East Lyme sweeps ECC Div. I indoor titles for fourth straight year
New London — East Lyme High School coach Steve Hargis missed a few weeks of the season this year due to back surgery. He returned Jan. 11 … and the athletes on his boys' indoor track team acted like they hadn't missed him.
“They were like, 'Hey, coach,'” Hargis said with a laugh Saturday afternoon. “I was a little bit hurt.”
It's the way Hargis was explaining his team's chemistry, which with a team of 65 is not necessarily an easy feat.
“They are, in fact, mentors, big brothers,” Hargis said of the Vikings' older runners.
East Lyme's boys' and girls' teams each won the ECC Division I indoor championship Saturday at the Coast Guard Academy, the Vikings' fourth straight sweep of the meet. The boys overcame an early deficit to beat Norwich Free Academy 156-103, while the girls piled up 172 points, leading NFA (98) and Bacon Academy (81).
East Lyme's Dylan Hatajik won the 55-meter dash in 6.59 seconds and the 300 in 36.26 for the boys and finished second in the long jump, while Sam Whittaker doubled up with victories in the 1,600 (4:29.82) and the 3,200 (10:05.57).
Hatajik, a wide receiver in the fall, signed a letter of intent late last year to play football at Georgetown, while Whittaker, who edged Ledyard's Zak King in both races, was the ECC cross country champion.
The Vikings, who beat NFA by just three points a year ago (115-112) trailed when they hit their stride with consecutive wins from Ryan McCauley in the 600 (1:27.17), Hatajik in the 55, Whittaker in the 1,600, got a second-place finish from the sprint medley relay team and then firsts from Hatajik in the 300 and Whittaker again in the 3,200.
“It's what we were waiting for,” Hargis said. “NFA always comes out flying in the jumps; they always have a strong program. … I'm excited.”
“It's an individual team sport,” Hatajik said. “What I mean is you do your best to help the team no matter what event. You're running for yourself and the team.”
Hargis was yelling for Whittaker to take it easy during the mile, presumably to save something for the two-mile in anticipation of a closer points race. He took off at a near sprint to finish the race, however.
“I haven't run a good mile this year (before this),” Whittaker said. “I'm not sure if I'll run it next week (in the state meet). I haven't run very well … well, I ran a good 800, but I haven't run anything fast. It's good to know.”
The Vikings also got wins in the 4x720 relay from Matthew Kung, Rob Avena, Luciano Folz and Christian Wilson and in the 4x360 from McCauley, Patrick Dowd, Dylan McDonald and Nick Tricarico.
East Lyme senior Rasa Kirvelevicius ran three lengthy events, not because she had to but because she wanted to, also exemplifying her team's character, coach Carl Reichard said.
Kirvelevicius ran a leg of the winning 4x720 relay team, joining Laura Agbayani, Gillian Goodwin and Julia Bates, and was second in the 1,600 before coming back to win the 3,200 in what she called a relaxed 12:42.52.
“You try saying no to Rasa,” Reichard said with a smile. “I dare you.”
“Every time I talk to you guys I end up talking about how hard the kids work,” Reichard said. “That's just a key element in track. … We're very blessed on our team. The kids really support each other."
East Lyme's girls also got wins from Claire Mason in the 1,000 (3:11.63) and the 4x360 team of Mason, Agbayani, Bates and Saige Deveau.
A pair of NFA freshmen, Kayla Park (600) and Catie Shannon (1,600), each won an individual event, then teamed together to lead the Wildcats to victory as part of the sprint medley relay (4:03.55). Shannon ran the 600 and the sprint medley back-to-back, while Park ran the four-lap anchor leg of the relay.
Park played for the ECC Division I champion girls' soccer team in the fall and Shannon was a member of the Wildcats cross country team before missing the bulk of the postseason due to injury.
“We have a lot of the same classes together, but we didn't know each other existed before,” Park said, drawing laughter from both freshmen.
“It's fun to joke around in class, even if we get in trouble,” Shannon said, smiling. “… It was hard (coming back after the 1,600), but it's fun to do it together. It's just so much fun to do it with everybody, just cheer the team on.”
