Newton South’s Bridget Dahlberg anchors 800 relay win at New Englands

brand running shoes Newton South’s Bridget Dahlberg sat on the fieldsipping from her water bottle, almost indistinguishable with a tiedye shirt over her head. Just minutes before Dahlberg couldn’t be ignored, as sheanchored the Lions’ 4 x 800-meter relay team to victory inthe New England Interscholastic Track & Field Championships. It was exactly what she wanted to do. Dahlberg admitted she missedjoining her teammates last Saturday in the event at the state meet,instead finishing second in the mile to North Andover’sKirsten Kasper. She was thrilled to be grouped again with Juliet Ryan-Davis, KathyO’Keefe and Julia Frieze this time around on the ThorntonAcademy track. Dahlberg’s decision to opt for the relayproved to be the difference for Newton South. The junior ran downRyan Murphy of Westerly, R.I., with 250 meters remaining and surgeddown the final straightaway to wrap up the Lions’ 9-minute,19.26-second first-place performance. Westerly took second in9:21.42 while Weymouth was a strong fourth in 9:26.04. “I thought ‘whatever,’ ” when asked of herchances of catching Murphy. “But then I saw (coach) Steve(McChesney) and he said I could catch her. “I thought I went a little too early, but I was nervous. Ithought if I didn’t go then, I might not get her.” Mansfield’s defending state champions Mike McPherson and MattCallanan had little trouble picking up victories in theirrespective events. Despite competing in running shoes, McPhersongot off a shot put toss of 55 feet, 9 inches to win by more than 2feet, while Callanan demolished the 110-meter hurdles field in14.40. McPherson’s specialty shoes were in his mother’s car atwork, forcing him to take to the shot put circle in running shoesfor the first time this season. “I felt like I could have done better but I’ll takeit,” McPherson said. Callanan felt comfortable in the trials and went on to win bynearly 5 yards in the finals. Despite his smooth showing in thepreliminaries, the Syracuse-bound senior was wary of the finals. “A lot of the guys have run really well,” he said.“With all the competition, it was hard to gauge whereI’d be.” Mansfield’s Meghan Ferreira was disappointed with hersecond-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles. Ferreira had the leadfor eight hurdles, but was edged at the finish by a surging JesseLabreck of Messalonskee (Maine). She clocked a 14.74 toFerreira’s 14.83. “I didn’t think I had it,” said Ferreira, thestate champion. “I was nervous. I didn’t have thatcompetition at (states).” Callanan said the junior has improved all season and is on trackfor a big year in 2009. “She’s still a junior,” Callanan said.“She’s progressed so much. I have no doubt she’lldominate next year.” State champion Nakeisha Jones of O’Bryant didn’t loseher edge after her state win, leaping to a 39- win in the triplejump. North Reading’s Shannon Conway led from start to finishin the 400, clocking a swift 55.92. Triton’s Deanna Lathamwas the top seed in the long jump and the sophomore didn’tfalter, copping first in the event with an 18-8 effort.