Girls

ECC Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Carl Reichard (46th season)

Key returnees: So. Cate Bustamante (sprints), Jr. Maya D’Aquila (distance), Sr. Lacey-Lee Keramidas (throws/jumps/hurdles/pole vault), Jr. Elise Jorgensen (sprints), So. Kaylee Knapp (sprints), Jr. Emily Macklin (pole vault), So. Rachel Quadrato (middle distance), So. Emily Salek (sprints), So. Joselyn Salerno (pole vault/hurdles), So. Ruby Thoms (throws), Sr. Aranza Torres (distance), Sr. Riddhi Venkatesh (sprints), Sr. Ellie Wallace (throws), Sr. Jayla Washington (sprints/jumps), So. Samantha Bednarz (throws), Sr. Kristin Timpano (throws).

Top newcomers: Fr. Teagan Czaja (hurdles/jumps), Jr. Lauren Fulcher (distance), Fr. Shiloh Nucci (sprints), So. Ella Pape (jumps), Fr. Viola Brush (sprints/hurdles), Fr. Lena Bruno (throws), Jr. Hope Dowling (jumps).

Outlook: It’s a much younger team than the one that won the ECC Division I championship meet last season, but the Vikings return considerable talent in the sprints (Knapp and Venkatesh contributed to an ECC title in the 4x180 relay last year), distance events (Torres, D’Aquila, Macklin) and jumps (Keramidas was the league pole vault champion and Washington was second in the long jump). There is every reason to believe the Vikings will contend for what would be their 10th straight ECC title.

Fitch

Coach: Walt Blanker (2nd season)

Key returnees: Jr. Hannah Warner (sprints), Jr. Hannah Thomas (hurdles), Jr. Alaina Campbell (sprints), Jr. Emma Forde (middle distance), Jr. Sydney Post (jumps), So. Bethany Lovering (throws/sprints), Sr. Grace Cosmopoulos (sprints), Sr. Zoe Cosmopoulos (middle distance), Jr. Ce Ce Zimbelmann (sprints), So. Braelynn Duran (sprints), So. Eve Micheli (sprints).

Top newcomers: Fr. Colbie Synhorst (distance), Sr. Henacie Papadopoulos (sprints), Jr. aliyah Mitchell (throws/sprints/jumps), So. Jelani Francis (jumps/sprints).

Outlook: Blanker said the Falcons are working toward developing a solid training foundation that will carry them into the outdoor season. Fitch returns Post, the defending ECC high jump champ (4-10) and Thomas, who was second in the 55 hurdles. Forde was fourth in the ECC 800 this spring.

New London

Coach: Jelani Lucas (1st season)

Key returnees: Jr. Darielys Arnold (sprints/jumps), Sr. Alina Skrabacz (sprints/jumps ).

Top newcomers: Jr. Nat Kemp (throws), Fr. Willianis Rivera (sprints)

Outlook: A small team of Whalers will be led by Arnold, the ECC champ in the 55 dash (7.32) and the long jump (17-0.5) last season and Skrabacz, a senior whom Lucas calls a “jack-of-all-trades.” Arnold went on to finish first in the long jump at the Class M state meet and third at the State Open, repeating her success in the long jump this spring with a State Open crown. Lucas said he’s happy to have Kemp on the indoor team after she showed continual improvement outdoors. “We just want to PR and get better each week as a whole and I’m glad to help these girls be able to get to where they want to be,” Lucas said. New London graduated ECC 55 hurdles champ K’mara Royster.

NFA

Coach: Ted Koziol (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Sofia Ayer (distance), Jr. Riley Davis (sprints/jumps), Jr. Leah Burchman (distance), Jr. Karina Chan (sprints), Sr. Lily Gilbert (pole vault/sprints), Sr. Hannah Graham (shot put), Sr. Caroline Holmberg (sprints), Sr. Chloe Senat (sprints), Jr. Kaitlyn Titus (sprints/hurdles), Jr. Hayleigh Young (sprints/jumps).

Top newcomers: Jr. Elya Anor (pole vault), Jr. Dylan Phelps (shot put), Sr. Samantha Schies (pole vault), Fr. Paige Brayman (distance), So. Maeve Combies (distance), So. Daisy Jeffs (distance), Fr. A'Charee Sampson (sprints), Fr. Tyajah Snowden (sprints), Sr. Madison Everett (shot put).

Outlook: The Wildcats are led by defending ECC 600 champion Ayer, outdoor track Class LL shot put champion and Yale commit Graham, outdoor ECC 400 champ Davis and a deep group of ECC and Class LL place-winners from indoor and outdoor track. Young (55 dash), Davis (300, long jump), Chan (600), Gilbert (pole vault) and Graham (shot put) were all winners at last week’s ECC developmental meet.

