Case High girls track had a perfect winter regular season. Their success was a team effort
The Joseph Case High School girls track and field team flew under the radar to start the winter season.
When all was said and done, the Cardinals stood alone among area sports teams.
“This was an overall, great 2022-23 season,” Case high jumper Hannah Santos said. “The team was closer and more positive than ever. Everyone put their best foot forward to help us have a great season.”
The Cardinals finished the regular season 5-0 for the second straight year and won back-to-back South Coast Conference Gold Division titles.
Four members of the team earned the privilege of being named league all-stars.
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“It’s a great team to coach,” Case head coach Bob Mitchell said. “They are talented, but more importantly, they are humble, respectful and supportive teammates. They always put team goals ahead of individual accomplishments and accolades.”
The Cardinals have not lost a dual meet since the 2019-20 season, and if you combined winter and spring track over the last four years, Case has a daunting mark of 19-1.
“I give a lot of the credit for our success to my assistant coaches, Brendon Costa and Amber Arruda,” Mitchell said. “They have been instrumental in our success, and it is a privilege to coach with two Joseph Case alumni of the program.”
Stars among stars
Track has had a big impact on athletes' lives over the course of four years, especially Case shot putter Olivia Silva.
“Track is something that I always look forward to,” she said. “I am thankful for the experience and opportunity track has brought me as I get to continue it in college. The environment is like no other, and all my teammates are so supportive. I will miss being a part of Case track.”
Mitchell credits senior captains Jenna Benfeito, Kaelyn Lecomte and Ashlyn Byrnes for having an integral role in day-to-day practices and development of the younger athletes.
Senior Shelby Hajder shared this message.
“We are so proud of what everybody accomplished this season,” Hajder said. “This group of girls not only made the season successful, but they made it fun, too. We couldn’t have asked for better teammates.”
Santos, who is a junior, was the SCC high jump champion with a school record leap of 5'3" and she is a talented hurdler. She is receiving offers from Division I colleges. Silva, a senior, has excelled as a shot putter and qualified for the state tournament. She plans to compete at the collegiate level.
Maybe the unsung hero of the team is Ashlyn Byrnes. She runs, and always near the top of the mile and 2 mile, including a state qualifying time of 3:27 in the 1000 meter race.
Hannah Storm competes in the 1000 but is willing to run both the mile and high jump to earn points for the team. Megan Smith is a solid 600 runner who also runs the 4x400 and high jump. Freshman Emma Bouchard is the team’s top sprinter and runs the 55 and 300.
While Bouchard represents the future in terms of sprinting, sophomore Skyler Demoranville is working hard to become the next distance ace as she competes in both the mile and 1000. Brooke Perron, a junior, is a Division V state meet qualifier in the shot put, and Lily Picard is a dedicated athlete who throws shot put, competes in high jumps, and is always willing to run the 4x400.
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Not talking about wins
Mitchell said depth isn’t as much of an issue considering Case is a small school with a relatively small numbers.
“Once we take a lead in a meet, we are very difficult to catch. Most of our points come from a strong and talented junior class, so we hope to continue this success next year as well.
“Track is a sport that demands very long hours from coaches, but it is worth it to have the opportunity to coach a team like this. They are just such an incredible group of student athletes.”
Byrnes concluded, “Our team sets a great example for others. Even after working hard at meets, we are always finding ways to help out our opponents. I’m excited to see how our team continues to grow based on the morals we set.”
Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Chezsports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Case High School girls track builds on wins from winter 2022-23 season
