Spring H.S. sports preview: Track and field

By PATRICK O’GRADY

Valley News Correspondent

Published: 04-27-2022 12:51 PM

Hanover

Coach: Steve McConnell (9th year).

League: NHIAA Division II.

Last year: 11th at state meet with Ella Maclean, now at Southern Connecticut University, winning the 100-meter dash.

Boys’ returners: Seniors — Taj Bagnato, Aidan Peterson, Sebastian Sangha, Pierce Seigne. Juniors — Noah Andrade, Patrick Elder, Rowen Hutchins, Mack Levy, Tom Mosdal, Jonathan Oriol, Ian Solberg, Luke Szczepiorkowski, Luke Welder. Sophomores — Aidan Bradley, Patrick Donegan, Lucian Gleiser; Joaquin Martin, Aiden Powell, Joshua Warner.

Girls’ returners: Seniors — Amelia Berthold, Emma Kleber, Jessica Lichtenstein, Charlotte Tagupa, Olivia Trummel. Junior — Daisy Onyango. Sophomores — Anna Aaron, Mia Bagnato, Erica Holmes, Emma Letendre, Eva Simpson, Sophie Wise.

Boys’ newcomers: Juniors — Aaron Matthews, Daniel Tate. Sophomore — Aaron Nyhan. Freshmen — Teddy Abbete, Ryan Faris, Rex Gleason, Abe Healey, Lionel Ndong, Alden Pope, Beckett Sobel, Nate Solberg, Gus Thompson, Alex Valentino, Andrew Valentino.

Girls’ newcomers: Senior — Ella Goodney. Junior — Katherine Valentino. Sophomores — Sarah Glueck, Lily Terry Ayla Wager. Freshmen — Annika Batt, Rosemary Candon, Penelope Collins, Heidi Davis, Amelia Henry, Amelia Holthoff, Kadia Lemay, Campbell Madden, Wyethe Murray, Claire Reder, Sadie Ross, Ella Tullar.

Analysis: “Buoyed by local voters approving renovations to our track, we have a large team this year,” McConnell said. “There are more than 60 athletes on the roster, with many newcomers. We are returning two school record holders in Pierce Seigne in the middle distance events and Ian Solberg in the high jump. We look forward to competing for a CVC Championship this year.”

Hartford

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Coach: Mike Perry (29th year).

League: VPA Division II

Last year: Boys 10th, girls 8th at Vermont State meet

Returners: Seniors — Kayla Burnham, MadiD’Amico, Bethany Davis, Bella Trombley. Juniors — Rocco Clough, Gavin Farnsworth, Megan Lang, Finn Walther. Sophomores — Jordan Davis, Jack Fournier-Stephens, River Maddox, Connor Rice, Ben Shepard.

Newcomers: Seniors — Olivia Chase, Chase Goodwin, Nora Knudsen. Juniors — Alan (AJ) Aldrich, John Cassell, Austin Defelice, Blaine Gour. Sophomores — Violet Goodwin, Gabe Guillette, Joey Knapp, Maxwell Portnoy, Adah Rose, Evan Simpeon, Alexander Smith. Freshmen — Macy Bettwieser, Jordan Castro, Brandon Driver, Harper Fallon, Nicola Husmann, Gavin Jones, Adrian Layne, Ayodele Lowe, Liam Mangiere, Janabeth Manley, Bennett Moreno, Sarah Nichols, AddysonPeduzzi, Nolan Pichtel, Charlie Rowe, Coda Scott, Dakota Smith, Logan White.

Analysis: “With a huge freshmen class (19) and the addition of the newcomers in the other grades, we have an all-around team,” Perry said.

Among those who Perry highlighted include freshman Ayodele Lowe and juniors Blaine Gour, John Cassell and AustionDefelice in sprints and jumps; AJAlrich, Rocco Clough and Brandon Driver throwing and Jordan Davis in multiple events. Gavin Farnsworth, Bennett Moreno, Jack Fournier-Stephens and Finn Walther come off a strong indoor season and Perry has a number of others who he says show a lot of promise.

