Runners, Throwers Set Records At SWC Track Championships

By Anna Hodge

Two members of Newtown High School’s indoor track program set South-West Conference Championship meet records during the SWC championships at the New Haven Athletic Center on February 6. The girls’ and boys’ teams had excellent performances as well. With a score of 74 points, the girls tied for second with Immaculate, and the boys placed third in the conference with 59.5 points.

Three of the athletes, seniors John Wlasuk and Lauren Pettinelli along with sophomore Jake Feinstein, took home conference championships in their events. Wlasuk and Feinstein also broke championship meet records. Wlasuk placed first in the boy’s shot put, throwing 58-9, blowing past his previous school record of 55-5 and, in doing so, setting the SWC mark. In the boys’ 1600-meter run, Feinstein placed first with a time of 4:24.55, breaking the conference record. Meanwhile, Pettinelli finished first in the girls’ 55-meter hurdles. She contributed ten points to the team, by finishing in a time of 8.92.

Peter Kerns set a new school record in the 300 with a time of 38.27. The previous record was set by Ian Ramsey at a Yale Developmental Meet (38.7 seconds) in 1988.

“The boys and girls really stepped it up at the SWC Championships,” Newtown Coach Doug Russell said. “I knew that the boys could finish in the top three but it was a lot closer than I expected.”

Weston won the girls’ championship with 101 points and NHS was runner-up with 74 points among 13 teams. On the boys’ side, Weston won with 71 points, Brookfield was second with 67 and Newtown was next with 59.50 among 12 teams. The SWC meet was originally scheduled for February 5 but got pushed to the next day because of anticipated snow during the weekend.

On Wlasuk’s first throw he broke his own SWC meet record that I set last year, 51-3.5 (with a toss of 53-8). “I had some technique issues on the next four throws. On my last throw I knew I had to make a statement and I was able to throw a big (personal record).” Wlasuk says he is hoping to throw another personal record and to defend his state title, which he won by throwing 52-8.5 the shot put event at the 2010 Class LL State Championships.

Feinstein said the SWCs were both a success for himself individually and the team as a whole. He added that his main goal for the meet was winning the 1600 meter race. “As only a sophomore, I look forward to the next few years and have big goals in mind.

Feinstein is aiming for a win or to-three performance in states. “From there, I would like a top-six finish at the State Open which would qualify me for New Englands,” he said. Feinstein adds that he will be focusing on the two mile event at the Class LLs, and for the remainder of the season, now that he has a firm grasp on his mile time.

“We saw a lot of guys step up at the conference meet and hope to see their improvements continue,” Feinstein said.

The Class LL State Championships will be held on Saturday, February 12 at 4:30 pm and the State Open will be held February 19 at 12 pm — both at the New Haven Athletic Center.

Newtown High’s results are as follows:

Girls’ 4x800: 2 Newtown High School: 10:33.26   

Girls’ 55 Meter Hurdles:: 1 Lauren Pettinelli: 8.92; 5 Zoe Eggleston: 9.81   

Boys’ 55 Meter Dash: 4 Ken Toal: 6.85; 6 Matt Genovese: 7.05   

Girls’ 55 Meter Dash: 3 Reagan Cerney: 7.60   

Boys’ 1000 Meter Run: 13 Jordan Hensel: 2:59.64 

Girls’ 1000 Meter Run: 4 Erin Begg: 3:23.26   

Boys’ 600 Meter Run: 9 Dietter Gutbrod: 1:32.59  

Girls’ 600 Meter Run: 7 Mara Scallon: 1:52.02; 10 Michaela Guinee: 1:55.06  

Boys’ 1600 Meter Run: 1 Jake Feinstein: 4:24.55; 5 Pat Sullivan: 4:45.37; 9 David Klein: 4:52.50; 10 Austin Baldour: 5:02.75 

Girls’ 1600 Meter Run: 9 Katie Burns: 6:00.90 

Boys’ 1600 Sprint Medley: 4 Newtown: 4:04.37 

Girls’ 1600 Sprint Medley: 6 Newtown High School: 4:59.11  

Boys’ 300 Meter Dash: 4 Peter Kerns: 38.27; 10 Ken Toal: 39.09; 12 Matt Genovese: 39.80; 30 Andre Capoziello : 42.44

Girls’ 300 Meter Dash: 4 Reagan Cerney: 43.80; 5 Brittany Tolla: 44.36; 6 Lauren Pettinelli: 44.85; 11 Brooke Newton: 46.40  

Boys’ 3200 Meter Run: 2 Jake Feinstein: 9:57.32; 6 David Klein: 10:33.06; 8 Pat Sullivan: 10:43.30; 10 Austin Baldour: 10:57.72 

Girls’ 3200 Meter Run: 5 Erin Begg: 12:20.60; 8 Jenny VanVeen: 12:36.29 

Girls’ 4x400 Meter Relay: 3 Newtown: 4:27.46  

Boys’ 4x200 Meter Relay: 3 Newtown: 1:40.20  

Girls’ 4x200 Meter Relay: 3 Newtown: 1:56.66  

Boys’ High Jump: 8 Austin Puleri: 5-06.00 

Girls’ High Jump: 2 Bri Hart: 4-10; 3 Courtney Beckett: 4-08   

Boys’ Long Jump: 2 Peter Kerns: 19-09; 5 Brandon Capaldo: 19-01

Girls’ Long Jump: 4 Abby Blackeman: 14; 7 Katie Shirley: 12-06  

Boys’ Shot Put: 1 John Wlasuk: 58-09. 

Girls’ Shot Put: 4 Kristy Papaj: 28-06.75; 6 Meghan Condon: 27-09; 10 Amy Anyoha: 27-02.50 

Girls’ Pole Vault : 12 Abby Keough: 6-0