Naugy boys run to second in Class L  

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By Ken Morse, Citizen’s News

Girls finish 11th at state meet

NEW BRITAIN — The Naugatuck boys track team followed up an NVL title with a runner-up finish June 1 at the Class L championship meet at Willow Brook Park.

“I thought we could finish in the top eight and was hoping for a top-ten finish,” Naugatuck head coach Ralph Roper said. “So I was pleasantly surprised to finish as runner-up.”

The Greyhounds scored 54 points to tie for second with Conrad. Hillhouse won the championship with 61 points.

The second-place finish was the second time in 10 years the boys finished runner-up. In 2011, the Greyhounds placed second, just five points short of first.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t score points in the distance (events) that might have made a difference,” Roper said. “But just like in 2011 when we didn’t score points in the mid-distance (events) and fell just short. Hopefully next time the third time will be the charm.”

The 4×400 relay team didn’t need a third try. The squad of Taylor Trowers, LeoAngel Lopez, Jayshawn Lindsay and Jon Volpe won the state title, finishing first in 3 minutes, 24.68 seconds. The time topped the team’s season-best by 5 seconds.

The boys 4×100 team of Radsir Vaughn, Lindsay, Trowers and Lopez took second (44.04) to put another eight points on the board for the Hounds.

Volpe finished second in the 800 (1:57. 97), Vaughn took sixth in the 100 (11.50) and Lopez was sixth in the 200 (23.06).

Cameron Jacobs had a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 110 hurdles (16.49) and the 300 hurdles (42.86). Dan Anderson placed eighth in the 110 hurdles (17.03)

The Greyhounds picked up valuable points in the pole vault with Jason Spino taking fourth (12 feet, 0 inches) and Chance Conklin finishing fifth (11-06). Ayden Tripp placed seventh in the long jump (20-03) and the triple jump (39-8.5).

The Naugy girls scored 24 points to finish 11th at the meet. Windsor won the title with 84 points.

“When you go from the NVL championship to the states it’s just a whole another level,” Roper said. “Coach Bill Hanley has worked with the girls helping them to improve and success is translated into the improvement that you’ve made. We had a lot of kids with personal-best times and distances, so that is doing something right and heading in the right direction.”

Allison Murphy and Julia Kropo led the girls. Murphy ran to second in the 300 hurdles (47.0) and Kropo placed second in the javelin with a season-best throw of 97-5.

Murphy also took fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.99). Lauren Sonski finished seventh in the 800 (2:25.64).

The 4×400 relay team of Kropo, Murphy, Sonski and Leticia DoNascimento placed seventh (4:13.81).

The State Open is set for June 9. Athletes that finish in the top five at the class meets automatically qualify for the open.

“There is no New England championships this year. So we are looking forward to finishing strong at the State Open,” Roper said.