By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
The FCIAC Outdoor T&F Championships last year came down to the wire between perennial contender Danbury and the Greenwich boys as the Cardinals won their first FCIAC title in over 30 years while the Lady Hatters were able to prevail over Ridgefield. This year’s championship edition will once again return to a co-ed meet at Danbury High School on Tuesday.
Girls Championship Preview
Greenwich boys and girls won both indoor FCIAC titles during the indoor track season and the Cardinals will be looking to do the same thing on Tuesday. Junior Esme Daplyn has become one of the state’s best distance runners and has been All State and All New England multiple times. She is the top seed in the 1600m and 3200m plus number two in the 800m. Defending 100m champion Kaitlyn Fay should bring home some solid points in the sprints and Sophie Richie will be a big help in the long and triple jumps.
Staples has had three FCIAC championships in the past decade and look to be in contention again. Francine Stevens is one of the top long sprinters in the conference. Gabriella Gerig will contribute big points in the high, long and triple jumps and Leigh Foran wil hold down the distance events for the Wreckers.
Ridgefield was runner up last year and will be looking to move up that one spot in the team standings. Georgia Keller and Regan McGrath were two members of the Tiger’s All American DMR team and should put solid points in their team’s total. Defending 300m hurdle champion Elaine Mathews and Grace Hooker should add points in that event along with Cheyla Williams in the throws plus their 4x400m and 4x800m hopefully put Ridgefield in contention.
All State soccer player Caroline Spengler has come out for track for the first time and provided an already solid Fairfield Ludlowe team even more points in the sprints and is the top seed in the 200m and number two in the 100m. The jumps have always been a source of significant points with Tia Stapleton coming in as the top seed in the long, triple and high jumps. Colleen Halliday who was injured during the indoor season and Julia Walters who took second in the indoor FCIAC championships on a tie breaker could potentially contribute a boat load of points in the pole vault.
Defending champions Danbury lost All-American sprinter Alanna Smith to graduation but still returned a solid group of sprinters that could nickel and dime their way into the top…
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