BOYS OUTDOOR TRACK 25 CIAC PLAYERS TO WATCH

Editor’s note: Some of the stats to highlight each athlete’s content came from the last official track postseason (2019-20 indoor season), as well as the recent indoor dual meet results (in March) where applicable plus the recent national Meet of Champions in South Carolina.

Dangelo Aristilde, Norwich Free Academy, Jr.: Had a breakout sophomore season in the

2019-20 indoor season. He was ECC champion in the 55 (6.66) and runner-up in the 300

(37.28). He was the starting leg of a school record-setting 4x200m relay team (1:34.09) and finished seventh at Class LL in the 55 with a PR of 6.58.

Mason Beaudette, Amity, Jr.: He was third at the SCC cross country meet and ran a 16:39 PR in the 5K during the 2020 season. In a SCC indoor dual meet against Cheshire in March he won the 3200 (9:59.06) and won the 1600

(4:46).

Nicholas Bendtsen, Wolcott: At the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions he was sixth in the Championship Division 2-mile (9:00.86).

Matt Bigelow, Weston, Sr.: During the

2019-20 indoor season Bigelow won the pole vault (15 feet) at the CIAC State Open, at Class M won the pole vault (14-6), at the SWC meet won pole vault (15-0) and placed second in long jump (20-2).

Eamon Burke, Xavier, Jr.: His dedication to cross country and track during the pandemic has taken his development to an elite level. He was the SCC champion in cross country

(16:25) this past fall and ran 16:03.1 at the East Rock club championship. During the 2019-20 indoor season, he was third in the 3200 at Class L (9:47.37) and has a PR of 4:30.90 in the 1600.

John Cassol, Weston, Jr.: Last December he ran 7.9 seconds in the 55 hurdles at The Armory in New York and coach Matt Medve expects him to run faster. He was fourth in the

55 hurdles (8.05) at the 2019-20 indoor meet. Devin Cue, Wilbur Cross, Sr.: A strong work ethic and consistent development have Cue poised for a strong season in the sprints. At the recent SCC indoor dual meets he won in the 55 dash (6.63) and the 300 (37.71).

Azaan Dawson, Fairfield Prep Sr.: This past indoor season he ran a personal best at the Virginia Beach National meet with a

4:14.53 mile and a 9:15.36 2 mile mark at the Showdown and the Adidas Nationals meet.

Ryan Farrell, Cheshire, Sr.:At the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions, he was second in the Championship Division 800 (1:55.92) and third in the Emerging Elite Division 400

(50.59).

Ryan Grucka, Stonington, So.: Last indoor season, Grucka was sixth at the class M meet and qualified for the state open in the mile running 4:34.37 as a freshman. That time put him in the top ten nationally for freshmen according to coach Ben Bowne. Recently, Grucka went to Chicago and competed unattached and ran 4:37.

Ralphael Hawkins, Hillhouse, Jr.: At two SCC indoor dual meets in March, he won the

55 hurdes (6.84), won the 600 (1:41.65) and won the 300 (37.21).

Israel Henriqres-Setho, Hall, Sr.: In the

2019-20 indoor season at Class LL he was third in the long jump (20-10.25) and ran a leg of the second place 4x400 relay team

(3:31.91) to help Hall win the team title.

Matt Jennings, Haddam-Killingworth, Sr.: At the recent indoor season in the Shoreline Conference North meet he led the Cougars to the team title running legs of the winning

4x400 and Sprint Medley relays. He has broken several school records including the 1000,

1600, and 3000. Coach Dick Dupuis said Jennings has two key qualities that carried him throughout his career at HK — his basic speed and his competitive spirit. He has committed to Yale.

Charles King, Ridgefield, Sr.: A long distance runner, in the 2019-20 indoor season he won the 1000 at the Class LL meet in 2:36.19. The improving runner won the 2020 FCIAC Central Region Boys Cross Country 5-kilometer meet in 16:09.8.

Jason Lorent, Shelton, Sr.: During the

2019-20 indoor season at the State Open he was second in the 300 (35.45) and at Class LL he was third in 36.46. At the SCC dual meet indoor season in March, he had wins in the 55 dash (6.47) and the 300 (35.94).

Jack Martin, Avon, Jr.: A natural runner, at the New England meet in the 2019-20 indoor season, he won the 1-mile run (4:16.90, school’s first New England champion in indoor track), at State Open won the 1600 (4:19.16), at Class M won 1600 (4:19.82), at CCC meet won the 1000 (2:34.25).

Gary Moore, Hillhouse, Jr.: In the 2019-20 indoor season at the New England meet he was 12th in shot put (51-7.75), at State Open third in shot put (51-2.75), and at Class L won the shot put (52-8.75) and ran a leg of the winning 4×400 relay (3:29.73).

Patrick Oatman, RHAM, Sr.: His expertise is with the pole vault and has developed into one of the top pole vaulters in the state. In the

2019-20 indoor season he was tied for second in the event at Class M (14 feet) and tied for third at the State Open (13-0).

Nikita Omelchenko, WiIbur Cross Jr.: The versatile runner is coming off a strong SCC indoor dual meet season with wins in the 600

(1:28.67), the 1000 (2:40), 1600 (4:58.40) and 3200 (10:24.38).

Aidan Puffer, Manchester, Jr.: During the

2019-20 indoor season, at the New England meet he was second in the 2-mile run

(8:58.10), at State Open second in the 3200

(8:54.47), at Class LL second in 3200

(9:06.06), and at the CCC meet second in

1600 (4:17.04). Recently at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions he was fourth in the Championship Division 2-mile (8:55.66).

Jack Reynolds, Fairfield Ludlowe, Sr.: His expertise is in the high jump and coach Justin Tomczyk said because of his work ethic and development he expects further improvement this season. In the 2019-20 indoor season at Class LL he was fourth in the high jump with a height of 6-0.

Brody Santagata, Xavier, Jr.: He was the SCC runner-up in cross country (16:49) last fall and ran 16:33.2 at the East Rock club championship. He finished 10th in the 3200 at Class L in the 2020 indoor season (10:12.21). He was eighth in the Emerging Elite Division

2-mile (9:37.64) at the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions.

Callum Sherry, Conard, Jr.: A standout athlete in cross country, during the 2020 indoor track season he won the 3200 (9:33.20) at the CCC meet and was fourth in the 3200 at the State Open (9:27.06) and the Class LL meet (9:35.24). At the New Balance Games he was third in the 2-mile (9:23.17).

Gavin Sherry, Conard, Sr.: A cross country standout, during the 2020 indoor track season at the New England meet he won the 2-mile run (8:53.25), at the State Open won the 3200

(8:54.47, meet/state record), at Class LL won the 3200 (9:06.06, meet record), at CCC meet won the 1600 (4:15.72, meet record). He was named GameTimeCT All-State indoor MVP.

Kory Steele, Bloomfield, Sr.: During the

2019-20 indoor season in the long jump, he was third at Class S (21-8.75) and third at the State Open (21-9.5) and contributed to Bloomfield’s Class S and State Open team titles. He has a personal best of 23 feet in the long jump and 48-8 in the triple jump.