Track And Field Teams Preparing Outside While They Can
It may be December, but the fact that it feels sort of like April is affording Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ indoor track and field teams the opportunity to use the Blue & Gold Stadium track and field as if it were the spring campaign.
The cold — until it becomes just too cold, that is — hasn’t stopped the indoor track athletes from using the track in the past, but snow and ice will force them off the track, and often into the school, or at least behind the school, for makeshift facilities, most winters.
“It gets us outside and it gives us an opportunity to get on the track versus running in the parking lot and back fields,” said Doug Russell, coach of Newtown’s girls’ squad.
Newtown’s girls’ and boys’ squads are hoping to be at their best well after winter settles in and the postseason meets take place in February.
Girls
Last year, the Nighthawks finished fourth in the South-West Conference championships, and 16th in the Class LL state meet. The Hawks graduated 11 participants, most notably strong mid-distance runners and throwers.
This year’s captains are distance runners Sarah Mawdsley, Emma Bayuk, and Kelsey Miller, along with pole vaulter/long jumper Jackie Sgobbo.
Other key returnees include Makenna Cerney in the hurdles and sprints, Lauren Russo in the pole vault event, and Erin Tressler in distance. Newcomer Lu Hage, a freshman who ran in the top five on Newtown’s cross country team, brings more strength to the distance group after helping the cross country squad to sixth place in the New England Regional meet.
This is a young team, with only six seniors, but has a lot of talented athletes who joined this winter, Russell said.
“We are just at a point of discovering what many of them can do so it will necessary to test some of them in different events to see where their strengths lie. I am excited regarding major improvements I have already seen in some of the girls who were on the team last year,” Russell said during preseason practice this past week.
Newtown has a new group of throwers, some of whom have experience from last spring’s outdoor campaign, but are still fairly new to the sport. Russell is looking for a core group of sprinters who can spread themselves over the 55 and 300 meter runs, as well as relays. The coach is also looking for some strong long and high jumpers to emerge.
As always, Weston is a tough team that stands in the way, but Russell hopes to give Weston a challenge as he spring track team always seems to do, and the coach has high hopes for success.
“Our goal is always to win the SWC Championship and do well at the state level,” he said.
Boys
The NHS boys were seventh in the SWC championships, and placed 20 in the Class LL meet last winter. Among the graduates who leave shoes to fill are a trio of SWC and state qualifiers.
Captains are distance runners Ethan Burg and Richard Linley, along with sprinter/jumper Cole Terry.
Other key team members to watch include distance runners Joel Duval and Brendan Reeds; sprinters James Carney, Jack Lavelle, Ben Mason, Chris Blanco, Shane Gattey, Cormac Roe, Declan Sughrue, and Kevin Arther (junior sprinter); jumpers Dylan Lew, Connery Mayer, and Adam Manes; and thrower Jack Godfrey.
Coach Tom Brant’s goals are to finish in the top five in the SWC, and among the top 15 in the state championships.
Sprinting and distance depth of talent are strengths of the squad, and Brant looks to develop young talent in underclassmen, as well as with four additions to the program — Blanco, Mason, Roe, and Sughrue — whom Brant expects to see contribute immediately.
“As a team we need to build on our relay success from the outdoor season. In the past years, our relay teams have set us back and not performed up to their potential. We also have students new to track and field, so they will need to be quick studies of the concepts of track and field,” the coach said.
“As always, we expect Weston, Brookfield, and New Fairfield to be strong top to bottom, with New Milford and Bunnell [of Stratford] pushing for a championships as well,” Brant said.
Brant says the team will have a great litmus test of its abilities at the December 30 Oceanbreeze Invitational, in Staten Island, N.Y.
“I’m excited to get the season started with the returning and new talent. The kids are excited, and we have set our standards very high for our overall performance this year,” Brant added.