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Guilford Represents in the Distance Events at Sectionals

The Guilford indoor track program was represented by several members of its boys’ and girls’ teams when the Indians competed at the Southern Connecticut Conference West Sectional Championship last week. The Guilford girls’ team scored 24 points and finished in seventh place at the sectional meet, which was held at Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Jan. 29. The boys’ squad finished in eighth place with 14 points scored. Hillhouse took the team title in the girls’ meet, while Hand finished in first place on the boys’ side.

The Indians were led by a big pack of runners in the long-distance events when they hit the track at the West Sectional Championship. Senior McKendry Eschinger claimed second place in the 1,600-meter run for the boys’ team. Eschinger recorded a time of 4:46.34 to earn runner-up honors for the event. Sophomore Justin Shiffrin was right behind Eschinger in the 1,600, taking fourth place with a time of 4:46.90.

In the 1,000-meter run, sophomore Thomas Gregory ran a time of 2:48.82 to finish in fifth place for the Indians.

The Guilford girls’ team also saw several athletes turn in solid performances in the distance events. In the 3,200, senior Clara Wiesler finished in third place by running a time of 12:30.60 for Guilford. Sophomore Katrina Muhs took fourth place with a time of 12:35.55, and sophomore Julia Antony finished fifth by posting a mark of 12:35.75.

Sophomore Olivia Skapczynski came in third place in the 1,600 by hitting the finish line in a time of 5:38.49. Anthony finished fourth with a time 5:41.10, and Wiesler took fifth place at 5:43.33.

Also competing for Guilford in the 1,600 were junior Gianna Siciliano (8th, 5:50.81), Muhs (9th, 5:51.25), and freshman Olivia Kaisen (13th, 6:24.76).

Freshman Clara Laughlin came in seventh place for the Indians in the 3,200 with a time of 12:36.78. Skapczynski finished 12th in the event at 13:06.03.

Freshman Ursula Adams delivered a seventh-place finish in the 600-meter run at sectionals. Competing in her first postseason meet, Adams ran a time of 1:50.19 to take seventh place on behalf of the Indians.

Senior Cameron Hubbard raced his way to a seventh-place showing in the 1,000 behind a time of 2:54.45. In the 1,600, senior Jacob Shiffrin finished seventh (4:54.28), senior Griffin Hughes was eighth (4:56.32), junior Tanner Updyke finished 11th (5:03.55), and senior Ben Crair came in 12th place (5:08.85) for Guilford.

Jacob Shiffrin also finished eighth for the 3,200 by clocking in with a time of 10:36.66. The Indians’ other runners in the 3,200 were Justin Shiffrin (11th, 10:41.36), Hughes (12th, 10:45.21), Updyke (15th, 10:55.79), Crair (17th, 11:13.10), and Eschinger (18th, 11:18.09).

Guilford’s 4x400 relay featuring Hubbard, Gregory, Justin Shiffrin, and Eschinger finished in seventh place with a mark of 3:52.44. Hubbard also took 15th place (1:40.32) in the 600, while Gregory finished in 21st place (1:48.22).

Freshman Riley Johnson ran a time of 43.44 seconds to finish 33rd in the 300-meter dash. Johnson also competed in the preliminaries of the 55-meter dash, finishing in 51st place with a time of 7.88 seconds.

Next up for Guilford is the SCC Championship at the Floyd Little Athletic Center at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. The Class L State Championship is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, and the State Open takes place at noon on Saturday, Feb. 22 with both events being held at Floyd Little Athletic Center