Six seats per row, 13 athletes, that means two full rows plus one additional airline seat that would be required for North Andover High School’s contingent to the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
That’s not to say all of them were flying to North Carolina together. North Carolina A&T Greensboro, N.C., is host to the Nationals, which began on June 15 and will run through Sunday.
Several schools in the area have maybe one, maybe two athletes or maybe a relay team worth that qualified for Nationals. This writer has never heard of 13 athletes from the same school qualifying. Matthew Manteiga, who is competing in two events, said the love of track and field starts young in North Andover, and athletes here take the sport very seriously.
