Iyana Braswell won the 55 meter dash and was part of Nashua South's winning 4x200 relay team at the Division I State Meet on Sunday at Dartmouth College. (Twitter photo)

All winter long, the Nashua High School South boys and girls track teams felt they had the ability to make some noice at Sunday’s Divison I State Championships at Dartmouth College.

And more or less, they did just that, as the top team finishers among the locals. The South boys took fifth in the meet won by Bedford, and the girls finished sixth as Pinkerton took the title.

The Panther boys (34 points) were one point out of fourth, edged by Windham (35). Bedford totaled 60, followed by Pinkerton at 44 and Portsmouth at 43.

As for the other locals, Nashua North was tied for eighth with Manchester Memorial with 24 points, while Bishop Guertin was 10th with 23, Merrimack 12th (15), and Alvirne 16th (four).

In the girls meet, South (37) missed fifth by a point and fourth by two, just behind Portsmouth (38) and Concord at 39. Pinkerton totaled 75, followed by Bedford (57), and third place Dover (40)

Locally Merrimack was seventh at 26, just ahead of eighth place Alvirne at 22. North was 11th at 14 while Bishop Guertin was 13th with six.

BOYS MEET

As predicted, South’s Sami Witta had a big day, winning the high jump at 5-10, just ahead of teammate Barlon Perry and BG’s Malik Ogbunamiri who tied for second at 5-8. Witta was also fourth in the long jump.

The shot put was Nashua dominated: North’s Toby Brown, Jr. took home the title at 55-5.75, with teammate Darius Smith taking second (49-2.25).

South took the next two spots, Antonio Martinez third (48-11.75) and Richard Tavarez fourth (43-10).

South’s foursome of Micah Allard, Cam Patronick, Connor Theodore and Cam Brien were fourth in the 4×800 relay.

South’s Dante Casellano was fifth in the 3000 and the Panthers were sixth in the 4×400 relay.

Bishop Guertin’s Matt Giardina was the state champ in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:59.33. Teammate Carson Fischer was fourth. BG also took fifth in the 4×200 relay (Austin Lafontaine, Alex Collins, Joe Riney, Ogbunamiri).

For North, the foursome of Jeff Maddock, Aaron Farrington, Gavin Sucheci and D’Sean Coffie was fifth in the boys 4×400 relay.

The bulk of Merrimack’s points came on Tyler Safstrom’s second place finish in the 600 meters (1:27.49). Teammate Cam Fredete was sixth in the 3000.

The ‘Hawks 4×800 relay Nathaniel Bergen, Owen Forrest, Nate Beauregard, and Tyler Safstrom was third in 8:43.93

Alvirne’s Nicholas Marcotte was fourth in the 1500.

GIRLS MEET

Locally, there was speed to burn. For the Panthers, Iyana Braswell is the 55 dash champion in 7.36, just ahead of fellow Panther Soraya Ross (7.37). Mia Cruz took sixth and was fourth in the high jump. Ross was also sixth in the 300. Braswell also took sixth in the long jump.

But the Panthers got good points in winning the 4×200 relay with Alejandra Chavarin, Cruz, Braswell and Ross posting a 1:49.59 winning time. The foursome of Rebecca Hiscock, Emely Melendez, Grace Harris and Navaeh Eppolito was fifth in the 4×800.

“The word of the day was ‘Consistency and speak it into fruition’,” Panthers coach Catrina Lougee said. “Boy did that happen.” In the 55 dash Lougee felt Braswell was “throwing down a lifetime best.” It was her first individual title of her four-year South career. Both Ross and Braswell will be headed to the New Englands in the 55 and as part of the top seeded 4×200 relay team.

Nashua North’s Mardy Novak was the state champion in the shot put at 36-10.

Merrimack’s Kailey Dillon was third in the long jump (16-6.75 fifth in the 55 hurdles. Fellow ‘Hawk Alexis Best was third in the 55 dash (7.39) and 300 (42.15), and fifth in the long jump. Melanie Bedard was fourth in the 1000.

Paige Boudreau was third for Alvirne in the 1000 (3:17.96) while Petrina Ofori took fourth in the 55 hurdles. Alvirne’s 4×800 team of Anna Simpson, Jennifer Herbert, Ava Martin and Boudreau was second (10:09.83). The Broncos’ Petrini Ofori was fifth in the high jump, and Alyssa Abbott fifth in the shot put.

Nashua North’s Laura White was fifth in the 1500 and Sonya Witkoskie sixth in the 3000.

The Titan foursome of Calla Kutschke, Riley Suchecki, Erin Sung and White were sixth in the 4×800.

Bishop Guertin’s Anna Fondakowski took third in the 3000 in 11:00.96.

(Complete results are available at Lancertiming .com or directathletics.com)