Other local girls' winners were Ledyard's Olivia Crawford in the 55 hurdles (9.31), NFA's Paige Martin in the pole vault (10-6) and NFA's Lewis, who tied the meet record in the high jump with a leap of 5-4. Bacon Academy's Nicole Lizotte was a double-winner in the 55 dash and the long jump and also ran a leg of the Bobcats' first-place 4x180 relay team.
NFA's Jaheim Spruill won the boys' high jump (6-0) and long jump (20-7.75), Fitch's Tom Readett the 1,000 (2:43.83), NFA's David Osagie the 55 hurdles (8.34) and NFA's Chris Weir the pole vault (13-6).
v.fulkerson@theday.com
ECC DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/BOYS
Team Results
1. East Lyme, 156; 2. NFA, 103; 3. Ledyard, 78; 4. Fitch, 66; 5. Bacon Academy, 37; 6. Woodstock Academy 15; 7. New London, 7.
Individual Results
55-meter dash — 1. Dylan Hatajik (EL), 6.59 seconds; 2. Patrick Dowd (EL); 3. Travon Brown (L); 4. Adrian Albo (F); 5. James Smith (L)); 6. Eddie Johnson (NFA).
300 — 1. Hatajik (EL), 36.26; 2. Dowd (EL); 3. Tony Figueroa (F); 4. Blane Hart (EL); 5. Brady Noniewicz (B); 6. Johnnon (NFA).
600 — 1. Ryan McCauley (EL), 1:27.17; 2. Andrew Cote (NFA); 3. Matt Laliberte (B); 4. Joshua Achille (NFA); 5. Rob Avena (EL); 6. Matthew Kung (EL).
1,000 — 1. Tom Readett (F), 2:43.83; 2. Chris Abbey (EL); 3. Andrew Janus (B); 4. Nathan Cote (NFA); 5. Caleb Robbins (F); 6. Nate McCracken (L).
1,600 — 1. Sam Whittaker (EL), 4:29.82; 2. Zack King (L); 3. Readett (F); 4. Matthew Roethlein (WA); 5. Rashawn Wright (NL); 6. Juan Garcia (L).
3,200 — 1. Whittaker (EL), 10:05.57; 2. King (L); 3. Abbey (EL); 4. Garcia (L); 5. Janus (B); 6. Ryan Poe (F).
55 hurdles — 1. David Osagie (NFA), 8.34; 2. Collin Wiltshire (L); 3. Joseph Andrews (EL); 4. Akhil Chilamkurthi (EL); 5. Ethan Alves (F); 6. Aaron Young (B).
4x180 relay — 1. Ledyard (Smith, Brown, Robbie Petriel, Jahmik Devone), 1:25.72; 2. NFA; 3. East Lyme; 4. Bacon; 5. Fitch.
4x360 relay — 1. East Lyme (Dowd, Dylan McDonald, Nick Tricarico, McCauley), 3:46.24; 2. Ledyard; 3. Fitch; 4. Bacon; 5. New London.
4x720 relay — 1. East Lyme (Kung, Avena, Luciano Folz, Christian Wilson), 7:53.93; 2. NFA; 3. Fitch; 4. Ledyard; 5. New London.
Sprint medley relay — 1. Ledyard (Smith, Brown, Berkely Wachtmann, Ian Kamperschroer), 3:25.34; 2. NFA; 3. Fitch; 4. Bacon; 5. New London; 6. Woodstock.
High jump — 1. Jahiem Spruill (NFA), 6 feet; 2. Amstrong Alcius (NFA); 3. Raymond Valentin (Fitch); 4. Makaih Olawale (EL); 5. Wiltshire (L); 6. (tie) Alves (F) and Tyler Nelli (F).
Long jump — 1. Spruill (NFA), 20-7.75; 2. Hatajik (EL); 3. Petriel (L); 4. Wiltshire (L); 5. Alcius (NA); 6. Dylan Ponkala (WA).
Pole vault — 1. Christopher Weir (NFA), 13-6; 2. Young (B); 3. Chilamkurthi (EL); 4. (tie) Alex Schwindt (F) and Andrews (EL); 6. Jacob Bazinet (NFA).