For the girls, Olivia Chase, who also had strong indoor season, will give Hartford points in the throwing events with Violet Goodwin and MadiD’Amico.

Bethany Davis, Macy Bettwieser, Dakota Smith and Kayla Burnham are strong in distance events. Megan Lang will lead the jumpers and several others will make for a solid girls team.

Lebanon

Coach: Kevin Lozeau (9th year).

League: NHIAA Division II

Last year: Boys 14th in New Hampshire state meet, girls 13th.

Boys’ returners: Seniors — Griffin Gamache, Logan Johns, Nyeoti Punni, Sam Shipman, Jackson Stone. Juniors — Isaac Ager, Tanner Ames, Joshua Ball, Duncan Green, Birhanu Harriman, Carson Jones, Nicholas Lamontagne, Noah Lamontagne, Sam Nichols, Gerad Thornton, Tommy Wolfe. Sophomores — Conner Chinn, Ryle Isuga, Bradlee Smith, Zachary Thornton.

Girls’ returners: Seniors — Abby Baker, Zoe Chinn, Alyssa Graber. Juniors — Ava Ackerman, Claire Falcone, Ella Gessner, Isabella Hastings, Morgan Kantor, Vickie Ni. Sophomores — Phoebe Ballard, Norah Falcone, Isabel Vasquez.

Boys’ newcomers: Junior — Andrew Dannehy. Sophomore — Talan Patkul. Freshmen — Jun Chewning, Max Garland, Henry Jones, Doyen Kodiweera, Myles Nolan, Nicholas Petrucci, Orr Rabkin, Augustin Ramos-Glew, Chip Silver, Palmer Susco, Caleb Thornton, Houze (David) Zhou.

Girls’ newcomers: Senior — Henna Sefcik. Juniors — Azzlyn Arnold, Isabella Direnzo. Sophomores — Teresa Bagetis, Josephine Goodwin, Sophie Longacre, AavarikaNiroula, Nicole Suckow. Freshmen — Rebecca Ball, MeghanneCheevers, Summer Davis, Reese Hamilton, Laura Hines, Sophia Mladek, Molly Russell, Hailey Schibuola, Anya Zabski.

Analysis: The Raiders’ rosters for both girls and boys are the largest in years, and that is not only good for this season but years to come with more newcomers than returnees.

“The boys return three superstars in Nyeoti Punni, Jackson Stone and Birhanu Harriman,” Lozeau said. “Punni and Stone, both NCAA Division I commits, are capable of scoring many points in the sprints and long jump, while Harriman is coming off the best cross country season in Lebanon history and already broke the LHS indoor 3,000-meter record this past winter.”

Throwing, hurdles and pole vault are led with junior returners Tanner Ames and the Lamontagne twins. “Many talented newcomers could help the boys make a serious run at the NHIAA DII championship,” Lozeau said.

After a successful indoor season, Izzy Hastings leads a core group of talented returnees as she looks to continue her success in the high jump and distance races, where she’ll be joined by previous qualifier Zoe Chinn. Both Chinn and Phoebe Ballard will look to improve on their hurdle performances last season.

Mascoma

Coach: Tom Warner (16th year).

League: NHIAA Division III.

Last year: Mascoma had the boys division high hurdles champion at the state meet in senior Gabe Rock and Opal Shinnlinger was the division champion in shotput and discus at the state meet and second in shotput at the Meet of Champions.

Returners: Seniors — Meghan Clough, Peyton Morley, Opal Shinnlinger, Ella Barrett, Joshua Williams, Michael Loynds. Juniors — AlannaCilbrith, Elena Trempe, Rhiannon Stone, Garrett Giovignoli, Jack Buffington. Sophomores — Isabella Adams, Kara Miller, Cameron Jespersen-Pecor.

