Belmont Hill’s Varsity Track and Field team had an excellent 2024 spring season that included record-shattering performances from individual athletes and depth in several events across the team. In the regular season, scored in dual meets, the team went 15-2. Unfortunately, at the most important meet of the season, the team came up just short at the ISL Championships. In the words of senior captain Jackson Pagan ‘24: “It seemed like we finally had all the pieces… I truly believe [that] this is the greatest track team Belmont Hill has ever had. It killed me to walk up to the front of the chapel and hand a 2nd place trophy to Mr. Schneider.” At ISLs, BH lost by merely 15 points (109 to Milton Academy’s 124). Nevertheless, the team still managed to place nine All-ISL Honorable Mention athletes and nine for the All-ISL honor. A few notable athletes include Captain Josiah Gomes ‘25, who won both the shot put and the discus; William Trautz ‘27, who won the 3000m; and javelin throwers Scott Black ‘24 and Nick Ascione ‘24, who placed first and second respectively.
After that disappointing loss, the team bounced back by finishing fourth place at the Division I NEPSTA Championship, with the highest points tally recorded by Belmont Hill (63) at the meet. In addition, Belmont Hill beat out perennial powerhouses Phillips Andover Academy and the host, Deerfield Academy. Once again, individual performers impressed, with twelve All-New England Honorable Mentions and four All-New England athletes. At the meet, Josiah Gomes once again won the shot put and the discus, while Jackson Pagan finished second in the 300m hurdles and ran .01 seconds off of the school record, as well as running in the 4x400m relay team that finished fifth.
Outside of the championship meets, two school records were broken this year: with a massive throw of 57’ 6”, captain Josiah Gomes ’25 destroyed the previous Shot Put Belmont Hill school record of Lucas Ribiero set in 2015. A new sophomore, Marcus Griffin ‘26, took town the Triple Jump school record with a leap of 44’ 8.5”, surpassing Greg Desrosiers’s previous mark by nearly half a foot.
Though the ISL championship meet was unsatisfactory for many athletes and coaches, the Varsity Track and Field team seeks to reclaim the throne in the 2025 season. Some members are graduating, such as senior captains Miles Sandoski and Jackson Pagan. However, outstanding athletes including next year’s captains—Ashton Cruz ‘25, Josiah Gomes ‘25, Jordan Summers ‘25, and Davis Woolbert ‘25—plan to lead the team to success. The Panel staff congratulates the Belmont Hill Varsity Track team on a successful 2024 season and wishes them luck for next year.
