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Pace, Ronan choose track championship meet over senior trip

Thursday, May, 29 By Dan Guttenplan
Sports editor

A Newburyport High senior recently overcame major knee surgery to capture a school record in his/her particular track and field event. That senior will enter this weekend's Division 4 state championship meet as the top seed.

Correction: Two Newburyport High seniors overcame major knee surgeries this season to set school records in their respective events. Both seniors will enter this weekend's Division 4 championship as the favorite to capture state titles.

Richie Pace and Meghann Ronan share a similar story when it comes to their respective track and field careers. Before breaking his own school shot put record (53-3) last weekend at the CAL Open, Pace had to overcome a knee injury that sidelined him for his entire senior year of football. The torn meniscus sparked a rehabilitation process that saw Pace lose 50 pounds to help reduce stress on his knee.

Ronan, on the other hand, went under the knife several times for leg injuries. She worked tirelessly under the tutelage of her father, former All-American pole vaulter at Bowdoin College, Patrick Ronan, to return and set a personal best of 10-1 on the pole vault last weekend. The height currently ranks as the top vault in the state.

"The common thread between the two is the injuries," Newburyport coach Tim Foley said. "Both have overcome a lot. Both are at the top of their game right now."

The two appear to be peaking at the perfect time with the Division 4 Championship scheduled for Saturday morning (Seekonk, 9:30 a.m.). Pace, who will attend UMass Lowell next fall, enters the meet as the top seed in the shot put and third in the discus. Ronan, who eclipsed her own school record by six inches, will likely be the top seed in the Mass. All-State Meet the following weekend.

But the fact that Pace and Ronan are actually choosing to compete in the championship meet this weekend is a further testament to their commitment to the sport. As class president, Pace helped organize a senior trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The four-day trip conflicts with this weekend's meet. Pace and Ronan both chose to skip the class trip.

"Obviously this meet is a big deal for us," Pace said. "Meghann and I knew that there was a chance we'd miss this class trip from the beginning. But we have our priorities. We couldn't give in to temptation. We have other kids on our grade ragging on us, so it's been hard."

Ronan has competed last spring with stress fractures in her back and a diagnosis of compartment syndrome in her legs. She still set the school record in the pole vault (9-7) but was forced to have surgery on both legs last summer.

She will attend Auburn University next fall and is unsure of whether she will continue pole vaulting. Thus, the decision to skip the trip to Disney was easy for her.

"I've been to Disney World, but this is my last chance to qualify for New Englands," Ronan said. "I've had a million injuries and a nerve problem, which isn't that serious. But I'm coming around at the right time, so I want to see what I can do."

Newburyport junior Tom Svirsky joined Pace and Ronan in setting a school record at last week's CAL Open. Svirsky, a junior, broke Steve Todd's record in the 400 (50.3).

"Everything came together for me," Svirsky said. "I trained all year for that. Anything else would be icing on the cake for me."