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02/14/2018 11:00 PMIn his final season as a member of the Old Saybrook boys’ indoor track team, Eric Sultini stepped up to the pressure at the Shoreline Conference Championship and helped the Rams walk away with another league title.
Eric, a senior, won the 600-meter run with a time of 1:27.49 and also ran on victorious 4x400 and 4x800 relays to help Old Saybrook edge runner-up Haddam-Killingworth and finish first at the Shoreline meet for the fourth consecutive season on Feb. 3.
Then at the Class S State Championship on Feb. 10, he placed fourth in the 600 and was a part of the state-champion 4x800 relay team to help the Rams earn a seventh-place finish.
“Winning Shorelines was great. We had some disqualifications in some events, so it was a nail-biter with H-K,” says Eric. “Our 4x8 team won a Shoreline indoor title for Old Saybrook for the first time since 2006, I believe, and we beat out H-K for that, who was seeded ahead of us.”
Old Saybrook trailed Haddam-Killingworth by 12 points as the Shoreline meet was drawing to a close, but the Rams’ first-place finish in the 4x400 relay helped them rally past the Cougars to clinch the conference crown. Like his teammates, Eric was spent when it came time to run the final relay of the day, but they reached down deep inside to pull off a gutsy victory that made all the pain worth it in the end.
“We took 1-2-3 in the 600, and then H-K did the same in the 1,000, 1,600, and 3,200, so we knew it would come down to the 4x4,” Eric says. “It was the same team as the 4x8, so we were definitely overrunning some guys. We were right there with H-K and Morgan after the first leg, but the second leg gave us the lead.”
Eric goes on to discuss his first-place finish in the 600—a victory that gave him a measure of redemption following a setback in the event as a sophomore.
“The 600 is definitely my favorite event and my focus since freshman year. I was [disqualified] at Shorelines in it my sophomore year, and I was motivated to win it,” he says. “My coaches just told me to do whatever it takes to win.”
Eric enjoys competing in both individual events and relays on the track. He likes the extra responsibility that comes with anchoring relays, but Eric also knows that colleges are keeping an eye on how he performs when he goes it alone.
“In relays, I like the aspect of the team depending on you. I’m the anchor leg, so I’m watching everything unfold, and it can get nerve-racking,” says Eric. “There’s also a huge competitiveness with it, because it’s a team-oriented event. There is more glory with individual events with putting up good times, and they will also count towards the future and colleges. Both types of events are important in their own ways.”
Old Saybrook indoor track Head Coach Peter Capezzone says that Eric showed great selflessness on the Shoreline’s biggest stage this season, further demonstrating the fact that he’s a first-class leader.
“Eric is the consummate leader for us. He prepares exceptionally well for meets and practices. His work ethic is second to no one,” says Capezzone. “Where he is incredibly important is in his impact on others on the team. He encourages, instructs, and helps develop the younger members of the team. He is very unselfish and [the Shoreline Championship] just exemplifies that.”
Eric has been surrounded by a lot of positive role models throughout his tenure with Old Saybrook track, and he’s worked with these people to become a top-tier runner for one of the premier programs in the area. Eric thanks former teammate Tom Strand, his grandfather Ken Kezer, and all of his coaches for their support through the years.
“My freshman year I had people to look up to...I also learned the importance of dedication. My work ethic has come a long way, and I learned how to push myself. I control workout, health, and sleeping patterns, and so I’ve grown with how I treat my body as an athlete,” says Eric. “I developed better leadership skills, as well. You have to keep up morale with the team, even when you’re exhausted. I’m proud to see this team come through and win Shorelines this year.”