By Matt Stewart

This past Sunday the Lunenburg High girls track coach Steve Kyajohnian was selected as the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) Indoor track coach of the year, for his efforts in the 2009-2010 indoor season. Kyajohnian has built one of the best track programs in the state for its size, and has continued his success this outdoor season.

    “Getting the award was a nice honor,” Kyajohnian said. “There’s a lot of hard work involved and I guess there are people that recognize it. I didn’t do it alone, I had kids scoring points that were coached by other people. Steve Boone is a tremendous help in the throwing events, Bob Truax, Pete McCauliff, Mike Spare, everybody helps out and it’s a tribute to everyone.”

    Last season indoor season (2009-10), Lunenburg was led by a strong senior class, comprised of Chelsea Hudson, Amanda Holden, Kelly Ulf, and Kate Albertini, and with the help of some key underclassmen were able to post a perfect record in the dual meet season, claim the Mid Wach C Championship, won their first Division 2 District title since 2001, placed third in the State Relays, and finished sixth in the State Division IV Meet. These accomplishments helped secure the honor for Kyajohnian.

    “We had great kids last year, and we have great kids this year, but the award was for last year,” Kyajohnian said. “We had a strong senior class last year. When you get great kids, with a great work ethic, that are great student athletes, and good assistant coaches, then good things happen.”

    The Blue Knights have continued their success in the outdoor season. So far this year they have gone undefeated in their dual meets, winning its final dual meet of the season on Monday against Narragansett Regional, which stretches its league dual meet unbeaten streak to 110 in a row (dating back to 1990). The Blue and White also won the Mid Wach C League Championship Meet, a feat that the team has accomplished 20 times in the last 22 years.

    “I don’t really think about the winning streak that much,” Kyajohnian said. “It’s in the back of your mind, but you take it one meet at a time, and you approach it in a way that you can win it.”

    Lunenburg will compete in the District All-Class Meet tomorrow at 9:30 at Fitchburg State University, a meet that features every central mass team against each other. Junior Jennifer Markham should be a threat in the mile, while freshman Whitney Mansfield will look to be competitive in the 400m hurdles. Senior Brittany Green has the best chance of scoring points in the shot put, while she’ll also be competitive in the javelin, while fellow senior Samantha Holloway will be amongst a competitive discus group.

    “We’ve got to compete against Wachusett, Algonquin, Shrewsbury, and Westborough,” Kyajohnian said of the All-Class Meet. “We do well in our league, and in our Class, but when you get up against those Class A schools it’s tough. Even Class C, a lot of schools can’t win the meet because they don’t have the depth, but they might have some of the ringers, who place high in a meet like this. Brittany Green will probably be seeded first us, and Jen Markham will probably be in the top four. We have about 15 kids going to compete in the meet, and I’m hoping we get somewhere around 20 points.”