Phillips Exeter's Dana Mussulman heaves the javelin during Sunday's NH Decathlon at Nashua South. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – A couple of years ago, Phillips Exeter’s Dana Mussulman was languishing behind the plate as a catcher, even though his tall, lean frame didn’t fit the build.

He once had the dream of playing baseball in college, but now he has a new dream: Running track in college, and Sunday he got a nice springboard to a track career at Colby by capturing the 69th annual New Hampshire Decathlon at Nashua South’s Fran Tate Track.

Mussulman won going away, totaling 6,222 points, well ahead of Nashua South grad Preston Bois, who took second with 5,684 points. Bois was just ahead of Keene’s Wayne Crowell (5628). Nashua North’s Gavin Suchecki, who came into the day second, finished fifth at 5,469.

That begain a line of four straight locals as Alvirne’s Joey Marcotte took sixth (5,116), Merrimack’s Austin Cassetty seventh (5,099) and Bishop Guertin’s Liam Ireland eighth (5,082).

“It means a lot to be (the champion),” Mussulman said. “Track is one of my favorite things, and it’s really nice to see all the work I’ve put in over the spring come out and come to fruition. It’s really nice to work for something and actually have it come to results.”

Mussulman led by 197 points over Suchecki after the first day, and finished first in only one event the entire weekend, the 400. But he knew how to get points, yesterday finishing sixth in the 110 hurdles (16.05 seconds) eighth in the discus (37.30 meters), second behind Bois in the pole vault (3.96 meters), eighth in the javelin (41.45 meters) and thus finishing 22nd in the 1500 (4:55.91, for him a personal record) didn’t hurt him.

The day was made for Bois to climb from sixth. He captured the pole vault, his specialty, at 4.11 meters, was fourth in the 110 hurdles (15.86 seconds), 16th in the discus (30.45), helping him offset finishing 35th in the javelin (32.90 meters) and 30th in the 1500 (5:04.39).

“I was thinking about the Decathlon all throughout this season,” Bois said. “In my free time I’d whip a discus, throw a jav – I had high hopes. And yeah, I feel I put in all my effort and did a lot better this year.”

Nashua South recent grad Preston Bois lets it all go as he crosses the finish line in the 1500 meter run, the final event in Sunday’s annual NH Decathlon at South’s Fran Tate Track. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

He’s headed to UNH to pole vault and he hopes maybe compete in a decathlon.

Suchecki also closes out a brilliant career. Day one was more made for him; on Sunday he was eighth in the hurdles (16.53), 32nd in the discus (24.65 meters), 20th in the pole vault (2.74 meters), ninth in the javelin (40.75 meters) and 11th in the 1500 (4:45.00). All respectable.

“A good way to end the high school career, I was very excited about it,” said Suchecki, headed to the University of Evansville (Ind.) in the fall. “It meant a lot, it’s always my favorite event of the year. … I was with a lot of good athletes and competitors in my group that pushed me a lot. It was a great time, I highly recommend it to any other track athletes out there.

“He (Mussulman) did great Day 1, and I think Day 2 was probably his time to shine. A great athlete, really helped set the standards.”

North’s Jacob Griffin was 11th (4955), while also in the top 20 locally were the Titans’ Sam Nardone (4592) and Nashua South’s Sawyer Penny, who made noise with what was said to be a meet record throw of 54.65 meters in winning the javelin.

But the weekend overall belonged to a former catcher whose coach at Phillips Exeter, John Hoogasian, heisted him from the diamond.

“I love baseball,” Mussulman said. “But track is my future, track is going to be my home for the next four years. This is where I belong.”

He proved that all weekend.