Waterford

Coach: Jay Criscuolo (32nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Lexi Collins (sprints), Jr. Avery Maiese (distance), Jr. Sarah Conti (sprints), So. Elle DiBuono (sprints/long jump), So. Ava Tucker (sprints).

Top newcomers: So. Ava Lee (distance), Fr. Chloe Landry (sprints), Fr. Lila Tinnerello (sprints).

Outlook: Criscuolo has a lofty list of goals for the Lancers, including a top-three finish in the ECC Divison I meet, qualifiers for the Class M state meet in all of the relays, running events, long jump and high jump and an individual Class M champ. Waterford has the personnel to make that come to fruition, with Avery Maiese, the defending ECC and Class M champ in the 1,000 and 1,600, leading the way. DiBuono was fourth in the ECC cross country meet this fall and was the 600 champion at the most recent ECC developmental meet.

(ECC Division I also includes Woodstock Academy)

ECC Division II

Bacon Academy

Coach: Jeffrey Brunoli (3rd season)

Key returnees: Jr. Avery Anderson (distance), Jr. Brooke Dean (sprints/jumps), So. Lorelei Romasanta (middle distance), Jr. Zoe Carlson (hurdles).

Outlook: Brunoli said the team is in a rebuilding phase, with the Bobcats in the process of recruiting more athletes and developing skills to hopefully compete for the ECC title in the next few years. Bacon fared well at the last ECC developmental meet, however, with senior Saniyah Otero winning the high jump and Alyssa Blanchette (2nd, shot put) and freshman Reina Hill (3rd, 300) finishing strong in their respective events.

Griswold

Coach: Christopher Collins (1st season)

Key returnees: Jr. Emily McDonough, Jr. Olivia Riley, So. Ryley Hubert.

Outlook: Griswold has a young team looking to build momentum. Hubert, a sophomore, was 11th in the ECC cross country meet.

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Tetlow (51st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Sam Doran (middle distance), Sr. Madisen McLeod (shot put/hurdles), Sr. Keara Opalenik (high jump/hurdles), Sr. Emily Peckham (distance), Sr. Anessa Robertson (shot put), Sr. Ella Stephenson (middle distance/sprints), Sr. Avery Widlicka (distance), Jr. Trinity Cason (sprints), Jr. Adelaide Culligan (hurdles), Jr. Kate Littler (middle distance), Jr. Bella Schweitzer (high jump), Jr. Josie Withbroe (distance), So. Kylie Witherill (hurdles).

Top newcomers: Sr. Natalie Rand (shot put), Jr. Emma Golembeski (hurdles), Jr. Najeily Sanchez (sprints/shot put), So. Michaela Allen (shot put/high jump), So. Terri Foster (pole vault), Fr. Hayley Peckham (high jump), Fr. Kaitlyn Sweeney (middle distance), Fr. Fionna Woody (middle distance).

Outlook: Ledyard is the defending ECC Division II champion, winning last year’s meet with 135 points, including victories from Stephenson (300, 600), Littler (1,000), McLeod (55 hurdles) and from the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams. The 4x800 team of Littler, Stephenson, Withbroe and Doran went on to win the Class M championship in the 4x800 and the Colonels were also ECC cross country champions this fall, with Littler, Stephenson and Withbroe being named to The Day’s All-Area Girls’ Cross Country Team.

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ella Caplet (sprints), So. Sylvie Hiltz (middle distance), Jr. Laurelin Boyer (pole vault).

Top newcomers: Fr. Marissa Litwin (sprints), Fr. Taylor Lawerence (sprints), Fr. Morgan Battista.

Outlook: Lyman was fourth in the ECC Division II meet last winter but lost top sprinter, Leah Comeroski, the 55 dash champion, to graduation. Caplet was part of the Bulldogs’ ECC champion 4x180 relay team and 4x400 and sprint medley relay teams which were second in the league. Hiltz was an ECC Division III cross country all-star. Said Fields: “They look to continue their trend from last year of breaking multiple school records.”

Montville

Coach: Kiah Strickland (2nd season)

Key returnees: So. Hannah Suarez (high jump), So. Kamryn Plikus (pole vault), Jr. Allie Kondash (sprints/throws), Sr. Sage Gressly (distance), Jr. Isabel Northrop (sprints/hurdles/jumps), Jr. Katherine Myjak (sprints, hurdles, jumps).

Top newcomers: So. Aubrey Axtell (sprints), So. Ashlynn Audoin (throws), So. Isabella Estelle (sprints), Fr. Shamalia Baptiste (distance), Fr. Peyton Cook (distance).

Outlook: Montville loses Maya Suarez, the ECC Division II champion in the 1,600 and 3,200, who led the Wolves to a second-place team finish at the divisional meet last year. Strickland believes this Montville team may have even more depth, led by Plikus, the defending ECC champion and Class S runner-up in the pole vault and Gressly, an ECC Division III cross country all-star. Strickland calls the newcomers “eager and excited” to take on the winter season.

St. Bernard

Coach: Raymond Forrester (10th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Sienna Sferrazza (sprints), Sr. Olivia Mayorga (middle distance), Sr. Caitlyn Kuhn (distance), Sr. Uliana Pokutnia (sprints/jumps), Sr. Audrey-Jane Turner (distance), Jr. Violet Kunka (distance), Jr. Kerri Loughlin (distance), Jr. Blake Murray (jumps), Jr. Aubree Nygaard (sprints), So. Helena Coury (distance), So. Abbey Egan (sprints), So. Liberty Frechette (sprints/jumps), So. Martha Hammond (distance), So. Emily Wigfield (sprints/jumps), So. Emily Peckaitis (sprints/hurdles).

Top newcomers: Jr. Maeve Surprenant (sprints), Fr. Ava Kobyluck (sprints/hurdles), Fr. Sofia Pero (sprints/jumps), Fr. Emmalyn Koning (throws).

Outlook: Forrester said that while the seniors will serve as the cornerstones of the team, strong freshman and sophomore classes will serve as a strong supporting cast. Sferrazza, an all-state pick for the Saints during girls’ soccer season, went 1-2 in the long jump with Pokutnia at the most recent ECC developmental meet, while Coury was seventh in the ECC cross country championship.

Stonington

Coach: Bruce Dixon (1st season)

Key returnees: Jr. Peyton Vanderstreet (1,600, 3,200), Sr. Addison Labbe (1,600, 3,200).

Top newcomers: So. Molly Musselman (1,600).

Outlook: Vanderstreet and Musselman were ECC Division III all-stars in cross country, with Vanderstreet coming in third at the league championship meet, giving Stonington a solid foundation in the distance events. Labbe was second in the ECC meet last winter in the 3,200 and the Bears’ sprint medley relay team, featuring four underclassmen, was first.

Wheeler

Coach: Katie McGuire (1st season)

Key returnees: So. Kylie Melia, So. Lilianna Vaillancourt, So. Sophie Zichichi.

Outlook: The Lions have several newcomers, adding to the growth of the program. Junior Carissa Browne (1,000, 1,600) had an outstanding day at the recent ECC developmental meet, and the Lions put together a team of four underclassmen that finished second in the 4x180 relay.

(ECC Division II also includes Killingly, Plainfield, Tourtellotte and Windham)

Others

Grasso Tech

Coach: Matthew Zagura (9th year)

Key returnees: Jr. Kylee Morrison.

Outlook: Morrison owns a number of school records at Grasso, from the sprints to the middle distances and is the defending Connecticut Technical Conference champion in the 300 and the 1,000, as well as running a leg on the winning sprint medley relay team. The Eagles were fourth in the conference last season and are looking to improve on that, as well as add a greater number of state qualifiers.

Old Lyme

Coach: Alyssa Mercaldi (4th season)

Key returnees: So. Chase Gilbert (distance), Jr. Zoe Eastman-Grossel (hurdles/jumps/sprints), So. Serena Mazzi (sprints), Sr. Aggie Hunt (middle distance), Sr. Nyla Goulis (throws), Jr. Kate Walsh (middle distance), Jr. Bronwyn Kyle (sprints), Sr. Alexis Antonellis (middle distance), Sr. Beatrice Hunt (middle distance), Jr. Lana Lopes (hurdles/jumps).

Top newcomers: Jr. Tabitha Colwell (sprints/jumps), So. Gabrielle Field (sprints/middle distance), Sr. Kat Gryk (throws), So. Isabella Presti (sprints).

Outlook: Old Lyme comes off an indoor season where they captured the school's first Shoreline Conference championship and finished second in the Class S state meet. The Wildcats return Gilbert, the Shoreline champion in the 1,600, 3,200 and 4x800 relay and the Class S champ in the 3,200 and 4x800 relay. Gilbert, The Day’s 2023 All-Area Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, is still recovering from a hip injury she suffered during cross country, however. Eastman-Grossel is the defending Shoreline champ in the 55 hurdles and was second in the long jump. “Our schedule has some competitive meets to get athletes ready for a great postseason,” Mercaldi said. “We are very eager for what is to come.”