Tuning up

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Greyhounds look sharp heading into NVL meet

Naugatuck’s Brian Reilly clears a hurdle May 13 during a meet against Wilby and Crosby in Naugatuck. The Naugatuck boys and girls teams won the meet. –LUKE MARSHALL
Naugatuck’s Brian Reilly clears a hurdle May 13 during a meet against Wilby and Crosby in Naugatuck. The Naugatuck boys and girls teams won the meet. –LUKE MARSHALL

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck track teams defeated Wilby and Crosby on Tuesday in their final tune-up before the Naugatuck Valley League championships.

Christina Batista and Harmony Sturdivant both won three events for the ‘Hounds on the girls side, while Tyler Hayward also was a part of three top finishes for the boys.

“We have some athletes who go hard in practice daily, and it’s showing in the competition,” Naugy assistant coach Bill Hanley said. “There were many multiple winners combining individual events and relays.”

Batista, a senior, stood out in the throwing events and won the javelin, shot put and discus. Her javelin throw of 101 feet, 4 inches qualified her for the Class L state meet in June.

Sturdivant won the 800 meters, long jump and triple jump. Other individual winners included Alex Hernandez, Carla Soares, Madison Beasley, Heyi Cheng and Liz Trumbley.
Naugy also swept the three relay events. Melissa Goja, Jill Orts, Trumbley and Beasley won the 4×800 relay. Cheng, Michaela Rossamando, Soares and Faith Okifo took first in the 4×100, and the team of Cheng, Brittany Burkman, Soares, Goja captured the 4×400.

The girls won 122-27 over Crosby and beat Wilby 147-12.

On the boys side Tyler Hayward won the 800 and 3,200, and he was part of the winning 4x800m relay. Brian Reily also won two events: the 300 and 110 hurdles.

Naugatuck’s Faith Okifo crosses the finish line in first place during in the 4x100 meter relay race May 13 during a meet against Wilby and Crosby in Naugatuck. The Naugatuck boys and girls teams won the meet. –LUKE MARSHALL
Naugatuck’s Faith Okifo crosses the finish line in first place during in the 4×100 meter relay race May 13 during a meet against Wilby and Crosby in Naugatuck. The Naugatuck boys and girls teams won the meet. –LUKE MARSHALL

As a team, the Naugy boys defeated Crosby 97-54 and beat Wilby 107-38.

Hanley pointed out some other positive performances, such as Mike Zamani breaking 2:20 for the first time with his 2:19 leg of the 4×800 relay. Naugy won the relay with Hayward, Graden Beasley and Mark Zamani.

Beasley, a freshman, also won the 1,600 in 4:55.

Ben Reinhart scored points for the team in the javelin (133-6) and triple jump (43-1). C.J. Wall reached a new mark with a 5-foot, 2-inch high jump.

Alex Hernandez’s times continue to improve every meet, and they did again on Tuesday. Hernandez won the 110 hurdles in 18.1.

Adam Branco threw 42 feet, 2 ½ inches to win the shot put.

“Alex and Adam are first year seniors who do the little things right every day,” Hanley said. “If a freshman new to the sport wanted to know how to be successful, they just have to imitate them.”

The NVL finals are set to take place on May 27.