Four in a row

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Woodland girls win NVL title, boys take home fourth place

Woodland’s Jazmyn Menzies competes in the high jump at the NVL indoor track championship Feb. 17 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. The girls won the title for the fourth straight year. –LUKE MARSHALL
Woodland’s Jazmyn Menzies competes in the high jump at the NVL indoor track championship Feb. 17 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. The girls won the title for the fourth straight year. –LUKE MARSHALL

NEW HAVEN — The Woodland girls made it four in a row at the NVL indoor track championships Tuesday night.

The Hawks won eight of 15 events along with three second-place finishes at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven to secure their fourth title in as many years. On the boys side, the Hawks finished fourth out of 13 teams.

The girls ran away from the competition with a total of 147 points, well ahead of second-place Seymour that had 92.

“We knew it would be a tough meet,” Woodland girls head coach Jeff Lownds said. “We had to piece it together, but the girls executed the plan that we set out for them. Everyone contributed, they left it all out there and you can’t ask for more than that.”

Jazmyn Menzies won both the long jump and high jump for Woodland and was named most outstanding performer and best in field.

Lisa Thrasher (600 meters), Clara Drozdowski (1,000 meters), Kelsey Mitchell (3,200 meters) and Megan Lynch (pole vault) also won individual events for the champs.

Drozdowski set a school record in the 1,000, won three golds on the night and was named most outstanding in distance.

Thrasher also won three gold medals for the Hawks and won in dramatic fashion in the 600.

“Lisa was in third place with 100 meters to go,” Lownds said. “She gave us a huge lift tonight.”

Menzies joined with Thrasher, Drozdowski and Haleigh Resnick to win the 4-by-400 relay in a time 4:22.67. This relay team also qualified for the state open and set a school record at the Class M meet last week.

Resnick also took second in the 300 meter dash, while Mitchell also took third in the 1,000.

In the 4-by-800 relay, the Hawks took another first-place finish as Drozdowski and Thrasher combined with Bianca Poehalios, Emma Poryanda, Erin Machado and Capuano for a time of 11:06.35.

The Hawks also ran to two second-place finishes in the 1,600 sprint medley and the 4-by-200.

Abbey Rosato took fifth in the shot put for Woodland.

“I’m proud of all the girls,” Lownds said. “Jazmyn has been a great captain and she kept everyone focused on the NVLs.”

The Woodland boys had a successful evening as well and produced three gold medals.

“I know they were hoping for a better finish, but their effort was exceptional,” Woodland boys head coach Tim Shea said. “Our times dropped and most importantly we competed. We have been dealt with some adversity as of late and they refused to let it bother them. As a coach that’s really all you can ask for is an athlete’s best effort. And I feel we got that.”

Woodland’s Tyler Orloski competes in the hurdles at the NVL indoor track championship Feb. 17 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. The boys finished in fourth place. –LUKE MARSHALL
Woodland’s Tyler Orloski competes in the hurdles at the NVL indoor track championship Feb. 17 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. The boys finished in fourth place. –LUKE MARSHALL

Drew Chura won a gold medal in the pole vault for the second straight year.

“We haven’t had a ton of time in a pit due to the weather,” Shea said. “[Drew] worked hard along with Megan (girl’s winner) on doing drills in any open spot they could find in the school.”

Woodland also produced first-place finishes in the 4-by-400 and 4-by-800 relays.

In the 4-by-400, Thomas Bethin, Jeff Moffat, James Yacavone, Dean Conway, Colton Cronin and Matt Butterworth produced a time of 3:45.16 to edge out Derby by about 3 seconds.

Zach Norieka, Moffat, Jeff Giusto, Conway, Paul Jones and Matt Giaquinto won the 4-by-800 in a time of 8:41.23 and won by a second.

“The great thing about the relays is that it isn’t about any one person,” Shea said. “It is the collective effort of the four of them. The kids were finally healthy and ran really well last night. We had to plug Colton into the 4-by-400 and we didn’t miss a beat. Those two groups of boys work really hard. And their effort was rewarded with a couple of gold medals. That’s something no one can take away from them. Conway and Giusto had some success in outdoor last year. But, Zach, Jeff, Tom, and Colton have been program kids and have waited their turn. They made the most of it last night.”

Overall, despite the seemingly long, snowy winter, the Woodland program overcame delayed NVL championships with many positive results.

“This was a tough winter for all,” Shea said. “The kids stayed focused and rolled with whatever adversity was put in front of them. We are looking forward to outdoor and adding some other guys from some other sports. And we will be ready to go. Hopefully the snow is gone by then.”

NVL indoor track championships results

Boys

Team results: 1. Naugatuck, 111; 2. Seymour, 71; 3. Derby, 58; 4. Woodland, 51; 5. Holy Cross, 39; 6. Wolcott, 26; 7. Wilby, 24; 8. Watertown, 20; 9. Kennedy, Torrington, 18; 11. Crosby, 15; 12. Oxford, 12; 13. St. Paul Catholic, 2.

Individual results:

1,000: 1. Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck, 2:45.70; 2. Brody Hale, Naugatuck, 2:50.43; 3. Damir Poric, Derby, 2:50.82.

4×800: 1. Woodland (Norieka, Moffat, Giusto, Conway) 8:41.23; 2. Derby 8:42.28; 3. Watertown 9:17.90.

Long jump: 1. Mike Popescu, Naugatuck, 21-2.25; 2. Auston Fraser, Seymour, 20-5.5; 3. Stanley Little, Kennedy, 19-5.

600: 1. Austin Fraser, Seymour, 1:27.85; 2. Mark Zumani, Naugatuck, 1:28.65; 3. Adam

Pakalnis, Holy Cross, 1:29.77.

