Local Roundup: Amesbury boys track tops Triton in Division 4 championship rematch

May 7—After finishing second behind Triton at the 2019 Division 4 championships two springs ago, Amesbury boys outdoor track made a huge statement on Thursday, opening its 2021 season with a crucial win over the Vikings.

The Amesbury boys won 81-64, with Ben Ayotte picking up four first-place finishes to lead the way. The senior standout won the long jump (20-5), high jump (5-6), 100 meters (11.1) and 400 (54.0) to account for 20 of Amesbury's points.

Amesbury also got two wins from John Remington-Field in the pole vault (8-0) and 200 (23.5) along with victories by Jadriel Laracuente in the shot put (41-4), Max Lapointe in the discus (127-7 1/2), Max Bohler in the mile (4:56.6) and Xavier Roy in the 400 hurdles (65.5). Triton's top performers were Reilly Gagnon, who won the triple jump (41-9) and 110 hurdles (15.2), Eliot Lent (javelin, 147-7), Graham Stedfast (800, 2:07.8) and Jack O'Shea (2-mile, 11:17.1). Triton also won the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Super foursome lead Amesbury

Amesbury girls outdoor track got off to a strong start to the spring season on Thursday, beating Triton 79-65 thanks in large part to the efforts of Madison Sanchez, Nixie Raymond and the Hallinan sisters.

The four Amesbury standouts combined for nine individual first place finishes in the win, with Sanchez winning the pole vault (7-0), triple jump (29-0) and 400 hurdles (1:31.2), McKenna Hallinan the discus (74-4), javelin (59-9) and 100 hurdles (18.3), Raymond the 100 (12.7) and 200 (27.0) and Avery Hallinan the shot put (30-5 3/4). Sanchez, the Hallinans and Lidya Belanger also helped win the 4x100 (54.82).

Triton's winners included Kendall Liebert in the high jump (4-6) and 400 (1:06.1), Teagan Wilson in the long jump (14-9 1/2), Ava Burl in the mile (5:46.7), Kyla Prussman in the 800 (2:37.5), Grace Sousa in the 2-mile (12:58.7) and the 4x400 relay team (4:49.5).

Pinkham goes yard

Alex Pinkham blasted two home runs and had three RBI to lead Pentucket baseball past North Reading 5-1 in Thursday's season opener.

Pinkham was 2 for 2 on the day to lead the offense, and with that support pitcher Ethan Hunt took care of the rest, pitching a complete game with one unearned run and nine strikeouts while also going 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate. Bryce Winter also went 1 for 3 with an RBI in the win.

Pentucket (1-0) will next head to Eiras Park in Rowley on Saturday for a date with local rival Triton.

Newburyport softball wins thriller

Newburyport softball had Triton nipping at its heels all throughout, but the Clippers were able to hang on for a thrilling 11-10 win on Thursday.

The Clippers led 3-1 after the second, 6-4 after the fourth and then took an 11-6 lead after scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth. Triton rallied for four more runs in the top of the seventh before the Clippers finally closed out the game for the win.

Emily Meleedy led the way for Newburyport, going 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored while also picking up the win on the mound, and the Clippers also got strong performances by Nieve Morrissey (2 for 4, three RBI, two runs) and Grace Habib (3 for 3, RBI, one run).

Triton was led offensively by Haleigh Harris, who had two home runs and four RBI, and Mallory Johnson went 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBI.

Lopez starts strong

Amesbury baseball picked up an impressive 5-4 win over Georgetown to open the season on Thursday, getting six strong innings from starting pitcher Jeremy Lopez.

Offensively the Indians were led by Drew MacDonald, Aiden Donovan and Will Arsenault, who all had two hits, and by Tiernan Bentley, who had two RBI in the win. Sophomore Trevor Kimball also reached base four times, went 1 for 1 with a run and pitched a scoreless seventh for the save.

Georgetown was led offensively by Ayden Kent and Iain Kantorski, who each went 2 for 4 at the top of the order, and Kent also allowed just one earned run in three innings, with Jack Lucido coming on and pitching four innings with one run in relief.

Newburyport track sweeps Lynnfield

The Newburyport girls and boys track teams swept their season-opening meets against Lynnfield on Thursday, with the girls edging out the Pioneers for an 80-65 win while the boys ran away for a 111-30 victory.

For the girls, Newburyport got a balanced effort with seven girls winning seven different events, plus relay victories in the 4x100 and 4x400. Caity Rooney tied with Hollis Ellrot for the high jump win (4-6) while winning the pole vault (6-6), and the Clippers' other individual winners included Meg Murray (100, 14.2), Violet Moore (800, 2:40), Abby Kelly (mile, 5:56), Olivia D'Ambrosio (2-mile, 12:47) and Matigan Defeo (javelin, 84-3).

For the boys, Trevor Ward had a huge day with three individual wins in the 200 (23.5), long jump (19-2) and triple jump (40-9) plus a win in the 4x100 relay alongside Ean Hynes, Caden Eiserman and Adam Bovee (47.9). Eamonn Sullivan got wins in the shot put (39-6) and discus (97-4) and the team's other winners included Will Acquaviva (100, 11.8), TJ Carleo (800, 2:03), Bradford Duchesne (mile, 4:44.4), Sam Walker (2-mile, 10:38), Hynes (100 hurdles, 17.4), Evan Armano (400 hurdles, 64.9), Grayson Fowler (high jump, 6-2) and Austin Hyer (pole vault, 8-0).

Newburyport girls tennis shuts out Triton

The three-time defending CAL Kinney champion Newburyport girls tennis team got its season off on the right foot Thursday, easily dispatching Triton for a 5-0 opening day win.

Newburyport sophomore Caroline Schulson earned the start at No. 1 singles in her high school varsity debut and won 6-1, 6-0, Elle Doucette won at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-1 and Katherine O'Connor, who earned All-CAL honors as a doubles player two years ago, moved up to No. 3 singles and won 6-0, 6-0.

The first doubles teams of Molly Page and Li McClure had to work a bit harder in their match, taking the first set 7-6 before dominating the second 6-0, while Ana Lynch and Elizabeth Newman won at second doubles 6-1, 6-1.