Ratcliffe nearly topples 41-year-old Salazar record

By Mary Albl for DyeStat

A few days after running a 4:01.50 mile at the Adrian Martinez Classic, Concord-Carlisle's Thomas Ratcliffe came within a second of breaking 9 minutes in the 2 mile at the Massachusetts All-State Meet this past weekend. 

Ratcliffe, who owns the U.S. No. 4 time in the mile, won the 2 mile at Westfield State College in a time of  9:00.52. The state record of 9:00.0 set in 1975 by Alberto Salazar of Wayland was almost taken down. 

The overall team winner was Newton North with 52 points. 

Other highlights included Cambridge senior Esu Alemseged winning a competive mile in 4:17.60, outlasting Lexington's Zachary Manickas-Hill (4:17.69). Seven boys finished under 4:20.

In the 800, Andrew Ernst of Marbelhead won in 1:51.17. 

Natick's 4x400 relay team ran 3:18.51 to break the meet record of 3:18.55 from 1979. 

Burncoat junior Rodney Agyare-May won the 400 meter title in 48.20 seconds.

In the field, Billerica senior Connor Finnegan won the javelin in a top 20 throw of 199-7. 

Senior Justin Lewis of Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute claimed the high jump title (6-8). 

Erick Duffy of North Andove vaulted 15-feet to win by a foot. 

On the girls' side, Division 3 powers Milton and Tewksbury tied at 36 points for the state title. 

Norton junior sprinting standout Brooke-Lynn Williams won the 100 (11.89) and runner-up in the 200 (24.48). Ashland junior Alyssa Zee took the 200 title in 24.46.

Tewksbury sophomore Rachel Sessa (44:53.94) edged out Natick freshman Grace Connolly (4:55.40) in the mile.

Needham senior Margie Cullen clocked 10:27.59 to win the 2 mile. 

Worcester Tech's Adja Sackor won the long jump (19-00.75) and triple (38-07.50).