Boys repeat as champs
NEW HAVEN—Titles are nice. But reaching higher standards is what is important to the Bloomfield boys indoor track team.
The Warhawks captured their second consecutive Class S boys indoor track championship Friday night at the Floyd Little Athletic Center.
“It is nice to win back-toback Class S championships. But frankly it wasn’t our best day,” said Bloomfield coach Garfield White. “I think we were looking ahead a bit to (next week’s) State Open. On a scale of
100, I give us a 75. I believe we’ll see a better grade next week.”
Bloomfield finished the proceedings with 111 points to outdistance runnerup Haddam-Killingworth (51).
East Hampton (36) was third followed by Old Saybrook (28), SMSA (20), Windham and Weaver (18), East Catholic and Derby
(16) and Coginchaug (14). Bloomfield won the
4x400 and 4x200 relays, showcasing its speed and depth.
Although this was Bloomfield’s 6th Class S boys indoor crown since
2013, the last time the Warhawks took home a State Open indoor title was 2013.
“Our seniors aren’t happy,” White said. “Next week is what we’re waiting for.”
IRELAND WINS 1600
It was a memorable evening for East Hampton senior Jacob Ireland.
Ireland lost by .60 in the
1000 to Haddam-Killingworth junior Matt Jennings
(2:32.04). Jennings just missed the Class S record
of 2:32.02 set in 2010.
However, Ireland had the motivation and the energy to become the Class S champion in the 1600. Ireland (4:31.17) pulled away on the final two laps to outdistance runnerup Ryan Kittredge of Windsor Locks
(4:36.56).
East Hampton teammate Tomas Lopes finished in
4th place in 4:41.04.
“It feels amazing to be the Class S champ in the
1600. I was surprised I had as much left as I did after being runnerup in the
1000,” Ireland said. “I was the Class SS champion in cross country in the fall. It seems all that work got me in shape for this for indoor track season.”
The next goal for Ireland will be the State Open and a possible berth in the New Englands.
FIELD EVENTS
Old Saybrook’s Cody DeAngelo is a senior closing out his indoor track career the way he wants to.
DeAngelo is the Class S pole vault champion as he cleared 13-feet-6. Sam Wolf of Oxford cleared 13-feet-0, but missed on all three attempts at 13-6. Nick Rivard-Lentz of East Hampton took third, clearing
12-feet-6.
“Lots of guys posted personal best heights tonight. So this is great,” said DeAngelo, who failed on all three attempts at 13-feet-9. “I’m over the moon. To post personal best heights in back-to-back meets is insane. I have been working toward this all season.”
DeAngelo was the 2019 Class S runnerup as he cleared 13-feet-0, Coginchaug’s Hayden Rovelli was the 2019 Class S champ at
14-feet-0.
“It’s good to peak now. I was frustrated at points in the regular season,” said DeAngelo, who will pole vault at Stonehill College in the fall. “The school record is 14-feet-0 so I have something to aspire to at the State Open.”
It was a record smashing evening for Bloomfield senior shotputter Michael Campbell.
Campbell broke the Class S mark in the shot put by nearly four feet Friday. Campbell’s heave of 59feet-4.50 landed far beyond the old Class S record of
55-feet-7 set by Derby’s Enis Bukalo in 2001.
“I’m happy with this and the Class S record. But I think I have a big, big throw still to come,” said Campbell, who is still undecided on his college future in the event.
The shot put was a clean sweep Friday for Bloomfield as Moeth Gonzalez
(46-feet-6) was runnerup followed by Nathan Quinones (46-3) in third.
Campbell has the 60 feet barrier on his mind as well as the State Open mark of
62-feet-2 set by Andre Reid of South Windsor in 2001.
“I have some minor details to fix. The big difference in my improvement is on the mental side,” said Campbell, who was 5th in the 2019 Class S shot put. “I’m competing against myself to push my performance. The physical part is always there. My mentality is the key.”
BLOOMFIELD’S BODE A DOUBLE WINNER
Another critical factor in Bloomfield’s winning performance was Sean Dixon Bode.
The senior was the Class S champ in the high jump Friday as he cleared 6feet-6 to outdistance his Warhawks’ teammate Ajreal Anderson (6-feet-0).
“I could have done better my first two attempts but I made silly mistakes,” Dixon Bode said. “I still tied my career best. This title was important since this is my last time here as a senior.”
Dixon Bode fell short of the Class S record of 6feet-9 set in 2010. The State Open beckons.
“All my work has paid off,” Dixon Bode said. “I’m looking forward to the State Open.”
Bode is also the Class S champion in the long jump as he leapt 22-feet-9.25.
“I wanted to go out of the Class S meet with a bang. But this is terrible for me,” Dixon Bode said. “My first three jumps I was slipping down the runway. My last two jumps I wasn’t running fast enough. I will work harder for the State Open.”