Newcomers: Senior — Hawkens Barton. Junior — Logan Gilmore. Sophomores — Tyler-Jay Mardin, Joshua Park. Freshmen — Ann Buffington, Jenny Lutz, Emily Brewster, Emma Colburn, KayleighDinsmore, Avery McDermott, Braelyn Stone, Brody Albanese, Brayden Cilbreth, Gunner Currier, Stevie DeFeliice, Trevor Maheu, Troy Loynds, Shane Loynds.

Analysis: Opal Shinnlinger looks to defend her shot put and discus titles.

“We have a large and strong freshman class that should garner points at the state meet, and the new upperclassmen will add depth to the throwing and sprinting events,” said Warner. “Looks like a good year.”

Mid Vermont Christian

Coach: Stan Nelson (2nd year).

League: VPA Division IV.

Last year: Did not receive a team score, not enough participants.

Returners: Juniors — Joel Roberts, Audrie Berman. Sophomore — Cossette Meloon.

Newcomers: Junior — Will Jones. Sophomore — Abel Goodwin. Freshmen — Alyssa Roberts, Noah Patel, Autumn Powell.

Analysis: “This year MVCS is adding several new students to our team, and we will be competing in more events to include relays,” Nelson said.

Newport

Coach: Peter J. (PJ) Lovely (7th year).

League: NHIAA Division III.

Last year: Boys were Division III state champions (first time since 1958); girls finished third.

Returners: Senior — Zeta Morris. Juniors — Ryan Nelson, Eric Wilkinson, Tim Fratzell. Sophomore — Kyle Ashley. Freshmen — Aaron Fellows, Taylor Fellows, Maddox Lovely.

Newcomers: Seniors — Hayden Palmer, Catie Almstrom. Sophomores — Jacob Baltazar, Emmah O’conner. Freshmen — Cameryn Simpson, Camden Pollari, Hunter Austin, Nevaeh Caron, Skylar Nelson, Torrence Williams, MyahBorcuk, Willow Booth, Mallory Cornish. Eighth graders — Connor Clark, Aidan Couitt, Bryce Palmer.

Analysis: Lovely highlighted Kyle Ashley in the throws and Eric Wilkinson in hurdles and mid distance and for the girls Maddox Lovely and Taylor Fellows who return as freshman after qualifying for the state meet as eighth graders.

“The girls are a young team and we look to a few other girls to round out the squad,” Lovely said. “Look for Torrence Williams in the relays, Neveah Caron and Skylar Nelson in the throws and Emma O’Conner in the javelin.”

Oxbow

Coach: Leslie Lamoureux (2nd year).

League: VPA Division III.

Last year: Boys 9th; girls 8th at Vermont state meet.

Returners: Senior — Sam Corti. Juniors — Hayden Palmer, Aidan Warner, Aidan Morse, Caide Covey, Michael Aldrich, Will Illsley, Calvin Carbee, NoellKoslowsky, MakenzieClogston, Makenna Smith. Sophomores — Maisa Cook, Dakota Goodspeed, Sophia Hayes.

Newcomers: Seniors, Matthew Hayes, Connor Mazzerella, Aliana Jarrett. Juniors — Ryland Cahill, Xavier Beaudin, Abby Carson, Isabelle Chen, Derek Vogelian (attends Rivendell). Sophomores — Matthew Corti, Hazel Fahey. Freshman — Ethan Emerson, Tanner Longmore, Jordan Williams, Isaac Craig, Andrew Barrett, Shane Morse, Cooper Burnett, Rueben Keefe, OdenSchlager, Liam O’Connell, Owen Andrus, Moses Andrews.

“With quite an increase in athletes, we are looking forward to this season,” Lamoureux said. “We have lots of newcomers and motivation to improve and work hard. With the help from our staff, there is without a doubt our season will be filled with PR’s (personal records) and record breaking effort.

