First, time warp all the way back to the first session of the D1 meet (that is so strange) when they held the 4x800m and the high jump at UNH. Although the high jump wasn’t particularly kind to the Astros that day, the 4x800s did quite well. The Exeter girls showed off a little, breaking the State Record that Pinkerton had set just two years ago. The Astros of 2026 (Sarah Rsaza 2:23.6, Parker Knowlton 2:29.9, Nicole Blake 2:29.3, Gabby Bedard 2:21.4) still hammered, finishing 2nd place in 9:44.44, the second fastest time they have ever registered.
2026 4x800m D1 Champions Austin Cipriano 2:05.7, Trainor Mailloux 2:04.1, and Joe “Gas”tavson (1:59.9!) had three great legs but the race was still tight. From there Jason Robie slammed the door shut on the rest of the state, following up with a 2:00.8 running mostly alone. Their winning time of 8:10.88 is the third fastest quartet in team history. So, yes, weird to have a two-session championship meet, but the consolation prize was stacked 4x8s, and we got solid performances for it.
One week later, back on the 200m track of PSC, the distance crews were ready to stretch out in the extra 40m per lap. After the Exeter Paterna show, Gabby Bedard was right there to take 3rd place with yet another superb PR 10:26.85. She bumps up a spot on the All-Time list, now at No. 3 and past Ariel Vaillancourt ’15. Freshman Charlotte Boyington turned in a PR 11:07.49 finishing 9th.
2026 3000m D1 Champion Jason Robie churned out another gem, a racing master class that BG’s Ethan Fischer had the misfortune to learn. Jason shot off the line, gapped the field for a lap and then hit the 400m in first at 68, making any other contender keep the pace honest if they wanted to ride. By 1000m, BG made the move and came around Jason. At 1200m, credit to Trainor Mailloux who came up and nudged BG along with some fine team running and multiple lead changes at the halfway point. For several more laps BG and Jason twirled around the oval, Jason covering any change in pace. 1000m to go, 800m, 600m, 500m. BG made his move coming into 400m to go, but the gap didn’t form. On the next straight, Jason popped the clutch and dropped a gear, passing BG in surprisingly few strides for 300m to go. Jason formed the gap that BG couldn’t, and even though BG started to counter with 200m to go, Jason’s speed around the corner was too much, breaking BG at 130m to go. With a double fist pump across the line, Jason Robie broke the tape at 8:34.55, a new Division 1 record, surpassing Francis Hernandez of BG in 2009. The new school record is now 13s beyond the former record, an astounding considering 8 Astros are under 9:00.
Trainor Mailloux ran a race that should not be overlooked. Pushing those mid-race tactics, he came back around some runners who made their moves and successfully defended against Concord at the line to secure 3rd place. His 8:50.55 is an 8s new best, launching him all the way to No. 4 All-Time, passing Finn Christensen Kraft, John Stanley ’94, Dartmouth’s Tony Anzivino ’12, and Craig MacPherson ’07. He slots in at No. 3 on the Senior list.
2026 55m HH D1 Champion Abby Stienecker clocked an 8.85 in the finals after juuuuust getting to her blocks in time! She made good, leading a pack of three scorers in the final, including Rylee Robinson (PR 9.03 in the prelims, No. 2 soph) in 4th and Mollie Wheale in 5th.
2026 55m HH D1 Champion John Child has been scoring in these championships for years. He rings up 10 points with his 7.65 final, a mere 0.01 off his personal best. Oliver Gould steamed into 4th place at 7.86.
2026 55m D1 Champion Nora Brayall is also no stranger to championship scoring, taking spots in top x lists all over her career. At a new PR 7.38 she brings home 10 points for the team. She improves her No. 2 All-Time performance and slots in at No. 2 on the Senior List. Freshman Ashley Morrison PR’d at 7.66 to finish 13th.
Pinkerton continued packing the sprint finals in the 55m with three Astros settling into the blocks. Winston George pulled down 2nd place in PR 6.50, Travis Cavallo placed 3rd in a PR 6.52, and Elijah Roberts nailed down 7th (PR 7.63 in prelims). Matt Hanna had a PR 6.77 in prelims, finishing 9th. Travis’s race was a huge new best, moving him into No. 4 All-Time, passing Caden Michaud ’24 and Eric Guinto ’10. Two of the top 4 all time for the Astros in the same race!
