The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Robertson, Weiner, Hergott collect State Open crowns
NEW HAVEN — Shalisha Robertson of Hillhouse (shot put), Ellison Weiner of Weston (pole vault) and Christopher Hergott of Hamden (long jump) — all of whom specialize in one event — earned the trifecta of victories this season with wins in their respective league meets, their respective class meets and, on Saturday, at the CIAC State Open.
Robertson won the shot put in the SCC Championship meet (366.75), the Class L meet (37-4.75) and State Open (39-6.25) at the Floyd Little Athletic Center.
Robertson, a junior, normally competes in sprints and the long jump. but she has been focusing on the shot put since suffering a hamstring injury the third meet of the season.
“It’s been a good postseason for me and I’m satisfied,” Robertson said. “But I know I could have had better distances if I didn’t have the hamstring injury.”
Her personal best indoor is 41 feet, 6 inches. “I was throwing in the 40s early in the season but since the injury I’ve been throwing in the 30s,” she said. “I’m feeling a lot better, but I’m still getting therapy for the hamstring. “My throws have been improving and today I got to 39 feet, so it is improving. My goal is to get to 45 feet and break the school record. I figure I will be back to 100 percent by the outdoor season.“
Weiner won the pole vault at the SWC meet (11-0), Class M meet (11-6) and State Open (12-0).
“I was trying to get over 12 feet today, I have been stuck on that number,“Weiner said. “But it is a fun feeling every time you win. They don’t have the pole vault at the New England meet, so this is a good stepping stone to the national meet.“
Hergott won the long jump at the SCC meet (22-6.5), Class LL (22-4) and State Open (22-7.25).
Hall boys, Bloomfield girls win team titles
The defending champion Hall boys won the State Open team title with 66 points, Greenwich was second with 30 and Xavier third with 29.
“The boys have been firing on all cylinders this season,“Hall coach Jeff Billing said. “They love competition. Our goal was to get to 71 points as a team in the State Open, which has not been done in 30 years. We got close.“
The Bloomfield girls won the
title with 47 points, Glastonbury was second with 41 and Greenwich was third with 35.
“We knew we had a shot to win the title, but everything had to fall in place,“Bloomfield coach Anne Burrows said. “We had nice depth with our seniors and our underclassmen came through for us today.“
Knox has solid meet
The 55 hurdles is Hillhouse’s Leonaya Knox’s primary event, which she won in 8.06. She was also third in the 55 dash in a personal best 7.22.
“Even though I was third in the 55 dash, I’m happy with the way it turned out today,“Knox said. “Winning the hurdles and getting a PR in the dash were two good things for me. I have come to understand every time you are on the track it is you against the clock. When you beat the clock it is always a good thing.“
Broderick game plan pays off
Parker Broderick of Fairfield Warde wanted very badly to win the 1600 and figured there was one way to get it done.
“If I wanted to win, I knew I had to lead the runners and set the pace,“said Broderick, who took the lead in the second lap. “I was feeling good and the pace was good for me. My late kick is my strength, so going into the last corner I took off and ran hard“.
Dissa wins his first state title
Soheib Dissa of Newtown, who won the 1000 in 2:34.41, was ecstatic after the race.
“I cant believe it, this is my first state championship, it feels great,“Dissa said. “I stayed back in the beginning of the race and let the runners in front work and set the pace. In the middle of the race I kicked and moved up to the front pack of runners.
“The last lap I felt good so I kicked hard and took off. This feels great.“
Other winners
Gianluca Biancha of Greenwich won the 300 in 34.89, Bardh Thaci of Old Saybook won the shot put with a throw of 53-8.5, Lucas Williams of Ridgefield won the pole vault with 15-0 and Collin Walsh of New Milford won the 3200 in 9:20.49.
CIAC State Open Girls Team Scores:
1 Bloomfield 472 Glastonbury 41, 3 Greenwich 354 Windsor 34,5 Conard 30 6 Shelton 287 Hillhouse 26 8 E.O. Smith 24, 9 Lyme-Old Lyme 16, 10 Newington 11,10 Wilton 11, 12 Bethel 10.3333,13 Lewis Mills 10, 13 Newtown 10, 13 Weston 10, 16 Naugatuck 917 Hall 817 Coginchaug 817 Old Saybrook 820 Fairfield Warde 720 Sacred Heart Academy 7 22 New London 6,22 New Canaan 6 22 Career Magnet 6 22 Wilbur Cross 6 22 Cheshire 6 22 Woodland 6 28 Fairfield Ludlowe 4.3333329 Joel Barlow 4 29 Norwich Free Academy 4 29 Darien 4 29 New Milford 4 33 Ridgefield 334 Maloney 2.33333 35 New Fairfield 2 35 Lauralton Hall 2 35 Hartford Public 2 35 Trumbull 2 39 East Lyme 1 39 Simsbury 1 39 Danbury 1 39 Manchester 1 39 Lyman Memorial 1
Boys Team Scores:
1 Hall 662 Greenwich 303 Xavier 294 Ridgefield 285 Stonington 226 Hillhouse 186 Amity 188 Staples 178 Simsbury 1710 E.O. Smith 1611 Windsor 14 12 Hamden 12 12 Fairfield Warde 12 14 Shelton 11 15 Old Saybrook 10 15 New Milford 10 15 Newtown 10 15 Tolland 10 19 Danbury 8 19 Bloomfield 8 19 Fairfield Ludlowe 819 St. Paul Catholic 819 Enfield 819 Lewis Mills 819 Lyme-Old Lyme 826 Killingly 627 Branford 527 Suffield 527 Naugatuck 527 Ledyard 531 North Haven 431 Hale Ray 431 Wilton 431 Daniel Hand 431 Notre DameWest Haven 436 East Lyme 236 Bristol Eastern 236 Harding 236 Bristol Central 240 Woodstock Academy 140 Ellington 140 Lyman Hall 140 Southington 140 Trumbull 1