Another School Record Set As Track And Field Teams Shine
Newtown High School’s track and field teams are approaching the regular-season finish line. The South-West Conference Championships will be Monday, May 19 at Weston starting at 3 pm.
Newtown had some solid results in the Greater Hartford Open on May 9-10. Aashni Shetty won the triple jump competition and broke her own school record with a 36-03.50. Shetty was second in the long jump with a leap of 17-03.50, second in the 100 hurdles in 16.10, and fourth in the 100 hurdles in 16.06. Jamie Humphreys was fifth in the javelin with an 86-02. On the boys’ side, Elias Brady placed third in the triple jump with a 21-06.
The Nighthawks visited Masuk of Monroe, the boys on April 28 and girls the next day. Senior Night at Blue & Gold Stadium was postponed a day due to rain and took place May 7. And there were meets at Pomperaug of Southbury on May 12 and 13 — boys and girls, respectively.
“As the season progresses both teams are gaining more and more experience and competing at a very high level. I can see all of the hard work they put in to practice each day in the results they are achieving,” Nighthawk Coach Nick Fraticelli said.
The NHS girls beat Masuk 141.67 to 8.33, topped Bunnell of Stratford 110-40, and beat Stratford 117-32.
In the meet hosted by Masuk Lola Kessler won the 400 meter in 1:03.7, Natalie delCampo took first in the 800 in 2:38.3, Teegan Svendsen won the 3200 in 12:45.8. The 4x100 relay of Summer-Rose Chaljub, Jessie Moore, Abigail Manka, and Lola Kessler was first in 51.1; the 4x400 team of Racheal Albrecht, Kelsey Brennan, Clare Csaszar, and Leah Morris won in 4:24.1. Humphreys won the shot-put competition with a throw of 29-9; Lily Tullis won the discus throw with an 83-1; Humphreys won the javelin with a 92-2; Isabella Walder took first in the high jump clearing 4-10; Lola Kessler was the top performer in the pole vault clearing the bar at 9-6; Violet Assante-LaBash won the triple jump with a 33-11.
On the boys’ side NHS beat Masuk 117.5-29.5, defeated Stratford 87-54, and lost to Bunnell 84-65.
Newtown winners in the Masuk meet: 300 hurdles — Derek Jopp 46.7; javelin — Tanner Smith 125-2; long jump — Bryce Maddox 20-9.5; triple jump — Owen Sullivan 39-2.
In the Senior Night meet, team scores were not reported.
Girls’ meet event winners are as follows: 400 — Grace Lyons 59.20; 100 hurdles — Shetty 15.69; 300 hurdles — Brennan 50.75; 4x400 relay 4:17.19; 4x800 11:25.40; discus — Tullis 92-11; javelin — Humphreys 95-08; high jump — Walder 4-08; pole vault
Kessler 9-00; long jump — Shetty 17-02.50; triple jump — Shetty 36-06.50.
Boys’ meet event winners are as follows: 100 — Jayden Taylor 11.14; 200 — Taylor 22.70; 400 — Soheib Dissa 52.77; 800 — Duncan Kolb 2:10.10; 1600 — Orion Lowery 4:41.00; 3200 — Ubay Dissa 10:13.97; 110 hurdles — Jopp 18.25; 300 hurdles — Jopp 44.26; 4x100 relay 43.79; 4x400 relay 3:43.71; javelin — Smith 121-02; high jump — Sullivan 6-00; triple jump — Brady 43-00.50.
“It was great to honor our seniors for their commitment to the teams as well as their leadership and accomplishments over the years. As always, our athletes competed with high levels of focus and determination and we are constantly seeing season base performances across the board especially as we approach the championship season,” said Fraticelli, adding that Tullis came through with an impressive personal best throw in the discus on her final attempt, drawing a huge roar from the crowd.
In the meets at Pomperaug, team scores were not reported.
NHS boys’ event winners: 400 — Noah Kooper 52.91; 1600 — Mark Cartas 4:49.18; 110 hurdles — Taylor 15.41; 300 hurdles — Taylor 42.33; 4x100 relay — Taylor, Maddox, Kooper, Brady 44.87; 4x400 — Quinn Velez, Kolb, Brady, James D’Amico 3:36.51; long jump — Brady 21-00; triple jump — Brady 41-04.
Girls’ event winners: 200 — Lyons 27.23; 400 — Lola Kessler 1:03.48; 800 — delCampo 2:29.61; 100 hurdles — Marcela Corral 17.89; 300 hurdles — Brennan 49.67; 4x400 relay — 4:21.92; shot-put — Weir 28-00.50; Discus — Tullis 102-07; high jump — Anna Parsons 4-10; pole vault — Kessler 9-00; long jump — Assante-LaBash 15-09; triple jump — Assante-LaBash 33-01.
Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.