Greyhounds qualify for New Englands, Nationals

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Naugatuck’s Aren Seeger qualified for the New England championship meet in Norwell, Mass. on Saturday in the 300 hurdles. –FILE PHOTO

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck boys and girls track teams finished with ten team points each at the Class L state meet last week, but several athletes made enough noise to continue representing the Greyhounds on the track this season.

The boys tied for 16th at the Class L meet with Aren Seeger leading the way. Seeger raced to second place in the 300 hurdles in 39.14.

The boys team also got strong performances from sophomore Zach Koslosky, who placed eighth in the pole vault at 11 feet, and the 4×100 relay team of Seeger, Nicholas Airall, Rami Ammar and Andrew Dempsey which finish eighth in 44.98.

The girls placed 22nd at the meet led by Erin Schofield. The senior won the Class L title in the javelin with a heave of 114 feet, 2 inches after finishing as the runner-up in the event last year.

Seeger and Schofield advanced and competed Monday in the State Open meet where they once again performed well.

Seeger finished second in the 300 hurdles in 38.36 and Schofield placed third in the javelin with a throw of 115 feet, 4 inches. Courtesy of the top-six finishes at the State Open, Seeger and Schofield qualified for the New England championship meet in Norwell, Mass.

“They will both be representing Naugatuck at the New England championship on Saturday,” Naugatuck head coach Ralph Roper said.

Naugatuck will also be represented at the High School Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. June 16 to June 18 by the 800 medley team of Seeger, Ammar, Dempsey and Xavier Lewis.

“We are also very proud of the accomplishment of our 800 medley team that will be competing at the Nationals in North Carolina,” Roper added.

The Naugatuck boys team will graduate 15 seniors, leaving some big holes to fill in the lineup next season. Roper, however, is very pleased with the development of his younger athletes who are poised to fill in those roles.

Naugatuck’s Erin Schofield qualified for the New England championship meet in Norwell, Mass. on Saturday in the javelin. –FILE PHOTO

“We do lose quite a few athletes from the boys team, but I’m very encouraged by the progress of some of our younger kids,” he said.

Junior Ross Via (mid distance) and sophomores Koslosky (pole vault), Airall (relays), Jayden Anderson, Shane Carey, Austin Herb and Ben Healy in the high jump have all improved this season and scored valuable points for Naugatuck.

“I think working with the new football coach (Dave Sollazzo) will help us to restock some of the athletes that we will be graduating,” Roper said.

The girls team will graduate only five seniors and brings back a bulk of the talent that has been developing over the past few seasons.

Naugatuck will be looking to leadership from juniors Makayla Teixeira, Briana Lennon and Macie Best to go along with the talent of up-and-coming sophomores Alyssa Zarrella, Kimani Grey and Emily Kropo and freshmen Rachel Huculak and Daniella Acevedo.

“I’m really excited about the prospects of the girls team for next season,” Roper said. “Hopefully they will continue to work on the things they need to over the summer and continue to develop their skills.”