'So happy, it makes me want to cry.' Holliston twins, Natick's win highlight state Unified track meet
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NATICK — The joy is expressed in smiles, tears — and in Donny Brandt’s case, the near loss of his lunch.
The Natick runner didn’t vomit, but he put forth an effort that put him on the brink. The day, again, belonged to the Redhawks, who won their third consecutive MIAA Division 1 state Unified track and field championship.
The spirit, however, was captured by the passionate words of Holliston High’s Sam Faria. The junior assisted his twin brother, Daniel, at Wednesday’s meet, aiding him in the shot put and pushing him through the 100-yard dash.
Daniel, in a wheelchair, wore a smile under his navy blue Boston Red Sox hat.
“We’re twins, so we do everything together,” said Sam, a Holliston football player.
Still huffing and puffing after the dash, Sam did the math on his familial freight: Daniel weighs 100 pounds and the wheelchair 200.
“It’s definitely hard but it’s that brotherly love. My whole life, I’ve wanted to play sports with my brother. We’ve been blessed with this opportunity.”
Daniel appears to get just as much — if not more — joy out of competing.
“Look at the pictures of us running, you can see a big smile on his face,” Sam said. “This makes him so happy that he can participate, because his whole life, people tell him that he can’t do things and he can just watch. For once, he was given an opportunity to do things and he made the best of it.”
On a warm afternoon, the many heats of the 100 went off under a blazing sun. But complaints were few. And judging by the ear-to-ear grin flashed by Holyoke’s Yedxael Ruiz, who was pushed down the track already with a medal around his neck, it certainly beat another day of rain.
The comeback of the day belonged to Cole Boggis. When the Natick sophomore took the baton from Aaron Raymundo-Gonzalez for the final leg of the 4x400 relay, he was in fifth place. But Boggis steadily caught the pack and won his heat by less than a second.
He later talked about his thought process.
“What I do when I run is I like to run on my tippy toes, I don’t let my heels touch the ground, and I just fought it out,” said Boggis, who was also joined by Matt Canning and Chase Cooley in the event. “It was my last 100 of the day, so I just had to give it my all.”
“That was really special,” said Natick Unified head coach Nick DiAntonio.
Boggis also ran the 100 dash and participated in the long jump.
“It felt great,” he said of winning his heat. “I think that will give us a good lead so we can come home with the championship and win it all.”
Junior Finn Moriarty set a personal best of more than 50 feet in the shot put, an event he won.
Natick Unified track continues to attract large numbers
The Redhawks were well represented in many facets. The Natick Fire Department Color Guard appeared at the 50-yard line for Opening Ceremonies and many NHS classes drifted down West Street to cheer on the athletes.
School superintendent Dr. Melissa Spash also made an appearance.
The Natick program includes 22 athletes, 55 student “partners” that assist the athletes and 79 student volunteers for the state meet. The Redhawks wore white T-shirts with a quote on the back from retired Navy SEAL-podcaster-author Jocko Willink that included: “There is no easy way. There is only hard work ...”
DiAntonio said nearly 80 students applied to become partners.
“We actually go through a pretty selective process,” he said. “It’s become something very coveted at Natick High School. And we take it very seriously. We want our kids to have the understanding that whether you have an intellectual disability or not, the same expectations are going to be held of all of you.”
The team is captained by Liz Curley, Kira Henderson, Josh Blasbalg and Ali Uzzell.
Natick, hosting the meet for the fourth time, won for the third consecutive year. When student announcer Jonathan Chase, who will be a Natick football captain in the fall, announced the Division 1 winner, it came as no surprise. (Sandwich won the Division 2 title). The Redhawks totaled 213 points, 55 more than runner-up Wahconah.
But team unity is right up there with winning, according to DiAntonio.
“What sets our teams apart are the bonds that we have. Our kids were out playing football before and just enjoying themselves,” he said. “Seeing the relationships that this track team has forced this year, and having this championship, is very, very special.”
DiAntonio hopes Natick has the chance to host again next spring. No matter the venue, expect the Faria twins to be there. Sam figured that Daniel finished second in the 100 dash and fourth in the shot put.
“He’s going to be back next year and he’s going to do even better,” Sam said as tears began to well up.
The opportunity just to compete with his twin, however, overshadows any spot on the podium.
“So happy, you don’t understand. It makes me want to cry.
“I’m so happy as a brother to get the experience that I get. We get to do it together as a duo. That’s such a beautiful thing in my eyes.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached attdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Instagram at tdumas1.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Holliston twins revel as Natick again wins state Unified track and meet
