EUGENE, Ore. — Berkeley Engelland added yet another podium finish to her decorated track and field resume on Friday night.

The Mount Vernon product and current University of South Dakota track star raced to a fourth-place finish in the women’s 800-meter run at the USA Track and Field under-20 championships at Hayward Field.

Engelland notched a time of 2 minutes, 9.48 seconds, shaving more than 1.5 seconds off the clocking that earned her a Summit League title in the event as a freshman in May. Makenna Herbst, a University of Arkansas commit from Carlsbad, California, won the race in 2:02.48, nearly five full seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Two years ago, on the same track at the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals, Engelland checked in at eighth place in the women’s 800-meter championship division.

Engelland was one of three Coyotes to compete at the U20 national championships, joined by Anna Willis in the women’s pole vault and Mariah Fenske in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Willis, who was competing at Hayward Field for the second time in as many weeks after a fourth-place showing at the NCAA championships, claimed the U20 women’s pole vault national title with a clearance of 4.35 meters (14 feet, 3.25 inches) on Thursday. The Colorado Springs native was one of only two competitors to eclipse 14 feet, joined by second-place Jathiyah Muhammad, of the University of Arizona.

Fenske, of Farmington, Minnesota, finished in ninth place in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase on Thursday, posting a time of 11 minutes, 22.35 seconds. Sara Morefield, who competes at the University of Tulsa, won the event in 10:38.86.

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LACKAWANNA LEAGUE COACHES BOYS VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS

Most valuable player: Shane Brower, Abington Heights

First Team

Shawn Theodore, Abington Heights

Luke Stevens, Valley View

Vinny Silon, Western Wayne

John Pyatt, Western Wayne

Theo Black, Western Wayne

Ryan Horutz, Abington Heights

Second Team

Bryce Conklin, Blue Ridge

Aden Butler, North Pocono

Chris Cummins, Abington Heights

Owen Martin, Blue Ridge

Emanuel Benitez, West Scranton

Jace Butler, North Pocono

Antonio Farina, Valley View

Honorable Mention

Nolan Moore (Abington Heights); Jesus Isidro (Valley View); Logan Pauler (Western Wayne); Riley Phillips (Blue Ridge); Wyatt Laytos (Lackawanna Trail); Luke Zipprich (Mountain View); Jagger Roe (Valley View).

Zagreb, Croatia – June 21 – The USA Men’s Junior National Team won silver earlier today at the World Aquatics U20 World Championship following a hard-fought final against Spain, where they lost 14-11. The second-place result marks the highest finish ever for a USA Men’s National Team in World Championship play at any age group. Ryan Ohl scored three goals to lead the USA offense with Charles Mills recording 11 saves in net. Team USA battled back from an 0-2 start in Zagreb to reach the final, claiming wins over Montenegro, Iran, Serbia and Hungary.  All matches were streamed live and are available on-demand on the World Aquatics YouTube. Live statistics were recorded for every match from MicroPlus Timing Services.

Spain was the aggressor in the first quarter as they outscored Team USA 3-1. Spain opened up with a 1-0 lead before Ryder Dodd converted for a score to tie the match. Spain answered with two consecutive goals to hold the edge going to the second. Spain looked to keep it rolling in the second quarter as they scored first for a 4-1 lead. That lit a fire under Team USA as their offense mounted a major charge. Peter Castillo hit on a power play strike followed by an Ohl goal and a Dodd score for a tie game at 4-4 with 5:55 to go in the half. Spain stopped the run with a goal moments later but Team USA remain undaunted. They ripped off three more in a row for a six goal explosion to build a 7-5 lead at intermission. Bode Brinkema, Ben Liechty and Ohl all found the cage to help turn things around before the break.

Ohl scored in the opening two minutes of the third to extend the lead to three at 8-5, but then it was Spain turning the tables. Spain connected for three in a row and tied the game at 8-8 with play moving to the fourth quarter. The two teams traded goals back and forth in the early stages of the final period. Brinkema hit for a penalty to put Team USA back ahead early at 9-8, but Spain immediately responded to tie the game at 9-9 moments later. A similar scenario followed where Corbin Stanley gave the United States the lead on a power play only to see Spain tie the game at 10-10 with 6:29 to play. Liechty scored for Team USA on their next possession for an 11-10 advantage but unfortunately the offensive well ran dry the rest of the match. Spain scored the equalizer with 4:33 to play and then went ahead for good with 2:28 remaining. They would tack on two more goals as the United States tried to rally, securing the three goal win.

Team USA went 2/13 on power plays and 3/4 on penalties while Spain went 5/12 on power plays and 3/4 on penalties. 

