HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK / 2018-19 PREVIEW CAPSULES
ECC DIVISION I East Lyme Coach: Steve Hargis (9th year) Key returnees: Sr. Sam Whittaker (distance), Jr. Chris Abbey (distance), Sr. Akhil Chilamkurthi (pole vault, sprints, hurdles), Jr. Blane Hart (sprints), So. Fisher Macklin (distance), Sr. Rob Avena (middle distance), Sr. Matt Kung (middle distance), Jr. Josh Morton (throws), Sr. Makaih Olawale (jumps). Top newcomers: So. Magnum Brandt (middle distance), Fr. Luke Anthony (distance). Outlook: The reigning ECC Division I champion Vikings were hit hard by graduation losses but have depth and talent in the distance events after winning the Class MM state cross country title behind Whittaker (Class M champ) and Abbey (ECC champ). East Lyme, which moves up to Class L, should also be competitive in the field events. Fitch Coach: Rich Kosta (29th year) Key returnees: Sr. Tyler Nelli (jumps), Sr. Chris Holmes (sprints), Sr. Dan Gaiewski (distance), Sr. Ian Poe (distance), Sr. Ryan Poe (distance), Sr. Andrew Kerst (distance), Sr. Shea Kenney (middle distance), Jr. Ethan Alves (hurdles), Jr. Orlando Galarza (jumps), Sr. Keshav Garcia-Patel (sprints), Jr. Fernando Coreas (sprints), Jr. Cole Aristi (distance), Sr. Gideon McElroy (shot). Top newcomers: Sr. Tyler Cady (sprints, jumps), So. Ethan Mojica (sprints), Sr. Kyrell Wilson (jumps), So. Simon Chidley (distance). Outlook: The Falcons have depth and talent and look to be competitive with East Lyme and NFA in the division. "We have a great combination of veterans and a few key newcomers who are more than up to the challenge," Kosta said. "This will hopefully translate into success on both the conference and state levels." NFA Coach: Tom Teixeira (5th season) Key returnees: Sr. Jahiem Spruill (jumps), Jr. Osaretin David Osagie (hurdles), Sr. Adelino DaVeiga (throws), Sr. Cameron Belton (throws, sprints), Jr. Jack Bazinet (pole vault), Jr. Nathan Cote (sprints, distance), Jr. Dylan McGuire (distance), Jr. Aidan Brown (distance), Sr. John Pierre (throws), Jr. Lavery Hill (throws). Top newcomers: Jr. Justin Costick (jumps), Jr. Naziah Paul (sprints), Jr. Daniel Eggler (sprints), Jr. Silas Gates (sprints), Sr. Neville Tawdeen (sprints), Jr. Tyler DaVeiga (distance), So. Aidan Croteau (distance), Fr. Elias Farhad (pole vault, sprints), Fr. Dangelo Aristilde (sprints), Fr. Tyler Crabb (distance), Fr. Jacob Crowley (throws). Outlook: Despite some key graduation losses, NFA has the largest team in Teixeira's tenure and plenty of talent. Adelino DaVeiga, Belton and Spruill are among the ECC's top performers in the field events (Spruill is the reigning Division I high jump and long jump champ) while Belton and Osagie (last year's D-I 55 hurdles winner) will be among the top sprinters. The Wildcats have a developing group of younger distance runners, so there is plenty of emerging talent. Waterford Coach: Jay Criscuolo (6th year) Key returnees: Sr. Chris Smith (jumps), Sr. Sam Lenes (distance), Jr. Jalen Chapelle (hurdles, relays), Jr. Jared Lovell (hurdles, relays). Top newcomers: So. Aidan Pepin (distance), Sr. Kayvon Negahban (jumps), Sr. Marcus Elliot (sprints), Sr. Marcus Lovell (sprints). Outlook: The Lancers move up to Division I, where they probably don't possess the overall numbers to compete with the elite programs. But there is quality, particularly in the distances with Lenes and Pepin among the top runners in the ECC. ECC DIVISION II Ledyard Coach: Dave Tetlow (45th year) Key returnees: Sr. Travon Brown (sprints), Sr. Tyson Chrzanowski (middle distance), Sr. Jahmik Devone (sprints), Sr. Jacob Hobbs (shot put), Sr. Leo Kowalski (shot), Sr. James Smith (sprints, long jump), Jr. Ben Askew (sprints), Jr. Ben Berlin (shot), Jr. Wesley Hughes (pole vault), Jr. Robbie Petriel (sprints, long jump), Jr. Harold