Sharon

Coach: Blake Fabrikant (2nd year).

League: VPA Division IV.

Last year: Girls 5th in Vermont State Meet; boys did not score.

Boys’ returners: Sophomore — Zabrien McGee.

Girls’ returners: Senior — Eve Huntington. Junior — Freya Abbey.

Boys’ newcomers: Seniors — Jack Brandon, Riley Eastman, Daniel Henderson, Jaxon Nichols, Ever Tofel. Juniors — Caleb Benjamin, Jack Lloyd, Simon North. Sophomore — Isaac Piascik. Freshmen — Hayden Hewitt, Luke Miller, Sam Morris, Andrew North, Bryce Rikert.

Girls’ newcomers: Juniors — Maeve Miller, Phoebe Quackenbos, Lily Welch. Sophomores — Jay Braun, Esme Krauthamer, Dylan McCrory. Freshmen — Adi Alsup, Abby Chase, MaCallister Gray, Heaven Hastings, Avry Loftus, Maddie Mintz, Iris Puchalik, Ash Shipman, Elsa Skarsten.

Analysis: “We have the most robust team, numbers-wise, in program history,” said Fabrikant, echoing what several other coaches are saying about their roster this spring. “But a majority of the team is new to track and field, so it will take some time to navigate training and technique.”

Stevens

Coaches: CJ Gosselin (2nd year).

League: NHIAA Division III.

Last year: Boys 14th at Division III state meet; 4x100 relay team broke the school record from 2012 and were second at the state meet.

Returnees: Seniors — Dylan Chambers, Brynn Murphy, Zahna Rice, Jenna Bonneau. Juniors — Scott Campbell, Sam Dalke, Tori Dalke, Stella Lavertue.

Newcomers: Seniors — Alex Dyer, Bryce Jarvis. Juniors — Joar Figal, Devin Genes, Kayden LaClair, Alyssa Paquette, Jai Riberio, Aiden White, Blake Pond. Sophomores — McKenzie Baker, Maddie LaVarnway, Maddy Minckler. Freshmen — Bella Bovell, Nevaeh LeBlanc, Connor Miller.

Analysis: Stevens has added numbers to its roster this year, and unlike last year, when the Cardinals did not have someone competing in many events, this year’s the team will fill a majority of them, Gosselin said.

“We have strong leadership in our four captains with Dylan and Zahna handling sprints, Jenna in throwing, and Brynn taking on our mid to long distance,” Gosselin said. “This year’s team will be putting Stevens back in the talks for D3 track and field and I’m excited to be working with such a great group of kids and coaches. I expect a good amount to qualify for the D3 meet and a few to even make it to the Meet of Champions.”

Thetford

Coach: Emily Silver (20th year), Joel Breakstone (14th year).

League: VPA Division III.

Last year: Boys and girls won Division III at Vermont State meet championships.

Girls’ returners: Seniors — Kiran Black, Madison Powers. Juniors — Madelyn Durkee, Abby Egner, Jada Rich. Sophomores — Mary Bosco, Charlize Brown, Annie Hesser, Cecilia Luce, Zurael Star, Maddy Thaxton.

Boys’ returners: Seniors — Gus Byrne, Tobin Durham, Elliott Jones, Alex Kim, Mason Lefevre. Juniors — Finn Linehan, Harley Ransom. Sophomores — Chase Lefevre, Ben Mattern.

Girls’ newcomers: Senior — Macy Smith. Juniors — Olivia Hastings, Charlotte Remainis, Hannah Williams. Sophomore — Chenoweth Donohue. Freshmen — Maya Dixon, Ava Hayden, Adrian Kutter-Walker, Bianca Pulaski.

Boys’ newcomers: Juniors — TJBerecz, Gonzalo deCarvajalCebrian, Max Leibon, Alessandro Monticchio. Freshmen — Connor Gaine, Uly Junker-Boyce, Miguel Kutter-Walker, John Marshall, Liam Murphy, Hardy Payson, Ben Perron, Oliver Ransom, Evan Rich, Ramona Spelman, Isaac Yukica.

