Milton Girls Track Team Wins Division III State Crown

Sometimes the best victories are the ones you've been chasing for a whole year, and Milton High School's girls track team just proved that patience and hard work pay off.

The Wildcats captured the Division III indoor track state championship on Thursday in Boston, finishing with 54.50 points to edge out Melrose's 50 points. After coming in second place at last year's championships, the team knew exactly what they needed to do differently.

Junior Annaliese Aguilar set the tone early, winning the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.51 seconds in the very first event of the day. She had finished second in that same race last year, making Thursday's victory even sweeter.

"Coming into this, we knew we had the opportunity to get it done, and it's just really exciting," Aguilar said. The team had worried about losing talented seniors from the previous year, but their concerns melted away as teammates stepped up across the board.

Sophomore Grace Danielson got her own redemption story in the 1000-meter run, winning by more than three seconds after placing second as a freshman. She was still recovering from a cross country injury, making her victory even more meaningful.

Ella Turner added a win in the high jump, clearing 5 feet 4 inches for the Wildcats. But it was the relays where Milton really sealed their championship.

The 4x200 relay team, led by Danaya Sweeney and anchored by Aguilar, crossed the finish line first with a time of 1:45.34. Aguilar said the pressure of being the anchor motivated her to give everything she had for her teammates.

Why This Inspires

This team shows what happens when young athletes turn disappointment into determination. They lost key seniors but refused to lower their expectations. Instead, they supported each other, celebrated individual victories, and worked together toward a shared goal.

Their coach, George Daly, summed it up perfectly when he noted they won four of the 13 events because they're "top-heavy" with talent. But talent alone doesn't win championships. Trust, teamwork, and the belief that second place can become first place does.

Now Milton gets to defend their title next season, and based on this performance, they're ready for the challenge.