Rest assured, Weston, this is your last Owl post for the day and possibly even the week. The Owl moves to “Operação Tartaruga” or Turtle Operation for the next week as I enjoy the Owlets’ winter vacation. My fingers are in fact a bit tired of typing today’s news but we cannot miss talking about Indoor Track now. I suggest not scrolling by because this was an absolutely legendary afternoon at the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Roxbury for the Division 5 State Championships.

As the Boston Globe and Boston Herald reported (subscription access only), Weston Girls repeated as state champions. Some “L” school won the boys side but they did not win the “we’ve got heart” award which is solely gifted by the Owl and in a massively biased manner to the Weston Boys. I am still working on the medal. Have some jelly beans in the meantime.

So, Boys first. The Boys Indoor Track team is not large but it has a range of seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen. Unfortunately for this meet, a number of injuries sidelined state-race-qualifying runners including senior co-captain Michael Pastrone, who came along anyway to cheer on those who competed in relays without him. Another senior co-captain Chase Hinton also stepped out of the final relay of the night after logging an 8th-place finish in the shot put and a leg of the 4×200 relay. Junior co-captain Carsen Valenta fought through back issues to finish the Boys Mile in fourth place.

A shoutout to sophomore Noah Lago and freshman Will Cahill who were game to be tapped for the final race of the night, the 4×400 which one had not run before ever, and the other had run but once. The four boys captains (including 4×200, 55m and 300 m runner Mark Leonardo) were cheering non-stop for the team, and it is truly one of the best things about Weston’s small but mighty team–they’re tight.

Now for the Girls, the magical reason the Owl lost her voice last night yelling in the last relays. The Championship came down to the last three races–Norton was ahead even after point-gaining performances by Kaitlyn Ewald, third in the 300m, Sloan Hinton, first in the 600m, Analiese Shact, fourth in the 1000m and Olivia Jackson first in the 2 mile and Sofia Moukaddem, seventh in the girls 2-mile as well Kaitlyn, second in the long jump. Just for one second here, I have to highlight Olivia Jackson who won the girls 2-mile by only 3 seconds but led the entire race. What a race. And Sloan Hinton, fine I have to also say that there comes a moment in every race I see her in where I can almost hear her say “bye, y’all, see you at the finish line!”

Where was I? Oh yes, it all came down to the last three relays–the 4×200, the 4×800 and the 4×400. Sofia pulled out an amazingly ridiculous 2 mile/4 x 800 double (as did James Osborn on the boys side by the way), Sloan running the 4 x 800m right after the 4 x 200, and freshman Solana Varela took on both a 4×200 leg and a 4×400 leg, the first time she had ever run the latter race. What do these girls eat for breakfast? Gimme some.

Here are coach Jason Montrose’s comments: “The girls showed the truth of the old adage “It ain’t over ’til it’s over,” by staying focused, not getting discouraged when we were down 30 points with only 4 events left, and battling to the very end. Relays have always been the foundation of our success, never more so than last night, and sweeping all 3 to pull it out….that’s crazy!”

When senior Kaitlyn Ewald powered in on the final leg of the final relay 4×400, the Weston crowd erupted in cheers and clapping. It was a made-for-TV movie, a dream team, a most excellent day.

Congratulations, Weston! Yesterday there was a truly madly deeply meaning in “go Cats!”

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And now for Operation Turtle.