By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
Boys Decathlon
In only his second season of outdoor track Griswold senior Brenden Hopkins won the CIAC Decathlon with 5561. He moved up from 13th last year after winning the discus and pole vault, placing second in the javelin, and sixth in the high jump.
Gabriel Kvadus of Glastonbury had a solid two days, finishing top five in six events to score 5491 points and take the runner-up spot.
Decathlon veteran Nicholas Zaprianov of Lyman Memorial has gone over 5000 points for the first time. He set four season best including a few PRs to score 5420 points, good for 3rd place.
Five personal records allowed Greenwich’s Thomas Donovan to score 5274 points, 405 better than last year when he placed 12th.
The Berkshire League conducts their own decathlon competition which provides their athletes an opportunity to gain experience in the 10 events contest before moving on to the more competitive CIAC event. Nonnewaug’s Thomas Lengyel improved over 600 points to take fifth with 5200 points and set PRs in five events.
The last medal went to sophomore Jacob Smith of Fitch who set a PR of 6-2.0 in the high jump, his best event. It is difficult for underclassmen to do well in the multi event competition because they don’t have the experience in the ten events. Whenever a sophomore is able to do well in this event, it is an indication of natural talent that will only blossom with more years under his belt. The Falcon scored 5126 to take 6th.
Girls Heptathlon
Another athlete who used her experience gained from the Berkshire League’s multi event competition was Lakeview freshman Greysen Thomas. When she entered her brand new school that combined Wamogo and Litchfield High Schools in the fall, no one could have predicted the success she would have had this year. Pretty much every event she tried was a school record, but her performances in many events are among the best in the state including a 5-5.0 HJ, 16-6 LJ and 46.74 300m hurdles. She used this versatility to win the CIAC Heptathlon with 3885 points which is 25th nationally. She had the best high jump of 5-0.25 and finished top four in the 100mm hurdles (16.67), 200m (27.38), 800m (2:27.56) and LJ (15-11.0).
Mallory Boney of East Haven had PRs in the 200m (27.77), 800m (2:38.08) and high jump 4-10.25 and came away with the silver medal with 3859 points, only 26 points away from the win.
Sophie Riche was…
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