Hawks make a statement

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Woodland’s Matthew Luxeder runs in the 4x800 relay April 12 during a quad-meet with St. Paul, Sacred Heart and Crosby in Beacon Falls. The Hawks have started the season 6-0. –LUKE MARSHALL
Woodland’s Matthew Luxeder runs in the 4×800 relay April 12 during a quad-meet with St. Paul, Sacred Heart and Crosby in Beacon Falls. The Hawks have started the season 6-0. –LUKE MARSHALL

BEACON FALLS — The Woodland outdoor track and field teams have both made an early statement in the NVL season.

The Hawks swept Torrington, Derby and Oxford on Tuesday as both the boys and girls improved to 6-0.

“We’re progressing nicely,” said Tim Shea, Woodland boys head coach, talking about both teams. “We have to keep challenging our athletes and keep them hungry.”

The 4×800 relay teams got the Hawks off to fast starts as both the boys and girls took first.

The team of Lisa Thrasher, Clara Drozdowski, Michaella Mastropietro and Meg Sirowich took first for the girls in 10:56. The team of Matt Luxeder, Vincent Costanzo, Brian Sardinskas and Jeff Giusto finished first for the boys in 8:36.

The Hawks matched that feat in the 4×400 with Drozdowski, Thrasher, Sydney Grillo, Sirowich winning for the girls in 4:33, and Sean Mardin, Colton Cronin, Luxeder and Giusto finishing first for the boys in 3:34.

In the field events, Sam Plasky (7-0) and Craig Starkey (10-0) won the pole vault for Woodland. Sean McAllen (162-0) took first in the javelin. Brandon Clifford (43-4) and Tom Smith (5-8) won the triple jump and high jump, respectively.

The Woodland girls and boys teams both swept St. Paul, Sacred Heart and Crosby on April 12 to start the year, and had numerous state qualifiers at the meet.

The boys and girls teams swept their respective relay events to take control of the meet.

“We have a good group of kids who are all about the same and they’re very competitive and help us set the tone,” Shea said. “We have a tradition in these events and have a lot of athletes with can mix in to our lineup.”

Woodland’s Luxeder, Costanzo, Sardinskas and Giusto won the 4×800 in 9:09.  The Hawks followed with a victory in the 4×100 with Ben Nuss, McAllen, Tyler Collodel and Smith in 45.5 seconds.

In the 4×400, Mardin, Luxeder, Cronin and Giusto took first in 3:40. All three relays were state qualifiers.

Alexa Casimiro, Erin Machado, Mastropietro, and Sirowich placed first for the Hawks in the 4×800 with an 11:21, while Steph Poynton, Jess Rodrigues, Julia Accetura and Erika Michie grabbed the 4×100 in 54.4.

The success in running events didn’t stop at the relays.

Woodland’s Alexa Casimiro in the 4x800 relay on April 12 during a quad-meet with St. Paul, Sacred Heart and Crosby in Beacon Falls. The Hawks have started the season 6-0. –LUKE MARSHALL
Woodland’s Alexa Casimiro in the 4×800 relay on April 12 during a quad-meet with St. Paul, Sacred Heart and Crosby in Beacon Falls. The Hawks have started the season 6-0. –LUKE MARSHALL

In the 110 hurdles, Woodland’s Clifford won in 16.9; Giusto captured the 800 in 4:54 and the 800 in 2:04. Cronin took the 400 in 53.4.

On the girls’ side, Jordan Williams won the 100 hurdles in 18.9; Thrasher won the 400 in 65.4;  Ava Capuano won the 300 hurdles (55.2); Drozdowski captured the 800 in 2:40; and Mitchell won the 3200 in 13:33.

Woodland was just as dominant in the jumps.

Clifford won the long jump (18-2) and triple jump (39-9), while Smith won the high jump (5-8).  Thrasher took the high jump (4-6), while Lombardo won the long jump (14-10.5) and triple jump (31-4).

In the throwing events, Craig Starkey won the pole vault (9-6). Matt Hopkinson won the discus (103-4), while McAllen won the shot put (35-8) and the javelin (135-11).

Plasky (pole vault), Steph McLean (discus) and Kristen Persico (javelin) all won their events for the Hawks.

Next up, the Hawks will face Wolcott and Wilby on May 27, and the following week face Seymour, who is expected to challenge the Hawks for the top of the league standings.