Shot put — 1. Mark Dumas (WA), 44-9; 2. Adelino DaVeiga (NFA); 3. Adrian Atad (F); 4. Sam Highman (EL); 5. Cameron Belton (NFA); 6. Chris Hebert (NFA).
ECC DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/GIRLS
Team Results
1. East Lyme, 172; 2. NFA, 98; 3. Bacon Academy, 81; 4. Fitch, 46; 5. Ledyard, 39; 6. Woodstock Academy, 20.
Individual Results
55-meter dash — 1. Nicole Lizotte (B), 7.52 seconds; 2. Saige Deveau (EL); 3. Madison Powe (F); 4. Lily Johnson (F); 5. Janaya Burley (F); 6. Kennedy Davignon (WA).
300 — 1. Natalie Sedor (B), 43.66; 2. Claire Mason (EL); 3. Cate Rowlins (B); 4. Davignon (WA); 5. Kaylah Beauchamp (F); 6. Katherine Harris (EL).
600 — 1. Kayla Park (NFA), 1:39.30; 2. Julia Bates (EL); 3. Laura Agbayani (EL); 4. Sydney Corl (NFA); 5. Caroline Real (EL); 6. Ellen McCoy (EL).
1,000 — 1. Claire Mason (EL), 3:11.63; 2. Sophie Taylor (EL); 3. Alicia (EL); 4. Phoebe Provencher (EL); 5. Karenna Kung (EL); 6. Kupis (NFA).
1,600 — 1. Catie Shannon (NFA), 5;33.90; 2. Rasa Kirvelevicius (EL); 3. Gillian Goodwin (EL); 4. Anne Hageman (B); 5. Julia Adrian (F); 6. Tessa Hospod (NFA).
3,200 — 1. Kirveleviciuis (EL), 12:42.52; 2. Samantha Lyster (EL); 3. Katelyn English (L); 4. Averie Greeley (L); 5. Jade Dessaint (L); 6. Megan Gohn (WA).
55 hurdles — 1. Olivia Crawford (L)), 9.31; 2. Jessica Savage (B); 3. Abigail Lottridge (EL); 4. Abby Millbach (L); 5. Ivorie Covey (NFA); 5. Olivia Backofen (EL).
4x180 relay — 1. Bacon (Lizotte, Rowlins, Sedor, Savage), 1:37.83 (meet record, old mark 1:38.19 by East Lyme in 1999); 2. East Lyme; 3. NFA; 4. Ledyard.
4x360 relay — 1. East Lyme (Deveau, Bates, Agbayani, Mason), 4:18.44; 3. NFA; 3. Bacon; 4. Fitch.
4x720 relay — 1. East Lyme (Agbayani, Kirvelevicius, Goodwin, Bates), 9:35.99; 2. Fitch; 3. Ledyard; 4. Bacon.
Sprint medley relay — 1. NFA (Sophia Kaiser, Allyson Lewis, Shannon, Park), 4:03.55; 2. East Lyme; 3. Fitch; 4. Woodstock; 5. Bacon; 6. Ledyard.
High jump — Allyson Lewis (NFA), 5 feet, 4 inches; 2. Julia Theriaque (WA); 3. (tie) Alexis Burgess (EL) and Lottridge (EL); 5. Backofen (EL); 6. Taryn Formanek (B).
Long jump — 1. Lizotte (B), 16-1; 2. Powe (F); 3. Burgess (EL); 4. Ava Krajewski (F); 5. J'Naya Kelly (EL); 6. Grace Wargo (EL).
Pole vault — 1. Paige Martin (NFA), 10-6; 2. Madison Martin (NFA); 3. Angela Chong (NFA); 4. Leah Mikkelson (NFA); 5. Hannah Elliot (NFA); 6. Isabella Uttley-Rosado (L).
Shot put — 1. Natalie Rolon-Issa (B), 36-7.5; 2. Jamie Foster (EL); 3. Anna Lewis (NFA); 4. Savannah Hunter (EL); 5. Chelsea Wise (WA); 6. Isabelle Hammar (L).
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