Danbury takes team title
NEW BRITAIN — There is nothing better than making history.
The Danbury High School girls outdoor track team took another grand step on their 2019 journey Monday as the Hatters captured the team title at the 2019 State Open Championship at Willowbrook Park.
Danbury, the FCIAC and Class LL champions, took home the championship plaque for the first time since the Hatters won three consecutive girls crowns
(2008-2010). Danbury, the 2017 Open runnerup, finished the sunny and windy proceedings with 58 points. Windsor (43) was second followed by Bloomfield (38) and NFA (32).
“Nothing is ever certain until the girls step on the starting line. I’m so proud of the girls effort,” said Danbury coach Nick Fraticelli. “They carried a great season forward today.”
Bloomfield High, which had won Open crowns in
2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017 were strong in the sprinting events just like Danbury.
But fate did intervene for Danbury.
Bloomfield’s Terry Miller, the Class S champion in the
100 dash, 200 and 400, won the 100 meter dash prelims in a state record time of
11.64. However, the wind was above 2.8 mph keeping the mark out of the history books.
However, in the 100 meter dash final, Miller false started and was eliminated from the field. Canton’s Chelsea Mitchell won the
100 meter dash in a windaided 11.67.
Miller did return to win the 200 in 24.33 and ran a leg in Bloomfield’s victorious 4x400 relay.
But the 10 lost points coming eatrly as they did was a psychological boost to Danbury’s quest for the Open title.
“We tell the girls ‘Let the coaches worry about the math.’ I just want the girls to run,” coach Fraticelli said. “The rest is out of their control.”
With every point precious Monday, Danbury freshman Alanna Smith contributed 22 points to the Hatters cause.
She is the Open champi
on in the 400 (55.73) ahead of Bloomfield senior Jillian Mars (56.73). Smith added third place finishes in the
100 meter dash (12.04) and
200 (25.01).
“Alanna understood exactly what we were asking her to do,” Fraticelli said. “She’s such a tough girl. Even though she’s a freshman. She was prepared emotionally and physically for this. She compartimentalizes her races very well.”
Danbury’s Meilee Kry paced the effort in the field events as she won the triple jump by leaping 38-feet-3.25 inches. St. Joseph’s Kayla Clark was runnerup at
37-feet-0. Kry also took fourth place in the long jump at 18-2.75.
Bloomfield did little damage in the field events.
“Anxiety got to me last year at the State Open,” Kry said, proudly wearing her two medals. “This year I relaxed and I focused. The secret with our team is we do everything for each other. We are all about making history for our school.”
Danbury’s Daniella Grullon-Pena chipped in four big insurance points by gutting her way to fourth place in the 3200. The Hatters’ 4x400 relay took third place, taking the sting out of Bloomfield’s meet-closing victory.
The Hatters’ 4x100 relay along with Jaylyn Carter (100 meter hurdles) finished sixth for three points each.
It was a memorable afternoon for Ludlowe High School’s Tess Stapleton,
The sophomore is the State Open champion in the long jump. She won at
18-feet, 9 inches to edge Canton’s Chelsea Mitchell
(18-7).
“I’ve always considered the long jump my favorite event. So earning my first state title in the event is a huge weight off my back,” Stapleton said. “I knew I had it in me.”
Stapleton was third in the long jump at the 2018 State Open. She was runnerup in the long jump at both the FCIAC and Class LL championships this season.
“The key today was I didn’t foul on any of my six jumps,” said Stapleton, who is planning on competing at both Saturday’s New England Championship in Saco, Maine and at the Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. three days after that. “I love stepping up in the biggest meets of the year. I feel like I snuck up on people a bit today.”
Stapleton doubled her pleasure as he won the 100 meter hurdles in 14.10, well ahead of runnerup Raven Jarrett of New Britain
(14.89). Stapleton was also top qualifier (14.37) in the
100 meter hurdles prelims. “My time in the hurdle prelims (14.37) and the winning time in the final
(14.10) were a complete shock,” Stapleton said. “It was a personal best time for me by .5 second. That’s huge in this event.
“These meets at the end of the year make it hard to be a student-athlete,” Stapleton continued. “I was up late Sunday night writing a paper. And I finished it in homeroom Monday morning. Then I got on the bus for the meet. The good news was all that didn’t allow me to overthink things and pore over competitor’s times like I usually do the night before a big meet. I’m looking forward to New Englands (Saturday). there won’t be any distractions except for the long drive.”
Immaculate High senior Angela Seidman won both the 1600 and 3200 at last week’s Class S Championships.
She closed out her Connecticut prep career with a marvelous victory in the 1600. After much consideration following her triumph, Seidman elected not to run in the 3200. She is qualified to run the 1600 at Saturday’s New Englands.
Seidman forced the pace the opening two laps, dropped into third place on lap three then flashed a devastating final lap to take the 1600 in 4:57.17.
“It was more about getting good position early. I knew the field was so talented that I had to be ready when the big moment (to kick home) arrived,” Seidman said. “I’m happy with that very fast 1600 time. My four years at Immaculate flew by and I’m determined to end my career on a very high note.”
It is great motivation at a State Open to embrace the
idea of being the best in Connecticut in an event.
But for Old Saybrook High junior Grace Hanratty, there was another big factor.
To be the best runner in her family.
Grace Hanratty earned bragging rights at the family dinner table as she raced to victory in the 800 meters.
Her winning time of 2:12.33 held off the Immaculate High duo of Taylor Mascetta (2nd, 2:14.01) and Molly Coyle (3rd, 2:14.79).
Her brother, Luke Hanratty placed fifth in the Open boys 800 in 1:56.15.
“Yes, I’ll be showing Luke my gold medal tonight at dinner,” Grace Hanratty laughed. “We are so competitive. When I realized he qualified for New Englands, I realized I had to do it as well. I couldn’t let Luke be the only one going Saturday.
“It’s so special to be State Open champion. I’m so grateful for the support I get from the coaching staff, my teammates and my entire family,” Grace Hanratty continued. “Running is a lifestyle. And the hard work paid off for me.”