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01/29/2017 11:00 PMOn Jan. 25, the East Haven indoor track program competed in the SCC West Sectional Championship at Floyd Little Athletic Center, where both teams posted ninth-place finishes. The boys’ team recorded 17 total points, while the girls scored nine points.
Head Coach Rusty Dunne said that he wished there more than 20 athletes between the two squads, but added that he was pleased with everyone’s effort, saying, “There was a lot of good stuff,” at the sectional meet.
The biggest highlight for the Easties came on the boys’ side, where Niam Coward was victorious in the shot put. Coward won the event with a toss of 43 feet-5.75-inches to score 10 points for the Yellowjackets.
“Well, it felt nice to win, but even better knowing that my coaches were happy with the results,” Coward said. “They were telling me all week that I was the favorite to win. So winning this for them was great.”
Coward won the shot put by defeating runner-up Michael Prevost of Hamden, who placed second with a toss of 42-7.
“If Niam is healthy, our expectation is he’ll advance to the State Open. His potential is unlimited,” Coach Dunne said. “He’s a great kid. I’ve been here for 24 years and he’s one of the nicest kids I’ve ever coached. He works hard, is dependable, intelligent, and a good student. He’s a great example for all the other kids.”
Also producing points for the boys’ team were Reinaldo Martinez in the 55-meter hurdles, plus the 4x200 relay of Vincent Camera, Dominic Manna, Coward, and Evan Damien. Martinez placed third in the preliminary heat of the hurdles with a time of 8.95 seconds and then finished third in the final with a time of 8.93 to earn six points.
“He’s stronger and he’s come along the last couple of weeks. His time has just come down in every single meet,” Dunne said. “He went under nine seconds at the sectional and that usually doesn’t happen. [Assistant coach Jim Vicario] and I are very pleased with that. The other thing is, the week earlier he long jumped 19 feet, so he’s become great in that event, too. But to place third in the hurdles at a meet like this is not easy.”
The Easties’ 4x200 relay sprinted to a time of 1:40.13 in its sixth-place finish. Dunne was impressed with the whole group, but was particularly happy that Coward finished this event before taking first in the shot put.
“Niam is a Division I athlete. He’s our leading scorer [with 27.50 points] right now. He ran the third leg of the 4x200 relay, jumped on the blocks for the 55, and tweaked his hamstring,” he said. “He was in some discomfort, but came back and won the shot put. He made sure to win it and that’s a tribute to him.”
Other performers for the boys’ team included Coward in the 55-meter dash (13th, 7.11); Camera in the 55 (18th, 7.20) and 200 (21st, 40.17); Manna in the 300 (23rd, 40.55) and shot put (15th, 36-11); James Sperduti in the 300 (31st, 41.87) and long jump (13th, 16-9.75); Austin Rivera in the 1,000-meter run (13th, 3:02.87) and pole vault (8th, 8-0); Bryce Donovan in the 1,000 (24th, 3:39.14); Zach Valles in the 1,000 (25th, 3:40.05); Joseph Castello in the 1,600 (43rd, 6:18.18); Martinez in the long jump (7th, 18-4.25); and Damian in the 55 hurdles (9th, 9.39).
On the girls’ side, Sydney Marquardt had the Yellowjackets’ top showing as she placed fourth in the pole vault with a height of 7-6 and was also fourth for the long jump behind a leap of 15-0.5. Other points were scored by Molly Mazzucco in the high jump as she finished sixth with a height of 4-6, as well as the 4x400 relay team of Katie Maffeo, Olivia Turek, Paige Maffeo, and Mazzucco, who placed sixth at 4:39.56. Mazzuco leads the team in points scored with 19.25 this year.
“The top girls’ performer this year has been Molly Mazzucco in the high jump. She’s gone 4-foot-10 four or five times this season, but didn’t do as good as she would’ve hoped in the sectional,” said Dunne. “I think she has a chance to go 5 feet in the next few weeks.”
Other performers for the girls’ team included Paige Maffeo in the 55 (15th, 7.98) and 300 (16th, 47.13); Marquardt in the 55 (21st, 8.19); Summer Onorato in the 55 (35th, 8.53) and shot put (17th, 25-3.5); Tavajia Atkinson (45th, 8.76) and 300 (41st, 50.80); Katie Maffeo in the 600 (10th, 1:51.54); Turek in the 600 (26th, 2:04.95); and Aliana Roberts in the shot put (27th, 18-9).
“We have some quality athletes that have had solid indoor seasons,” Dunne said. “To have qualified for 13 events with as many athletes as we have is very impressive.”
• SCC Championship qualifiers for the boys’ team include the 4x200 relay of Vincent Camera, Dominic Manna, Niam Coward, and Evan Damian; along with Reinaldo Martinez (55 hurdles and long jump), Damian (55 hurdles), Austin Rivera (1,000 and pole vault), Niam Coward (shot put), and Dominic Manna (shot put).
• SCC Championship qualifiers for the girls’ team include the 4x400 relay of Katie Maffeo, Olivia Turek, Paige Maffeo, and Molly Mazzucco; as well as Paige Maffeo (55), Katie Maffeo (600), Molly Mazzucco (high jump), and Sydney Marquardt (long jump and pole vault).
• Class M qualifiers for the boys’ team include the 4x200 of Camera, McClay Marshall, Coward, and Damien; in addition to Coward (55 and shot put), Marshall (55 and 300), Martinez (55 hurdles and long jump), and Nate Lastomirsky (pole vault).
• Class M qualifiers for the girls’ squad include Paige Maffeo (55 and 300), Katie Maffeo (600), Sydney Marquardt (55, long jump, and pole vault), and Molly Mazzucco (high jump).