By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp

There is a new trend in high school track that involve speciality meets that conduct very few events, usually in the same disciple like throws or distance. The distance meets are especially exciting because runners of similar abilities can push each other to fast times and the top runners can all come together in a highly competitive environment complete with music and swag for setting PRs. This weekend CT athletes traveled to Ichan Stadium on Randall's Island in Manhattan on Friday and Ridgefield High on Saturday to pop off some of the best performances in state history. 

Trials of Miles

Icahn Stadium, Randall’s Island, NY US

RESULTS

Photos by John Nepolitan

If it is a weekend, Kate Bohlke is setting a PR. This time, the Newington senior traveled to New York City where she finished in 4th place in the Trials of Miles meet in a time of 4:42.69. Her time wasn’t just a personal record, it tied the Connecticut State 1-mile record held by Greenwich’s Ceci Hopp who ran a hand time of 4:42.6 at Eastern States in 1981. Among record keepers it is a generally accepted practice to list both on the record board when a hand time and fully automatic time are so close. The race was won by Zariel Macchia of William Flyod High, the Northeast Foot Locker Cross Country champion in 4:41.37.

Other CT girls who ran impressively were Glastonbury’s Brooke Strauss who took 10th in 4:52.10 with Tess Sherry of Conard four places behind in 4:54.15. Greenwich’s Kate Friedman made the short trip down I-95 to take 18th in 5:01.88. 

Defending State Open 800m champion Daniel Coyne of Simsbury finished 10th in the state leading time of 1:55.09. The girls 800m was even more interesting for fans of CT track and field with three athletes finishing in the top ten. Liv Sherry took 6th in 2:12.19, with defending State Open 3200m champion Chase Gilbert of Old Lyme showing off her speed finishing two places back in 2:12.85. Greenwich’s Esme Daplyn, fresh off her cross country trip to the Oregon Relays two weeks ago, took 19th in 2:14.04. 

The only CT boy that was invited to compete in the selected mile field was Newtown’s Soheib Dissa. He has been dealing with an injury early in the season and he is gradually coming back. Worry not for the state record holder in the 2000m steeplechase, because he has already run a 1:57.3 for 800m in a dual meet in his first race back. 

Fast Times at Ridgefield High-The 3200

Ridgefield HS, Ridgefield CT

RESULTS

Photos by John Nepolitan

Over 250 distance runners toed the line to blaze to personal records in over 3 hours of 3200m races at Ridgefield High on a cool Saturday evening. All American miler Steven Hergenrother moved up to one of his few eight lap races and won in 8:56.50 to move into the 7th spot in the all time CT listing. The Ridgefield Tiger, who is his class valedictorian, ran the race virtually by himself after early rabbit Kyle Jeffers of Danbury stepped off the track at the 1000m mark. 

The only runner within sight of him on the straight away was New Milford’s Collin Walsh who shattered his 15-year-old school record by ten seconds, ran 9:06.39 to take 2nd place. Behind him were four other runners under 9:20, including Ridgefield’s Magnus Manley, Charles Lovett and Trevor Fuller in 3rd, 5th and 6th places. Those three are returning next fall for cross country along with two others who went under 9:44 to potentially give Ridgefield an excellent chance at defending their State Open and New England crowns. 

Xavier also had a great showing with Owen Martin setting his 3200m best with Jack Ouellette right on his heels with both going under 9:30 and two others running under 10 minutes. 

Another runner who shouldn’t be overlooked is North Haven’s Nico Boyle. Not knowing the Night Hawks complete school records, it can at least be claimed that he has shattered the modern school record from the past 20 years and it is the 4th fastest 3200m in CT this spring. The senior who will attend Northeastern University next year wasn’t in the conversation to win any major championships last year is now someone to be watched. 

In heat 15 Sacred Heart Academy’s Juliette Forstrom finished 95th overall to take over the state lead with her 10:42.21. She finished off her race with a 1:13 last lap which is an indication she has the potential to go much faster. Ridgefield’s Ava Malagisi has the second fastest girls performance finishing in 10:54.81 in the same heat. 

But in heat 13, Fairfield Warde’s Sophie Spelman went under 11 minutes for the first time with a time of 10:59.62 Several other top CT distance girls were in the same heat competing with boys including Izzy Greene of New Milford in 11:07.78 and Ridgefield’s Vivienne Namiot (11:08.25) and Allyson Olsen (11:09.99). 

In an effort to explore a new philosophy of races and competition, meet director Bryan Kovalsky provided the opportunity for girls to be in mixed gendered races. While according to New England record keeper Larry Newman mixed gendered races can’t be counted as official records, Kovalsky felt this meet could be for female athletes to acquire personal records and stated “we don’t mind being the antithesis of the rule makers of records and historical significance.” 

Visit the only site for the latest Connecticut High School State Records for Outdoor and Indoor Track & Field at My Track and Field Records.