By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
Greater Manchester Track and Field Classic
The Greater Manchester Track and Field Classic has gone by different names over the decades and has always seemed to be a top class invitational the week before the conference meets at Manchester High that has always attracted top local teams from the center of the state. This year was no different as the state’s ranking had some major shake ups in many events.
This indoor season Manchester’s Samiya Eady went undefeated until New Englands where she finished 6th in the most competitive 55m dash in meet history. She is once again going undefeated this spring against in state competition and won with a season best of 12.04 which is the 2nd fastest time in CT behind Nauatuck’s Lauren Kropo. She returned later in the day to run her first 200m of the season, winning in 24.48, the 16th fastest time in state history.
Another girl who is getting closer to state leader Kropo, sophomore Paige Wilson of Windsor popped off her PR of 56.40 in the 400m which surpassed her time she ran to take 6th at New Englands last year. She also pushed Eady to the line in the 200m where she took 2nnd in 25.28, tying her season best.
We got a peak at the future of girls distance running in CT with four of the top five finishers returning next year. Windsor sophomore Maya Donzella hasn’t quite reached the pantheon of CT distance runners, but in viewing her trajectory, she is on the right path. The Class L 1600m champion this winter has been knocking on the 5-minute barrier with four races this season going under 5:05. On Saturday, she ran a new PR of 5:01.77 and defeated this winter’s State Open 3200m champion Lauren Parrett. The Glastonbury freshman finished 2nd in a near PR of 5:04.74. Her teammate Lila Garbett was only senior in the top 13 and ran a season best of 5:06.87. Then you add in junior Sofia Holovatska (5:11.81) of South Windsor and freshman Carolyn Kamp (5:12.42) of Glastonbury who both set PRs, you have a bright future for CT’s distance runners.
E.O. Smith has been known for their distance runners the past few years and the Panthers put on a clinic taking three of the top four spots in the 1600m on Saturday. Senior Brendan Cook won in a season best of 4:29.15 with his brother Alex Cook taking third in PR of 4:30.57 and Spencer Slayton taking 4th in 4:30.92. Normally a team with this much depth goes right into the 4x800m, but…
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