Scoring – Stats

USA 11 (1, 6, 1, 3) R. Ohl 3, R. Dodd 2, B. Brinkema 2, B. Liechty 2, P. Castillo 1, C. Stanley 1

ESP 14 (3, 2, 3, 6) A. Sabadell 6, B. Gomila 2, U. Lema 1, O. Aguirre 1, M. Rodriguez 1, T. Perrone 1, E. Flaque 1, J. Villamayor 1

Saves – USA – C. Mills 11 – ESP – A. Pina 9, D. Garcia 1

6×5 – USA – 2/13 – ESP 5/12

Penalties – USA – 3/4 – ESP – 3/4

 

Consider what’s characterized much of the last few years in boys volleyball.

Needham’s dynasty. Westfield’s dynasty. Western Mass.’ surge. Wayland’s surge. A loaded Bay State Conference. New leagues showcasing success. A whole lot of parity.

Those fingerprints were all over this spring, too. And yet, this season reached a rare, historic level to admire.

Brookline’s junior setter Alec Smagula spoke confidently about the heights his Warriors could reach when he was just a freshman, declaring them underrated all the way through a Cinderella run to the Div. 1 Final Four in 2023. Two years later, senior outside hitter Kris Vaivars set the program’s all-time kills record as arguably the state’s top player, pairing with Smagula’s mastery as a do-it-all setter to anchor Brookline’s emotional run to its first Div. 1 state title since 1992.

Star power, depth and versatility were the bones of a sparkling, 23-1 year. But the program’s passion – shown through its contagious energy all the way down the bench – was the heart in a rare year for Brookline.

Needham may not have won another state title, but the dynasty is alive and well in perhaps one of its more impressive runs. The Rockets had a very new rotation this year, and a much different look from the star power that fueled its unbeaten three-peat from 2021 to 2023. But defensive tenacity improved throughout the year, rising to its pinnacle to upset Natick in the state semifinals for a fifth straight appearance in the Div. 1 state final.

By all measures, the Bay State Conference has been formidable for years. Between Brookline, Newton North and Needham, it’s had representatives win each of the last five Div. 1 state finals. Though, never in the power rankings era – or possibly ever – had any conference claimed all four spots in one Final Four in any MIAA sport. Brookline, Needham, Natick and Newton North changed that.

The latter two were right in the mix as worthy potential champions themselves, and all four were dominant over the rest of the division. The lone exception was Lexington, who proved tough in one of the program’s best years with a personal record 17-game win streak.

Regardless, what the BSC’s power-four produced was rare. Almost as rare was how tight much of the rest of the field played out.

Last year’s parity had us on our toes with how the whole tournament would unfold, only for it to follow the chalk up until No. 2 Newton North beat No. 1 Needham in the state final. But this year, the first round alone produced more upsets than each of the previous three whole tournaments combined.

Barnstable felt a massive emotional lift with a win over New Bedford in the regular season. Taunton got the same when it split with Milford to share the brand-new Hockomock League title. Both went from needing preliminary-round wins to upsetting their way to the state quarterfinals as the 26th and 27th seeds – the two lowest seeds to reach that far in the sport. And beside them, Milford, Weymouth and St. John’s of Shrewsbury also shook off their sub-20 seeding to advance at least once in an all-time showing of parity.

Part of such a wild tournament stemmed from a level playing field. The major driver, though, was the first year the MIAA’s power rankings system seemed to miss the mark – which had been spot on in the other three tournaments.

That didn’t carry over to Div. 2, which saw all eight of its top seeds reach the state quarterfinals.

Wayland was hungry all year to avenge its reverse-sweep loss in the 2024 state finals to Westfield. Premier outside hitter Finn Bell anchored an otherwise deep group to reach the title game for the second straight year – exorcising the Warriors’ demons by beating the Bombers in the state semifinals. Yet, powers out of Western Mass. once again forced Wayland one win shy of the program’s first title.

Top-ranked Agawam looked like a wagon all year, only losing once; when star setter David Dzhenzherukha missed a regular season game against Chicopee Comprehensive. Otherwise, a deep crew of standout pins surrounded Dzhenzherukha for one of the state’s top attacks, and its defense shined in the final to secure its second state title in three years.

Afterward, head coach Kevin Pender had much to say about the strength of Western Mass., and the pride that comes with the growth the area has shown.

By taking the title, Agawam and Westfield have traded Div. 2 state championships over the four years since the sport expanded to two divisions. West Springfield rose up to nearly knock off the Brownies in the state semifinals, and six of those top-eight teams to reach the state quarterfinals hail from the region.

Five teams from the West had reached the stage in 2024, and only three did in 2023