RallyNorth.net

Thu, Feb 12, 2015 04:00 PM @ Neutral Location

Team	Final
Andover	39
Methuen	21
Lawrence	18
Haverhill	12

Change in sports made Andover's Silveira, Caveney champions

Thursday, February, 12 By Michael Muldoon

t’s the staple of any top track program, the kid who transfers from another sport.

The Andover boys placed second Wednesday night at the Division 1 States at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury behind a couple blue-chippers who last winter switched from other sports.

Former hockey player Sebastian Silveira tied his own state season best to win the 55 hurdles in 7.56. His teammate, former skier Sean Caveney, placed second in 7.71.

Those two also combined with Hamza Naveed and Raymond Gorzela to win the 4x200 in 1:31.34. Naveed and Gorzela also ran on the championship 4x400 quartet.

That foursome powered Andover, which placed second to Lexington, 45-39.

Silveira and Caveney also are relative newcomers to hurdling (indoors and outdoors).

“They are two studs,” said Golden Warrior coach Peter Comeau. “Sebastian’s legit. Caveney will be the kid tripling next week (All-States on Feb. 21) with the 4x200, 4x400 and hurdles.”

Both are gifted scholar-athletes with Silveira set to run at Princeton and Caveney at Davidson, an elite school in North Carolina best known as the alma mater of NBA great Stephen Curry.

Silveira got off to a poor start, hitting the first hurdle in the prelims. I mishap like that can often set into motion more heartache. But not for Silveira.

“I didn’t want to go 100 percent in the prelims,” explained Silveira. “I wanted to save energy. It may not have been the best strategy. I almost didn’t make the final.”

His confidence, though, wasn’t shaken.

“Once I made the finals, I was fine,” he said. “The big meets just motivate me to run faster.”

He’s setting his goals high for All-States back on the lightning-fast Reggie Lewis Track.

“I’m hoping to get below 7.45,” said Silveira, who was a 300-600 runner until very late last winter. “That qualifies for the championship race at Nationals.”

That’s an eye-popping time for anybody. Never mind a hockey player.

“Coach Comeau was always telling me I had to do indoors,” he said. “But I had played hockey since third grade. I was just kind of average.”

Nobody calls him average on the track. Last spring he ran a 55.37 in the 400 hurdles, ranking him No. 2 in area history, and 14.72 in the 110 hurdles to rank No. 9 all -time in the area.

Caveney, meanwhile, made Eagle-Tribune All-Star last winter and last spring.

On the girls’ side, Andover led the area placing fifth with 41.5 points. Sarah Rothmann ran on the winning 4x800 relay (9:41.36) along with Colleen Mullins, Grace O’Hara and Catherine Donovan. Rothmann also took fourth in the mile in 5:16.71.

Andover multi-event star Lizzie Kobelski also had a stellar day. She and Methuen’s Wileshka Samuel (3rd 300, 8th dash) were double-placers. Wileshka, a junior, was The Eagle-Tribune MVP last spring.

ST. HILAIRE A DOUBLE-WINNER

Methuen’s middle distance and distance guys love the bright lights. It has been the case the last decade-plus. They proved that again as sophomore Fernando Damota (2:05.42 leg), Devin Allen (2:02.63), John St. Hilaire (1:57.70 and Matt Marchand (2:01.53) won the Division 1 state 4x800 in 8:08.13.

Earlier in the meet, St. Hilaire also ran away with the 1,000 meters, beating Lawrence star Edward Quezada 2:31.50-2:35.29.

“St. Hilaire has been a beast,” said Ranger coach Roger Fuller. “He’s really, really running well.”

Fuller has always been the UMass Lowell recruit’s biggest fan and, at times, toughest critic.

Fuller was mulling his future after the legendary Ranger Mike O’Donnell graduated two years ago. St. Hilaire had the promise to be the next MHS great.

“Sophomore year he was very talented but would get boxed in and stuck on the rail more times,” said the coach. “I said I’m not going to continue coaching if you continue to do that.”

Thankfully for Fuller, St. Hilaire and Methuen track, St. Hilaire isn’t getting boxed in.

He’s just winning and winning.

“We were down 30-40 yards when he took the baton as the third guy,” said Fuller. “He caught up and gave us a 20-25 yard lead.”

Like Andover’s Comeau, Fuller is hoping another athlete switches sports. He said Demota “is capable to be a St. Hilaire-O’Donnell type.”

So Fuller and Methuen fans are hoping he puts the lacrosse stick away for good this spring.