Tide indoor track teams off and running to secure winning seasons, once again

Everett boys’ sweep past Chelsea, Lynn Classical, while the girls’ split to open up new campaign  

By Joe McConnell

On Dec. 15 at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury, coach Jehu Cimea’s girls’ indoor track team beat Chelsea, but lost to Lynn Classical in a tri-meet to open up the Greater Boston League (GBL) season, while his boys squad swept both foes.

In the 55-meter dash, Yelsa Garcia (8.09) and Isabella Pimenta (8.40) finished second and third against their Chelsea counterparts. In the 600, Milena Antoino (2:14.43) accounted for a second-place finish. Tiffany Escobar (7:04.53) experienced similar results in the mile. Garcia (12-6) was third in the long jump.

Darrynn Desrameaux (30-9) and Layla Betancur-Cardona (29-4) were second and third in the shotput. Devon Gomez-Walrond (11.37) came in second in the 55-meter hurdles. Cannon-Mathis Papa (2:03.91) bested the entire field in the 800. Suzanne Maharjan (16:12.4) did the same in the two-mile, and was also No. 1 overall in the entire tri-meet.

Against Lynn Classical, Garcia and Pimenta topped the ticket in the 55-meter dash. Mariana DeLeon (2:05.99) went to the head of the class in the 600. Papa (54.35) did likewise in the 300. Antoino was also second in the 600 against the Rams. Nicole Fonseca (4:33.26) was No. 1 in the 1,000 during this portion of the meet, as was Escobar in the mile.

Garcia (12-6) and Nicole Brandao (12-3.5) took the first two spots in the long jump. Desrameaux, Betancur-Cardona and Tiana Allen (24-5) swept the shotput. Gomez-Walrond (11.37) was first against Classical in the 55-meter hurdles. Papa, Cannon-Mathis, Pimenta and Garcia (2:03.91) finished first in the 4 by 800 relays against Classical.

The Everett boys swept both Lynn Classical and Chelsea to begin their season undefeated at 2-0.

Jalen Jones (7.01), Joao Luca Barreiros (7.03) and Matthew LaMonica (7.47) took the top three places in the 55-meter dash against both Chelsea and Classical. Keyshaun Eveillard (38.58) secured first place against both league rivals in the 300. Luvens Hector (58.24) was third against Chelsea.

Dawens Germain (1:39.03) led the way in the 600. Lucas Nunez (3:18.74) was second in the 1,000 against both league foes. Nischal Tamang (5:28.60) finished third in the mile against Chelsea, but first against Classical. The high jump belonged to Germain and Donald Michel (5-0), who each picked up 10 points to help ensure this win over both the Red Devils and the Rams.

Jones (18-11) and Khang Nguyen (17-10.50) conquered the top two spots in the long jump against both GBL foes. Shane MacKenzie (40-6) was credited with a second-place finish in the shotput against Chelsea, but was first versus Classical. Michel (8.95) crossed the finish line in first place in the 55-meter hurdles against both opponents. Barreiros, Eveillard, Nguyen and Jones (1:39.48) beat Chelsea and Classical in the 4 by 800 relays. David Huezo-Erazo (12:49.37) and Domenico Delle Rosa (13:17.87) were second and third overall in the two-mile.

Earning points against Classical, Adrian Reyes (1:57.61) and Dante Gell (2:02.63) were second and third in the 600. Jeremy Whitlow (3:35.59) was third in the 1,000. Anthony Whitlow (6:02) and John Cardoso (6:02.79) were second and third in the mile against the Rams. Jason Stark (38-09.50) and Fabrice Michaud (36-09.50) ended up second and third in the shotput.

Some facts on this year’s indoor track teams

Last year, the Everett High School boys indoor track team ended up with a 5-2 record, while the girls’ squad was 4-3.

“Our standouts one year ago were shotput throwers Layla Betancur-Cardona and Darrynn Desreameaux. They were regularly the top two finishers,” said Cimea. “In the 50-yard dash, we had great performances from Jayden Prophete and Jalen Jones. Jalen was also our top long jumper. Freshman Kayshaun Eveillard, now a sophomore, had a great first year. All these athletes are back for another season, which is good news for us.”

Besides Jones and Prophete, Shane MacKenzie and Nischal Tamang are also captains on this year’s boys’ squad. Nicole Brandao, Suzanne Maharjan and Betancur-Cardona will lead the girls’ team into each meet this winter.

Cimea expects his veterans on both squads to carry the load this year, specifically Mackenzie, Betancur-Cardona, Desreameaux and Jason Stark in the throwing events. Among the sprinters, Jones, Prophete and Nicole Brandao will lead their respective teams. They will be joined by junior Yelsa Garcia, and sophomores Joao Lucas Barreiros and Kayshaun Eveillard. Maharjan and Tamang will be the top distance runners on the girls’ and boys’ teams, but they will have help from Dawens Germain, junior Milena Antoine and sophomore Lucas Nunez.

Cimea has been coaching in Everett, his alma mater, since 2011. He started out as an assistance coach, before taking over the entire program in 2017. After running track all four years at EHS (2004-2008), he continued his athletic career at Salem State. He started coaching back in Everett after his sophomore year in college, when the Vikings track program was dropped, because of budget cuts.