1,600: 1. Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck, 4:45.46; 2. Brody Hale, Naugatuck, 4:55.67; 3. Jeff Giusto, Woodland, 4:58.57.

1,600 sprint medley: 1. Seymour (Melms, Dos Santos, Maloney, Colwell) 3:51.86; Naugatuck 3:57.29; Holy Cross 4:02.62.

Pole vault: 1. Drew Chura, Woodland, 10-0; 2. Kevin Okifo, Naugatuck, 9-6; 3. Nicholas Wright, Wolcott, 9-6.

Shot put: 1. Donte Lee, Wilby, 47-1.5; 2. Kobe Covington, Torrington, 44-1; 3. Peterson Issac, Derby, 42-1.25.

55 dash: 1. Juwan Hall, Holy Cross, 6.48; 2. Stanley Little, Kennedy, 6.49; 3. Oscar Medina, Crosby, 6.73.

300: 1. Austin Fraser, Seymour, 36.77; 2. Dylan Feldmeier, Oxford, 37.59; 3. Oscar Medina, Crosby, 37.82.

3,200: 1. Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck, 10:02.66; 2. Damir Poric, Derby, 10:40.84; 3. Mark Zamani, Naugatuck, 10:52.96.

55 hurdles: 1. Tyquace Sandelin, Wilby, 8.61; 2. Nicholas Wright, Wolcott, 8.83; 3. Ben Garcia, Derby, 8.92.

4×200: 1. Seymour (Abate, Melms, Burns, Maloney) 1:37.28; 2. Watertown 1:38.57; 3. Woodland 1:40.41.

4×400: 1. Woodland (Bethin, Moffat, Yacavone, Conway) 3:45.16; 2. Derby 3:48.11; 3. Naugatuck 3:52.28.

High jump: 1. Peter D’Antona, Derby, 5-10; 2. Nicholas Wright, Wolcott, 5-9; 3. Paul Maloney, Seymour, 5-8.

Awards

Field: Mike Popescu, Naugatuck

Sprinter/hurdler: Austin Fraser, Seymour

Distance: Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck

MVP: Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck

Top senior: Dan Schumacher, Naugatuck

Girls

Team results: 1. Woodland, 147; 2. Seymour, 92; 3. Naugatuck, 83; 4. Watertown, 30; 5. Torrington, 24; 6. Oxford, 22; 7. Derby, 18; 8. Holy Cross, 13; 9. Wilby, Kennedy, 9; 11. Wolcott, 7; 12. St. Paul Catholic, 6; 13. Crosby, 5.

Individual results:

1,000: Clara Drozdowski, Woodland, 3:19.55; 2. Vicki Babson, Seymour, 3:25.57; 3. Kelsey Mitchell, Woodland, 3:26.20.

Pole vault: 1. Megan Lynch, Woodland, 8-0; 2. Gosia Fryc, Semour, 7-6; 3. Emma Poryanda, Woodland, 7-0.

Shot put: 1. Jesica Litwa, Seymour, 33-10.25; 2. Cassie Rossetti, Seymour, 3105.5; 3. Kiersten Sirowich, Seymour, 28-8.5.

4×200: 1. Naugatuck (Orts, Alvarado, Soarea, Magalhaes) 1:56.31; 2. Woodland, 1:57.71; 3. Seymour 1:58.51.

4×800: 1. Woodland (Drozdowski, Thrasher, Poryanda, Machado) 11:06.35; 2. Naugatuck 11:35.84; 3. Watertown 11:37.76.

600: 1. Lisa Thrasher, Woodland, 1:46.47; 2. Harmony Sturdivant, Naugatuck, 1:6.63; 3. Rachel Conway, Watertown, 1:46.89.

1,600: 1. Kiley Rodiriguez, Derby, 5:54.24; 2. Stephanie Kiley, Woodland, 6:06.71; 3. Gabrielle Vega, Torrington, 6:09.14.

1,600 sprint medley: 1. Seymour (Johnson, Lynch, Slotter, Babson) 4:48.05; 2. Woodland 4:49.78; 3. Naugatuck 4:55.42.

High jump: 1. Jazmyn Menzies, Woodland, 5-0; 2. Jill Murphy, Seymour, 5-0; 3. Jasmine Grey, Naugatuck, 4-10.

Long jump: 1. Jazmyn Menzies, Woodland, 16-5.25; 2. Lauren Ferry, Holy Cross, 16-1.5; 3. Jill Murphy, Seymour, 15-0.

55 dash: 1. Ariana Alvarado, Naugatuck, 7.75; 2. Shelby Williams, WIlby, 7.79; 3. Perla Cora, Kennedy.

300: 1. Savada Robinson, Oxford, 42.93; 2. Haleigh Resnick, Woodland, 45.27; 3. Heyi Cheng, Naugatuck, 45.39.

3,200: 1. Kelsey Mitchell, Woodland, 13:04.11; 2. Gabrielle Vega, Torrington, 14:04.47; 3. Stephanie Kiley, Woodland, 14:17.87.

55 hurdles: 1. Savada Robinson, Oxford, 9.08; 2. Maddie Lynch, Seymour, 9.64; 3. Christine Angrand, Woodland, 9.74.

4×400: 1. Woodland (Menzies, Thrasher, Drozdowski, Resnick) 4:22.67; 2. Naugatuck 4:30.32; 3. Seymour 4:32.03.

Awards

Field: Jazmyn Menzies, Woodland

Sprinter/hurdler: Savada Robinson, Oxford

Distance: Clara Drozdowski, Woodland

MVP: Jazmyn Menzies, Woodland

Top senior: Vicki Babson, Seymour