2026 Shot Put D1 Champion Thomas Blaszka was the only competitor over 50 ft at 50′-10.25″ and brought home the gold for the Astros. Thomas Connelly had a PR 45′-5.75″ to place 5th.
Also inside the oval, Oliver Gould and Leighton Freytag got huge PRs in the sand pit. Oliver placed 3rd with a monstrous 21′-7.75″, passing Brian Scott ’01 and Caden Michaud ’24 for No. 3 All-Time. Leighton hit 21 ft on the nose, debuting on the Top 10 list at No. 8 and on the junior list all the way to No. 2.
Meanwhile in the 1000m, Parker Knowlton placed 5th in a PR 3:10.04 and Austin Cipriano had a PR 2:39.19 to finish 6th. Sarah Rzasa (1:38.86, 3rd) and Nicole Blake (1:41.86, 7th) both dropped PRs in the final heat of their 600m. Sarah’s time jumps her up to No. 2 All-Time, behind only Kaitlin Kwiecien ’07. When you move past a Britney Johnson ’18 time, you can hold your head damn high. Nicole is up a spot to No. 8 All-Time, passing Beth Pomerleau. Two All-Timers in one heat!
2026 600m D1 Champion Joe Gustavson was 5th after the break, a tough spot to make moves from in a finals fast heat. In what has to be one of the most opportunistic, consequential moves I’ve seen in a while, Runner4 started to execute a pass in the turn and Runner3 pushed outward to defend. It left far too much real estate inside to Joe with 270m to go. Joe did not miss his window, hit the turbo button, slid from 4th to 2nd in a blink, and then absolutely dropped them. An excellent moment to go back on the broadcast and watch. Joe made his next move on the back straight and I didn’t think he quite had enough momentum to make it work, but he got a step and a half on the leader and flawlessly cut off any response in the turn. I don’t know that any response would have mattered as Joe was in full flight for the final 70m, finishing up in 1:21.31. The performance is a new School Record, taking down another Chris Poggi ’13 standard, this time by 0.5 a sec.
In the 300m, first place in the boys was a state record, so I guess that’s what you gotta do to beat Winston George (36.13 2nd place) and Michael Duarte (36.88 4th). Matt Hanna ran a PR 37.15 (7th) and Bella Sippel ran a PR 43.89 (9th).
I’ve come to love the championship 1500m because it’s such a what-do-you-have-left event. Gabby Bedard had more than enough, finishing 4th in 4:55.33.
2026 1500m D1 Champion Jason Robie did it again. He got out quick, but BG’s Ethan Fischer seemed determined to avoid a repeat, immediately blasting by him into the lead. Their first 200m was sub-30 and the 400m at about 60. I give credit to BG for pushing it, but Jason covered it from the start. Curve after curve Jason’s just gliding there behind him and you know that kind of fear just starts to creep in. 500m to go and Jason goes around and BG covers for 100m but then that’s about it. Again, I give him credit, but too much Robie as he finishes in 4:08.05. Trainor Mailloux ran another gutsy race to finish up in 5th in 4:16.75. Owen Boucher had a PR 4:24.41 to finish 9th.
To the relays! Nicole Blake, Emma Kubat, Rylee Robinson, and Sarah Rzasa (a fine 62.7) rallied to finish 5th in 4:17.87. Ashley Morrison, Ave George, Bella Sippel (26.6), and Nora Brayall (26.4) jetted the 4x200m in 1:50.24, also finishing 5th.
2026 4x400m D1 Champions Austin Cipriano, Caleb Arroyo (52.6), Michael Duarte (52.1), and (there goes that man) Joe Gustavson (51.1) got around in 3:32.18. That probably puts them as about the No. 5 4x400m team All-Time.
2026 4x200m D1 Champions Travis Cavallo, Ryson Michaud, Elijah Roberts, and Winston George closed out the meet in 1:32.41, even with Winston going full Sha’Carri on the back stretch. These cameras catch a lot!
In the end, the Astro boys locked down a team championship with 131 points, which may very well be at least a D1 championship meet record. The girls finished proudly in 2nd with 54 points.
Congrats to those who PR’d on the championship stage:
