East Lyme girls battle way back and overtake NFA at ECC meet
East Lyme — It was suggested, jokingly, to East Lyme High School coach Carl Reichard that he had a new nemesis at rival Norwich Free Academy.
Andrea Chappelle, named as NFA's girls' track and field coach this season, replacing five-time state champion Kara Kochanski-Vendola, showed up for her first Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I-II championship Monday afternoon and promptly had the Wildcats winning by double figures midway through the meet.
"Like she wasn't my nemesis when she went there?" Reichard said with a smile of Chappelle, an NFA grad and a former State Open champ in the triple jump.
East Lyme, however, came from behind in the nine-team meet to win for the second year in a row, topping second-place NFA 155.5-126. Woodstock Academy was third with 99 points and Ledyard fourth with with 92. That gave East Lyme the overall Division I ECC title and Ledyard the Division II title, as the regular-season and postseason results were combined for the first time.
East Lyme went 1-2 in the triple jump behind Lauren Hinckley (34 feet, 8.5 inches) and Sophia Seguin to pull within striking distance, then suddenly vaulted ahead of NFA for good when the javelin results were posted. Sjodin Fedikovich won with a personal-best throw of 108 feet to lead a five-member squad of Vikings' javelin throwers who finished first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh, outscoring NFA 27-0 in the event.
"We knew that we weren't in first at the moment," Fedikovich said of the javelin. "We all just kept telling each other we needed to throw far. (Reichard) was over there, going back and forth from the track. He just kept saying, 'You got this.' So it's nice. The five of us are always together in practice and at meets. I was a little nervous. It's the ECCs and I knew were weren't winning."
Reichard has made it a habit in the past not to tell give his athletes the point totals while they're competing.
"We just look it up," Fedikovich said. "We find out. We just had to give it our all."
Savannah Soleau was second in the javelin, Aubrey Jorgensen fifth, Hailey DeNucci sixth and Chloe Vaglio seventh.
East Lyme also got wins from Ava Pitruzzello in the 400 (1 minute, 1.39 seconds), Soleau in the shot put (38-6.5) and from the 4x100 team of Hinckley, Abigail Jorgensen, Sydney Arustei and Grace Wadsworth (51.59). NFA's Jasmyn Bransford (200, long jump) and Bacon Academy's Jordan Malloy (800, 1,600) were the meet's double-winners.
"We were behind. We were really behind," Reichard said. "We felt the triple jump would help a lot and we felt the javelin would really help a lot. ... You know who I learned that from? (Former NFA coach) Gary Makowicki. He always got a ton of points in the field events."
Reichard called Fedikovich "a good spiritual leader" in the javelin and the pole vault, where Fedikovich finished in a tie for third — "Whenever I need to organize something, I know I can count on her," Reichard said.
East Lyme finished 3-0 in ECC Division I during the regular season. NFA was the third-place team with a 1-2 record but came to Monday's meet with confidence, getting two victories from Bransford and one each from Alexis Boyer in the pole vault (9-6) and Hannah Graham in the discus (118-1).
"I think with our team, it took the leadership of the seniors. They wanted it," Chappelle said. "You know coming into their senior year and having their high school careers just kind of taken away with COVID or just not what they expected ... when I met with them before I started the season as a new coach, they wanted it. They were ready. They were anxious. They were eager to compete."
"For me, it's my last ECC meet I'll ever run. I wanted to run like it's my last," Bransford said. "I try to support (the younger NFA runners) and also build that confidence."
Ledyard freshman May Inyang won the 100 meters, edging Bransford 12.65-12.68. Inyang's sister Clare, a senior, also joined the track team this year and picked up a win Monday as part of the 4x800 relay team along with Tori Schweitzer, Ella Stephenson and Kate Littler. May Inyang hadn't seen Bransford during the regular season because they come from different divisions.
"It was definitely exciting," Inyang said. "I'm really happy I got a chance to run against (the Division I schools). ... It's amazing. I was on the basketball team with (Clare) and I thought that was the last team I would be on with her. (To win), that's amazing."