Analysis: We are fortunate to have a good mix of new and returning athletes. It will be exciting to see what the newcomers can do in competition,” Breakstone said. “Both teams look forward to competing for state titles. Windsor and Woodstock will provide stiff competition.”

White River Valley

Coach: David Mattern (12th year).

League: VPA Division IV.

Last year: Boys were State Champions; Girls were Runners Up.

Returners: Seniors — Hayden Howe, Braden Martin, Alaina Dodge, Taryn Nelson, Meredith Schumann, Wynter Simack. Juniors — Zach Armstrong, Colin LaFromboise, Kaziu Young, Claire Allen, Grace Collins, Jillian Barry. Sophomores — Noah Zitterkopf, Lillian Dumont, Anita Miller, Aliyah Nelson, Anna Stratton.

Newcomers: Seniors — Ricky Kenyon, Emily Bean. Juniors — Teddy Janczak, Edward Staples, Kiki Kenyon, Eleanor Prestridge. Sophomore — Amara Calhum-Flowers. Freshmen — Cory Darling-Salls, Hayden Mabey, Maggie Serviss, Norah Harwood, Madelyn Gibson, Hannah Collins, Lillianna Babcock.

Analysis: Last year, the Wildcats boys had first or second places finishes at the state meet in pole vault, javelin, shotput, discuss, and the 4x100, 400 and 800 while the girls were either first or second in triple jump, long jump, high jump, pole vault, javelin and the 800, 1,500 and 3,000.

With a core of returnees and a solid group of newcomers, the Wildcats will likely again be a force in Division IV.

“We have a motivated team this year and with the addition of 14 new athletes, we expect another solid showing,” Mattern said.

Windsor

Coach: Hannah Claire (2nd year).

League: VPA Division III.

Last year: Runners up in 2021 Vt. State Championships.

Returners: Seniors — Ben Gilbert, Kaleb Swett, Emmet Moeykens, Janiah Young. Juniors — Liam Attwood, Keegan Batchelder, Estella Attwood, Travis McAllister, Tydus Percy, Rodger Petermann, Logan Worrall. Sophomores — Kiara Wildgoose, Annie Preece, Miah McAllister, Olivia MacLeay, Gwen Ambrose.

Newcomers: Senior — Jonathan Dexter. Juniors — Ellynor Connolly, Audri Pettirossi, Annabell Vigneault. Sophomores — Madison Williams, Meranda Johnson, Rhaiven-Essense Kellogg, Anthony Cook, Corey Lockwood, Dante Roy. Freshmen — Hudson Ranney, Makayla Rondeau, Kamdin Ovitt, Sophia Rockwood, Ryan Hunt, Nicholas Harrison, Joey Gaudette, Gabriella Gilbert, Sophia Dufour, Tanner Crane, Brooklyn Currie, Arabella Cowdrey, William Blake, Brody Osgood.

Outlook: Windsor is another track program in the Upper Valley that has seen significant increase in numbers the last few years with twice as many athletes this spring versus last.

“As head coach I am very excited to see and continue this growth through the 2022 season, as many of our high school athletes will also be taking on a teaching role with our middle school team,” Claire said. “This year we have welcomed many new distance runners and a strong team of relay athletes. Along with these new student athletes, we also have many strong returning sprinters, jumpers and throwers who have set their sights on not only PRs (personal records), but school and state records.”

With last spring successful campaign, Claire predicts a competitive Yellowjackets team again.

Woodstock

Coach: Paul Bremel (3rd year).

League: VPA Division III.

Last year: Girls third, boys fourth at Vermont State meet.

Returners: Seniors — Jackson Martsolf-Tan, Quinn Giordano, Hannah Lockhart, June Dodson, Morgan Myers, Bronwyn Morris. