MySportsResults.com – News – Dream Invite Under the Friday Night Lights at Danbury HS

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

The past Dream Invitationals held at Danbury High’s track held right before championship season has seen several state records set, witness countless All-Americans perform and seen too many school records to count. This year’s edition will be held on Friday with the first event slated to start at 6:00 pm with all the action to take place in three short hours. 

While the meet has grown a great deal since 2006 when the Hatters squared off against Glastonbury to qualify for nationals in the distance medley relay, the meet motto of “The Dream is to Run Fast, Throw Far or Jump Far, so come make history” hasn’t changed. Let’s check out some of the top entrants in this year’s meet.

Girls Mile

At last year’s Dream Invitational, Ridgefield’s Georgia Keller finished second in a lifetime best of 5:05.75. She has already set outdoor PRs in the 800m and 3200m this season, so it makes sense she will set a lifetime best in the mile. The senior, who has committed to Brigham Young University in the fall, will have to face sophomore Rose Penny of New Fairfield who was top 10 in the cross country State Open and a member of the Rebel’s very accomplished 4x800m team. A 5:03.0 mile to qualify for New Balance Nationals Outdoor Rising Stars is within range. 

Girls 800m

Last year Keller earned All-American in the distance medley relay with Keller leading  off in the 1200m leg and Regan McGrath ran the 800m. McGrath, who has committed to Bucknell next year, has run a 2:18.97 PR at the Loucks Games and should be dropping even more time. Pushing her should be Sophie Spelman of Fairfield Warde who is running her first invitational of the season. She ran 2:20.96 last week but should be able to drop more time with competition. 

Boys 800m

The 800m is always an exciting event at the Dream Invite. In most meets, athletes are coming back from another event before they get to the 800m, but with no points on the line, someone always takes it out fast and takes the field along for some incredible times. Gabe Sisk of Hall is the top seed with a 1:56.7 seed but last year as part of the New England championship he ran a 1:54.6 to anchor his team to the win. He was the Open runner-up last year in the two lap race and New England runner-up in the 600m this winter. 

Charles Lovett of Ridgefield is quietly developing into one of the best distance runners in the state. The sophomore was part of his…