Waterford's Avery Maiese won the 3,200, Woodstock's Isabella Sorrentino the 100 hurdles and teammates Juliet Allard the 300 hurdles and Jillian Edwards the high jump and New London's 4x400 team of Leilani Robinson, Kmara Royster, Anissah White and Ahkeena Farrior-Parcak closed the meet with a victory in the 4x400.
v.fulkerson@theday.com
ECC DIVISION I-II CHAMPIONSHIPS
At East Lyme
Boys
Team Results
1. Norwich Free Academy, 204; 2. East Lyme, 95; 3. Fitch, 93; 4. Bacon Academy, 85; 5. Ledyard, 68; 6. Waterford, 65; 7. Woodstock Academy, 53; 8. New London, 18; 9. Killingly, 16.
Individual Results
100-meter dash: 1. Dangelo Aristilde (NFA), 10.99 seconds; 2. Aldon Dawson (NFA); 3. Aaron Running (B); 4. Noah Colangelo (K); 5. Charlie Tarbox (F); 6. Zaire Wallace (NFA); 7. Jackson Poulton (L); 8. Braedon Emerson (WA).
200: 1. Dangelo Aristilde (NFA), 22.18; 2. Jeremiah (NFA); 3. Noah Colangelo (K); 4. Charles Tarbox (F); 5. Evan Piotrowski (W); 6. Jeffrey Phongsa (WA); 7. Oakley Garrison (F); 8. Zaire Wallace (NFA).
400: 1. Evan Piotrowski (W), 51.19; 2. Michaelly Luc (NFA); 3. Daniel Blanda (B); 4. Kai Ritz (EL); 5. Charles Cabusao (F); 6. Lucas DeNucci (EL); 7. Earl Louis (NFA); 8. Shane Baran (NFA).
800: 1. Thomas Forde (F), 2:00.20; 2. Brendan Fant (EL); 3. Ian Hoffman (WA); 4. Auguste Estriplet (L); 5. Ethan Manfredi (NFA); 6. Roodley Merillo (NL); 7. Viraj Bokhira (F); 8. Ryan Anderson (NFA).
1,600: 1. Ryan Moores (B), 4:30.11; 2. Brendan Fant (EL); 3. Ryan Dunning (F); 4. Ethan Manfredi (NFA); 5. Tyler Crabb (NFA); 6. Vincente Bastura (WA); 7. Theodore Bergman (EL); 8. Sawyer Barile (NFA).
3,200: 1. Christian Menounos (WA), 10:02.52; 2. Sean McCauley (EL); 3. Carson Riley (F); 4. Tyler Crabb (NFA); 5. Ryan Moores (B); 6. Ryan Dunning (F); 7. Noah Krishnaswami (EL); 8. Patrick Croughwell (NFA).
110 hurdles: 1. Glendon Dawson (NFA), 15.46; 2. Elliot Childs (W); 3. Jonas Regondola (L); 4. Scott Kardys (B); 5. Kevin Kilcomons (W); 6. John-Emren Victorino (L); 7. Kheaven Kershaw (F).
300 hurdles: 1. Glendon Dawson (NFA), 41.12; 2. Elliot Childs (W); 3. Kevin Kilcomons (W); 4. Mathew Leone (EL); 5. John-Emren Victorino (L); 6. Silas Strandson (WA); 7. Jonas Regondola (L); 8. Alexis Torruellas (NL).
4x100 relay: 1. NFA (Stephen Lee, Dangelo Aristilde, Jeremiah Paul, Aldon Dawson), 42.94 (meet record, old mark 42.97 by Ledyard in 2013); 2. Fitch; 3. Waterford; 4. East Lyme; 5. Ledyard; 6. New London; 7. Bacon.
4x400 relay: 1. East Lyme (Lucas DeNucci, Shawn Henning, Kai Ritz, Brendan Fant), 3:29.93; 2. NFA; 3. Fitch; 4. Bacon; 5. Ledyard; 6. New London; 7. Woodstock; 8. Waterford.
4x800 relay: 1. East Lyme (James Chekal, Finian Gates, Nathan Berman, Kai Ritz), 8:33.55; 2. NFA; 3. Ledyard; 4. Waterford; 5. Bacon; 6. Woodstock.
