud got injured running the 1,000, many of his teammates’ minds were focused on him rather than their events.

“All day I battled tightness and discomfort in my legs,” Michaud said. “When the time came to run I thought I would do well, but with one lap left I pulled something in my hip and it was destruction after that.”

After a long season of being unable to run due to a hamstring injury, Gore was excited to qualify for States in his secondary event, the high jump.

“I thought it was pretty impressive just to make it to states for my secondary event,” Gore said.

His jump was right after watching Michaud collapse at the end of his race in pain, which sent Gore’s focus to the fact that he may have had to run the relay in Michaud’s place.

“I was not in my right mental state,” Gore said. “I had just saw Max finish his race and he looked injured and I was scared that I would have to run the four by eight hundred relay.”

Although he didn’t place, Gore kept a positive outlook.

“I didn’t have any expectations going into States,” Gore said. “I was just happy to be there.”

Michaud was disappointed in his eighth place finish in the 1,000 because only the top six runners make it to New Englands.

“All season you train hard knowing it’s all going to make it easier in the state meet,” Michaud said. “Injuring myself and not performing well is hard to get over.”

Injured and with the relay still to come, Michaud did not want to let any of his teammates down, so he decided to run.

“They each worked hard to get to this race and they deserved to run,” Michaud said.

The relay team was expected to place second or third, but they ended up in eighteenth place with a time of 8:25.

“We could have certainly done a lot better,” Brazer said.

According to Sullivan and Burmeister, they found it tough to run their best knowing that Michaud was hurt, and their focus was on centered on him.