Wlasuk Leads Boys To Fifth, School Records Set In State Open

By Anna Hodge

For many, it is a humbling achievement to qualify for conference or state class championships. Such a feat in a sport such as track and field represents not only a success for a team, but also serves as an individual athletic accomplishment due to the singularity of the sport. That’s why it was an especially proud moment for the Newtown High School boys’ outdoor track and field team to finish fifth overall among 63 teams to score points in the State Open, a battle of the top Connecticut competitors from all conferences and school class sizes, in New Britain on June 6. Newtown scored 33 points and Danbury, with 44, won the boys’ meet.

Members of the NHS team set new school records and qualified for the next tier of competition, the New England Regional Championship, where the best track and field athletes from the New England states compete.

Senior thrower John Wlasuk demolished his competition in the shot put and discus events. Wlasuk took first in both events, throwing 58 feet in the shot and 177 feet in the discus. After taking fifth in the javelin throw with a toss of 178-2, Wlasuk gathered a total of 24 points from these events, and ultimately contributed about three-fourths of the points to the team’s overall score. Wlasuk will now compete at the New England championships.

However, it was not without the performances of the other Newtown male athletes present at the event that culminated in the team’s overall high placing.

Both the 4x100 and 4x800 relay teams set new school records. The 4x100 relay of Brandon Capaldo, Aaron Nezvesky, Peter Kerns, Ken Toal, and alternates Mitchell Russo and Logan Puleri finished eighth in the event, with a combined sprint of 43.83 seconds (approximately a 10.9 second 100 meter dash by each athlete).

Meanwhile, the 4x800 meter relay team of Dieter Gutbrod, Palmer Lintz, Pat Sullivan, Jake Feinstein, and alternates Jordan Hensel and Pat Fay finished fifth with a time of 7:57.17, beating the previous 4x800 relay team school record at NHS. Each athlete ran, on average, a 1:54 half mile. Feinstein also competed in the 3200 meter run and took fifth with a race of 9:23.99.

Newtown Head Coach Dan McIlrath was very happy with the overall results. “John had a phenomenal performance and really stepped it up in the competition. The 4x800 dug deep and they were really excited to qualify. Feinstein also did a good double in the 4x800 and then placing fifth in the 3200 meter,” the coach said.

Like Wlasuk, Feinstein and the 4x800 meter relay team will now compete at the New England championships on Saturday, June 11 in Burlington, Vermont.

Girls’ Results

Members of the NHS girls’ track and field team also competed at State Open. NHS was not among the 64 schools to place in the meet, won by Hillhouse with 63 points, but had representation from three athletes: sophomore Reagan Cerney, junior Lauren O’Connell, and senior Lauren Pettinelli.

Cerney, who competed in State Open in the 2010 track season in the 400 meter, ran in the 800 meter run this time,and finished 17th with a race of 2:22.89. Cerney admits that she did not believe she could make the State Open this year because it was her first year running in the event, and was excited to have the opportunity to compete in the event.

“I had the goal of running under a 2:25 which I achieved in the [South-West Conference] championship, which was awesome,” Cerney said. “I also wanted to medal in the Class LL meet, which I also achieved so it was a great season.” She added, “I was hoping to get a personal record this meet, however I did not run my best race.” Cerney says she is looking forward to running the 800 meter next year in an effort to improve her time. She expects to be more competitive in the event for the 2012 outdoor track season. “My goals for next year’s outdoor track season are that I want to get under a 2:20 time for my 800 meter. I know I have to work hard for it but it is something that I really want to achieve,” Cerney said.

O’Connell, who competed in the triple jump, placed 17th, jumping a distance of 33-8. O’Connell had placed fifth, with a 34-10.50 in the Class LL state meet.

“At Class LLs, I had a great day of jumping, but at State Opens I did not perform as well as I would have liked,” O’Connell said. “Even though I was disappointed with my performance, I still had a great time watching the other jumpers and races.” O’Connell adds that she plans to work hard this summer so she can perform strongly next year.

Pettinelli, meanwhile, placed 11th in the state in the 100 meter hurdles, finishing in 16.41 seconds. This is the senior’s final track season at NHS, however Pettinelli says she will continue to compete when she gets to college.

“I will be going to Sacred Heart University and will be competing on their Division I [track and field] team. It will be tough, but I will be running the hurdles in college,” Pettinelli said. “Newtown should keep an eye out for me.”