By Ron Knapp
Veterans’ Stadium at Willowbrook Park in New Britain
Wednesday May 29, Field Events at 4:30 pm Running Events at 5:00 pm
Boys Championship
After a season of adversity that could have impacted defense of their three consecutive Class LL championships, Hall of West Hartford made a resounding statement about their commitment to defend their State Open title next Monday as they ran and fielded their way to 109 points. The Titans closest competitor was Danbury as they took the runner-up plaque with 69 points to edge Norwich Free Academy in 3rd with 63 followed by a tie for 4th place between East Hartford and Hamden with 54 points as 25 teams scored.
Head coach Jeff Billing remarked that “This is a very special senior class. They have won everything they can win for four years and have had a lot of adversity this year. They didn’t have Isaac Mahler (defending 3200m champion) who is just coming back from an injury, a few sprinters who didn’t get to compete today who would have been impactful in relays. You don’t take anything for granted.”
Billing continued by attributing their success to their depth, “We were able to do this off our depth. We have 215 boys on the track team out of 750 in the entire school which is about a 3rd of the boys. The kids we get out have a great experience and then they bring a friend the next year. There were 30 guys who competed today and 60 non competing teammates came after school on their own and at the meet until 11 pm.”
Similar to last year’s title the Titans used victories in the 4x800m and 4x400m relays to bookend their accomplishments on the track and across the field. Their 4x800m squad of Jeremy Baun, Jacob Szalewicz, Connor Mayr, and Gabriel Sisk clocked 7:56.98, a season best that is also a CT#2.
Between the relays Hall scored in nine other events that included 4 more individual titles led by a meet record in the pole vault by defending champion Liam Wright at a height of 15-4. Wright concluded his busy day by scoring a 2nd place in the triple jump and leading off their winning 4x400m.
The javelin runway was another deep event for Hall as senior Jacob Walters threw yet another school record and CT#1 mark of 188-08. Teammates Dominic Roussos (3rd) and Joshua Hornstein (5th) gave the Titans 20 early points.
While still running with a protective support on his wrist from a winter accident, senior Joe Nham sped to victory in the 110m hurdles final in his PR 14.51, a school record and…
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