By Ron Knapp and Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
Two days after their podium level performances at the New England Championships, Maya Quaranta of Sacred Heart Academy and Simsbury’s Marshall Potter returned to the throwing venue at Veterans Park in New Britain to claim the CIAC Hammer Throw Championship titles.
Quaranta not only bettered her silver medalist performance from last year but set a personal record by over 4 feet with her winning spin and toss of 146-10. The Yale bound senior set her new standard on her 4th throw after entering the finals with a toss of 141-09 that led the competition by several feet. She is now the 10th best hammer thrower in CT history and #38 nationally. Quaranta is next scheduled to compete in the shot put at the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia later in the week.
With significant improvement from last year, Bloomfield’s Imani Cain earned the silver medal with a toss of 134-7 that narrowly bettered bronze medalist Lourdes Lawson of Suffield with her PR throw of 131-11. The remaining medalists included Melody Gordon of Hillhouse (128-1), Cameron Place of Windham Tech (123-10) and Avery Plouffe of Woodstock Academy (122-1).
After narrowly missing the discus meet record at New Englands, Potter was only two feet short of the meet record with his winning toss of 204-09. The senior who has committed to UConn didn’t win a single State Open championship last year, but this year he has gone undefeated in the discus and hammer throw. Potter is slated to travel to NBNO as well to compete in the shot put, discus and hammer throw.
Junior Khile Francis of Bloomfield set his personal best of 200-08 becoming the 9th boy from CT to go over 200 feet. Francis had the lead entering the finals where Potter made his winning toss that was only the second fair attempt of his six total. To his credit, Francis responded with his 200 foot-plus throw after Potter took the lead.
The competition also featured 2 throwers over 180 feet as Lyman Hall’s Lucas DeCrescenzo, the defending champion, placed third with a mark of 186-11 with East Lyme’s Thomas Matlock only inches behind in placing 4th with his toss of 186-02. Filling out the medalists was Collin Cordner of Coventry (179-01) and Guilford’s Wesley Tandler with his PR mark of 171-04.
Championship competition continues today and Wednesday at New Britain in the decathlon and heptathlon as well as the Girls 2k…
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