Snapshots: Tigers roar into Indoor Track Nationals

NNHS at NBNI, March 13 2026

William Balerna burns up the track during the boys 4x200 meter relay. The Tigers would finish first in their heat with a time of 1:28.57. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Coming into the 2026 New Balance Nationals Indoor track & field championships on March 13, Newton North’s girls 4×200 meter indoor relay team had already established itself as the fastest foursome in Massachusetts, having captured Division I and State titles in the event. Now, in their final run together, they did what they had been doing all season: they set another school record.

Racing alongside some of the fastest relay teams in the country, the team of Sophie Finkelstein, Bella Mangada, Penny Blumenthal, and Brooke Bennett finished in 1:44.02—three-quarters of a second faster than the previous Tiger record, which they had set only a few weeks before.

Blumenthal, a senior, described the race as “emotional.”

“Me and Brooke have been on the 4×200 since our freshman year, so to run it all four years together has been really special,” she said. “I’m glad that this is our last moment together, that we get to celebrate it here at New Balance at Nationals on a bigger stage.”

For head coach Mike Travers, the race marked the end of an era. He has worked with the three seniors on the team throughout their high school careers and has seen them develop into talented runners, with this season being a special one.

“I’m very fond of this team,” he says. “This is a team I coach personally. They are easy to coach, they are responsive, and they are great. I love them.”

In addition to the girls 4×200 team, a number of other Tiger track athletes competed across the four-day tournament, held at the TRACK at New Balance in Brighton.

Check out these photos from the March 13 running events:

Athletes from Newton North High School competed at the New Balance Nationals Indoor track and field championships at the TRACK at New Balance on March 13, 2026. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Esty Dudnik runs the 2-mile event at the New Balance Nationals Indoor track and field championships. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

4×200 meter racers Brooke Bennett, Sophie Finkelstein, Penny Blumenthal, and Bella Mangada pose for a photo. “This year especially our team has been so close, and I have so much love for all of the girls on the team,” said Mangada. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Esty Dudnik competes in the girls 2-mile race. This was her first experience at indoor Nationals. “I wanted to take the race seriously, but I also really wanted to have fun,” she said. “I feel like I did a good job doing both.” (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Sophie Finkelstein runs the first leg of the girls 4×200 meter relay. Finkelstein was looking forward to running one more race with the record-setting North team. “We get one last race together, and it’s such a good environment,” she said. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Brooke Bennett rounds the corner during the girls 4×200 meter relay. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Brooke Bennett holds her shoes after competing. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Lucas Allen runs the baton during the boys 4000 meter distance medley relay. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Head coach Mike Travers watches the relay. Travers was hoping his team would set a new school record (again)—and got his wish. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon