NHS Track Team Members Make Statement

Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ indoor track teams participated in the Class LL State Championships — and set two school records — at New Haven Athletic Center on February 13.

The boys finished 12th with 10 points behind the efforts of John Wlasuk’s first-place shot put throw. His throw of 52-08.50 broke the NHS school record, previously set by Wlasuk.

The girls finished 18th with 5.5 points comprise of Lauren Pettinelli’s 4 points for fourth place in the 55 meter hurdles (a time of 9.00) and Reagan Cerney’s 1.5 points for her fifth-place tie in the 300 with a time of 42.67. Cerney set a school record, breaking the mark she set earlier this winter, with her time.

The trio have qualified to represent Newtown at the State Open on Saturday, February 20.

Freshman Jake Feinstein placed 11th in the 1600 and is ranked eighth in the United States for freshman high school runners.

Hamden (64 points) won the boys’ competition and Danbury (102.25) captured the girls’ title. Newtown’s results are as follows:

Girls

300 meter dash

5 Reagan Cerney 42.67

13 Brittany Tolla 44.12

1000

14 Jennifer VanVeen 3:14.91

23 Mara Scallon 3:21.50

1600

14 Katie Burns 5:44.34

3200

12 Katie Burns 12:10.33

19 Jennifer VanVeen 12:36.80

55 hurdles

4 Lauren Pettinelli 9.00

4x200 relay

16 Abby Blakeman, Courtney Beckett, Melissa Buccino, and Brittany Tolla 1:57.09

Boys

300

 21 Benjamin Miles 39.74

 23 Matt Genovese 40.10  

1000

13 Palmer Lintz 2:52.81

1600

 11 Jake Feinstein 4:37.48

3200

 10 Jake Feinstein 10:13.86

4x200 relay

 18 Rockwell Anyoha, Benjamin Miles, Marc Bonacci, and Matt Genovese 1:43.48

4x800

 14 Dietter Gutbrod, Jordan Hensel, Austin Baldour, and Pat Sullivan 9:11.23

Long jump

 23 Shane Casey 18-00.50

Shot put

 1 John Wlasuk 52-08.50

 13 Rockwell Anyoha 39-04.00