The Wilbraham & Monson Academy Track team returned from the biggest meet of the season with three champions May 20 as Kayla Mokwuah '18, Courtney Thrun '17 and Xavier Jones '17 claimed titles at the New England Prep School Track Association Division III meet at Cheshire Academy.
Kayla earned the bonus prize, with her throw of 37 feet, 6½ inches in the shot put setting a school and Division III record.
"Coach (Steve) Gray '70W was talking about how all the little things were just clicking with Kayla," Coach Iannacone explained. "After her first throw she made adjustments and kept working on her form and at the end of the day she ended up with a new school record and new Division III NEPSTA record."
Kayla smashed her school record of 36-1 on her final throw, topping the rest of the field by more than 2 feet. The New England record was 35-9½.
"I'm happy about getting the New England record," Kayla said. "I didn't know what it was before coming into the meet but I'm glad I got it. It's my mark on WMA and I'm happy to do it. I was excited to win. I didn't know about the other throwers coming in. I knew I was going to have to throw well if I was going to win."
Of the three winners, Courtney's title was the most surprising. She had only thrown the javelin once during the regular season and was seeded eighth in a large field.
"I was not expecting to win javelin," Courtney admitted. "If anything, I was expecting to do best in high jump."
Courtney did very well in high jump, taking third (5 feet) before doing the same in the shot put (33-3). In her final event, the javelin, she set the tone on her second throw with a toss of 104-4. No one could catch her and she won the event by more that 4 feet, missing the school record by a foot.
Meanwhile, Xavier saved his best for last, soaring 43-9 to win the triple jump by 6 inches out of the third seed after two bad jumps and a scratch.
"(On my final attempt) I didn't look at the board and I was focusing on getting a good jump," Xavier said. "I didn't even hit the board and I still jumped a 43-9. Maybe it was the adrenaline. It was a good jump for me.
"It feels really good to win a New England title. Coming here and being able to do so many great things with the school has been really good."
The girls' finished fourth in the field of 20 teams, while the boys' tied for eighth among 24 schools.
The following Titans placed in the top six at the New England meet:
Kayla – first in the shot put (37-6½)
Courtney - first in the javelin (104-4); third in the high jump 5-0; third in the shot put (33-3)
Xavier - first in the triple jump (43-9); fourth in the long jump (22-2¾)
Lauren Poole '17 - second in the 300 hurdles (50.33); fifth in the long jump (15-4½)
Tyler Lennon '17 - fourth in the high jump (5-10)
Maria Baltazar '19 - fifth in the 100 (13.71 seconds)
Basem Hernandez '19 fifth in the 400 (52.41)
Liam Garrison '20 – fifth in the pole vault (9-6)