High jump: 1. Jayden Desilus (NFA), 6 feet; 2. Nicholas Vogel (EL); 3. Peter Walsh (B); 4. Noah Colangelo (K); 5. Marvin Barthold (NFA); 6. Peyton Adams (B); 7. Gianni Colebut (F); 8. Nathan Booth (W).
Long jump: Michaelly Luc (NFA), 20-9.5; 2. Jacob Lenz (L); 3. Aldon Dawson (NFA); 4. Jeremiah Paul (NFA); 5. James Green (L); 6. Timothy Miller (F); 7. Zayshawn Griffin (F); 8. Jonathan Booth (W).
Triple jump: 1. Michaelly Luc (NFA), 42-3.25; 2. Lio Griffin-Hill (NL); 3. Christian Wiltshire (L); 4. Jayden Desilus (NFA); 5. Derek Rivera (W); 6. Shawn Henning (EL); 7. Zayshawn Griffin (F); 8. Jacob Lenz (L).
Discus: 1. Keenan Lamontagne (WA), 153-1; 2. Jordan Ribeiro (NFA); 3. Jake Martino (B); 4. Hunter Piscatelli (F); 5. Peter Walsh (B); 6. Mason Holt (NFA); 7. Thomas Matlock (EL); 8. Skylar Noland (F).
Javelin: 1. Jake Martino (B), 152-10; 2. Peter Walsh (B); 3. Peyton Adams (B); 4. Charles Cabusao (F); 5. Daniel Girard (W); 6. Nathan Booth (W); 7. Collin Riley (F); 8. Chase Young (WA).
Shot put: 1. Jordan Ribeiro (NFA), 49-5.5; 2. Keenan Lamontagne (WA), 3. Thomas Matlock (EL); 4. Damon Haley (F); 5. Mason Holt (NFA); 6. Skylar Noland (F); 7. Jackson Poulton (L); 8. Dante Gigliotti (NFA).
Pole vault: 1. Nicholas Vogel (EL), 12-0; 2. Ryan Tomis (L); 3. Elias Farhad (NFA); 4. Derek Osborne (F); 5. Gage Weber (NFA); 6. Ian Hoffman (WA); 7. Douglas Sattler (L); 8. Luca Viviano (L).
Girls
Team Results
1. East Lyme, 155.50; 2. Norwich Free Academy, 126; 3. Woodstock Academy, 99; 4. Ledyard, 92; 5. Bacon Academy, 69; 6. New London, 45; 7. Waterford, 43; 8. Killingly, 37.50; 9. Fitch, 32.
Individual Results
100-meter dash: 1. May Inyang (L), 12.65 seconds; 2. Jasmyn Bransford (NFA); 3. Amaris Johnson (F); 4. Shanaya Brown (K); 5. Karen Johnson-Hoffman (F); 6. Juliet Allard (WA); 7. Caroline Holmberg (NFA).
200: 1. Jasmyn Bransford (NFA), 25.97; 2. May Inyang (L); 3. Shanaya Brown (K); 4. Akheena Farrior-Parcak (NL); 5. Lauren Hinckley (EL); 6. Amaris Johnson (F); 7. Anissah White (NL); 8. Isabella Kimball (W).
400: 1. Ava Pitruzzello (EL), 1:01.39; 2.Saniyah Otero (B); 3. Ella Stephenson (L); 4. Sofia Ayer (NFA); 5. Talia Tremblay (WA); 6. Emma Devito (W); 7. Chloe Senat (NFA); 8. Sarina McCollum (EL).
800: 1. Jordan Malloy (B), 2:20.39; 2. Kate Littler (L); 3. Linsey Arends (WA); 4. Emma Forde (F); 5. Alyssa Newsom (NFA); 6. Leah Castle (WA); 7. Kayleigh Jensen (EL).
1,600: 1. Jordan Malloy (B), 5:15.61; 2. Sophia Jones (NFA); 3. Avery Anderson (B); 4. Kennedy Holsapple (EL); 5. Clare Inyang (L); 6. Leah Castle (WA); 7. Lauren Brule (WA); 8. Caroline Daugherity (EL).
