The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Xavier boys, Shelton girls capture conference titles
NEW HAVEN — Stylz Mitchell had two individual wins and Alexander Ushchak, Owen Martin and John Larkin each had a win to lead Xavier to its second straight boys team title with 100 points at the SCC Indoor Track Championships at Floyd Little Athletic Center on Saturday.
Ushchak won the 1000 (2:34. 61), Mitchell won the 55 dash (6. 59) and 300 (35.39), Martin won the 1600 (4:23. 60) and John Larkin won the 3200 (9:38.79). The Falcons also won the 4x800 relay (8:17. 57).
Hillhouse was second with 60 points and Lyman Hall was third with 49.
In the girls championships, which had a little controversy, Audrey Kozak and Hannah Andrejczyk each had a pair of individual wins to lead Shelton to its first SCC team title with 81 points. Hillhouse was second with 79 points and Mercy was third with 55.
“This was a great win for us, all the girls worked so hard and did a good job,” Shelton coach Gary Schmidlin said. “They just pulled everything together for this. Audrey and Hannah came through with some big wins, but our depth was the key.:
Kozak won the high jump (5-2) and long jump (18-1). Andrejczyk won the 1600 (5:05.15, meet record) ad 3200 (10: 58.75).
For the Xavcier boys, it’s their first back-toback SCC titles since 199899 and seventh overall.
“The SCC indoor track meet is always a challenge
to win,“Xavier coach Chris Stonier said. “In some cases it’s more difficult than the (CIAC) class meets. This meet provides a great opportunity for solid competition that prepares you for the state meets.
“Everything went well for us today. One change turned out to be a good move for us. Larkin usually runs in relays and he was supposed to run in the 4x800. I knew he would do well if he ran in the 3200. I took him out of the 4x800, convinced him to run in the 3200 and he came through with a big win.”
Mitchell, the boys meet Most Outstanding Performer, won for the first time.
“I was surprised I did so well, “Mitchell said. “My teammates have really been pushing me in practice and it paid off.”
Controversy in girls 55
In the girls 55 dash, Leonaya Knox of Hillhouse missed the preliminary race that qualifies a runner for the final because she was competing in the long jump.
Usually, if a runner misses the preliminary race they forfeit the chance to get to the final. But due to an overruling by SCC Commissioner Al Carbone, Knox ended up running in the final and won in 7.31 and Kozak was second in 7.33.
“When they wouldn’t let Leonaya run in the 55, I filed a protest with the jury of appeals,” Hillhouse coach Gary Moore said. “The only reason I did that is the same thing happened at the SCC West Sectional meet and they let runner get to the final. So I took a shot. I expected them to say Leonaya couldn’t run, maybe use it as a learning experience for her. I decided to take a shot since it happened in the West Sectional.”
The jury of appeals voted not to let her compete in the final but Carbone overruled the decision allowing Knox to run in a second preliminary race by herself.
“I always try to do what is in the best interest of the student,” Carbone said. “I overturned the decision because I didn’t think it was right to penalize an athlete in that situation.”