Phillips (sprints, hurdles), Jr. Simon Reicheert (distance). Top newcomers: Sr. George Bauman (sprints), Sr. Evan Kulterman (shot), Sr. Liam Mullen (shot), Jr. Solaiman Chowdhury (sprints), Jr. Jacob Roediger (distance), Jr. Alex Warmus (middle distance), So. Aiden Greeley (pole vault), So. Ryan Kinney (pole vault), So. Owen Lessing (distance), Fr. Andrew Harris (sprints). Outlook: The Colonels drop down to Division II and have plenty of depth and experience to be a factor in the ECC championship meet. Tetlow loves the senior leadership displayed during the preseason and expects Ledyard to have a number of athletes qualify for the State Open and New England meets. Montville Coach: Bridget Buckley (2nd year) Key returnees: Sr. Derek Strickland (hurdles), Sr. Tyrone Mack (throws), Sr. Rishi Iyer (distance), Sr. Julian Valdes (jumps), Sr. Sean Murallo (sprints), Jr. Sean Ventresca (middle distance). Top newcomer: Sr. Marcuz Velez (jumps). Outlook: The Indians suffered heavy graduation losses in the sprinting events, including the All-Area 4x200 relay team of Greg Clark, Nick Donnell, Daltyn Butler and Ethan Rose, but they should remain strong in the relays with some veteran returnees and promising newcomers. Strickland (hurdles) and Mack (shot put) will contend for ECC honors and Buckley expects the quality of depth to improve as the season progresses. Stonington Coach: Ben Bowne (7th year) Key returnees: Sr. Benjamin Abely (sprints), So. Ethan Allen-Fernandez (middle distance), Jr. Andrew Castagliuolo (middle distance), Sr. Andrew Connelly (distance), So. Elias Dahl (distance), Jr. Jacob Davis (throws), Jr. Greyson DelGrosso (throws), Jr. Chase Flynn (middle distance), Jr. Rhys Hammond (middle distance), Sr. Joey Hinckley (sprints), Sr. Graham Johnstone (sprints), Jr. Robert Lewis (sprints), Jr. George Limberakis (sprints), Sr. Christian Montalto (sprints), Sr. Connor Naslund (sprints), Sr. Ryan O'Dell (middle distance), Sr. John O'Keefe (distance), So. Jay Pea (sprints), Jr. Daniel Robinson (distance), So. Cameron Rose (sprints), Sr. Harrison Rose (sprints), Sr. Martin Vernet (sprints), Sr. Max Wojtas (middle distance). Top newcomers: Sr. Lucas Falcone (sprints), So. Nathan Gonzalez (distance), So. Suphasin Inthasit (sprints), So. Charles Padlan (sprints), Jr. Robert Pont (throws), Sr. Tyler Stafford (throws), Fr. Phoenix Glaza (sprints), Fr. Ryan Orr (distance), Fr. Benjamin Stamm (pole vault), Fr. Christian Hudson (sprints). Outlook: The Bears graduated two of the most decorated track and field athletes in program history in Cam Whalen and Shane Smith, but Bowne looks for Stonington to continue have individual and team success at all levels, including at the conference and state meets. The Bears have experience throughout their lineup, but Bowne can't wait to see how some of his new athletes fit into the mix. St. Bernard Coach: Bill Schwarzenbach (4th year) Key returnees: Sr. Robbie Justice (middle distance), Sr. Dan Kelly (sprints), Sr. Burke Niles (shot put), Sr. Jonathan Foster (shot), Jr. Sean Power (distance, relays), Jr. James Babinski (distance, relays), Jr. Billy Niles (middle distance). Top newcomers: Sr. Sam Davis (sprints), Sr. Patrick Frechette (middle distance), Jr. Tucker Freeman (shot), Jr. Toby Xu (middle distance). Outlook: The Saints have 23 athletes, which allow Schwarzenbach to put together some strong relay teams. Power and Babinski, fresh off strong cross country seasons, will lead the distance crew while Kelly, Niles and Justice will lead the way in the sprints and middle distances. Other Grasso Tech Coach: Matthew Zagura (6th year) Key returnee: Sr. James Burton. Top newcomer: Sr. Kevin Duarte. Outlook: Burton will lead the Eagles' distance runners and Zagura expects to be able to field strong relay teams in the Connecticut Technical Conference.