3,200: 1. Avery Maiese (W), 11:41.58; 2. Jordan Malloy (B); 3. Izzy Paggioli (EL); 4. Victoria Schweitzer (L); 5. Julia Coyle (WA); 6. Lauren Brule (WA); 7. Avery Widlicka (L); 8. Maya D'Aquila (EL).
100 hurdles: 1. Isabella Sorrentino (WA), 16.34; 2. Kmara Royster (NL); 3. Megan Braga (B); 4. Julia Cameron (W); 5. Gretchen Irwin (L); 6. Madelyn Myers (W); 7. Sophia Seguin (EL); 8. Hannah Thomas (F).
300 hurdles: 1. Juliet Allard (WA), 48.20; 2. Kmara Royster (NL); 3. Sophia Seguin (EL); 4. Kaitlyn Titus (NFA); 5. Tatiana Jones (NFA); 6. Hannah Thomas (F); 7. Megan Braga (B); 8. Colleen Corman (W).
4x100 relay: 1. East Lyme (Lauren Hinckley, Abigail Jorgenson, Sydney Arustei, Grace Wadsworth), 51.59; 2 New London; 3. Fitch; 4. Waterford; 5. Ledyard; 6. NFA; 7. Woodstock; 8. Bacon.
4x400 relay: 1. New London (Leilani Robinson, Kmara Royster, Anissah White, Akheena Farrior-Parcak), 4:15.22; 2. Ledyard; 3. NFA; 4. East Lyme; 5. Woodstock; 6. Fitch; 7. Waterford; 8. Bacon.
4x800 relay: 1. Ledyard (Victoria Schweitzer, Clare Inyang, Ella Stephenson, Kate Littler), 9:54.63; 2. NFA; 3. Woodstock; 4. Waterford; 5. East Lyme; 6. Fitch.
High jump: 1. Jillian Edwards (WA), 4 feet, 10 inches; 2. Juliette Savignac (NFA); 3. (tie) Katherine Poirier (K) and Grace Blackwood (EL); 5. Serenity Lawrence (NL); 6. Isabella Schweitzer (L); 7. Madison Simone (B); 8. Katherine Murphy (EL).
Long jump: 1. Jasmyn Bransford (NFA), 17-9; 2. May Inyang (L); 3. Shanaya Brown (K); 4. Jayla Washington (EL); 5. Isabel Pazzaglia (EL); 6. Cynthia Deneus (NFA); 7. Isabella Sorrentino (WA); 8. Katherine Murphy (EL).
Triple jump: 1. Lauren Hinckley (EL), 34-8.5; 2. Sophia Seguin (EL); 3. Reegan Reynolds (WA); 4. Isabella Schweitzer (L); 5. Cynthia Deneus (NFA); 6. Ailish Farquhar (L); 7. Ella Chiasson (EL); 8. Angelyn Rodriguez (B).
Discus: 1. Hannah Graham (NFA), 118-1; 2. Savannah Soleau (EL); 3. Magdalena Myslenski (WA); 4. Jennifer Whipple (B); 5. Sophia Quinn (WA); 6. Hannah Grudzien (K); 7. Isabella Bogue (EL); 8. Lacey-Lee Keramidas (EL).
Javelin: 1. Sjodin Fedikovich (EL), 108-0; 2. Savannah Soleau (EL); 3. Hannah Grudzien (K); 4. Kate Lange (W); 5. Aubrey Jorgensen (EL); 6. Hailey DeNucci (EL); 7. Chloe Vaglio (EL); 8. Magdalena Myslenski (WA).
Shot put: 1. Savannah Soleau (EL), 38-6-5; 2. Jennifer Whipple (B); 3. Hannah Grudzien (K); 4. Isabella Sorrentino (WA); 5. Jaelyn Burage (F); 6. Hannah Graham (NFA); 7. Nicole Walker (L)); 8. Bayla McCaffrey (EL).
Pole vault: 1. Alexis Boyer (NFA), 9-6; 2. Delaney Phelps (NFA); 3. (tie) Lacey-Lee Keramidas (EL) and Sjodin Fedikovich (EL); 5. Elya Anor (NFA); 6. Magdalena Myslenski (NFA); 7. Eve Slemp (EL); 8. Kathryn Gieleghem (L).
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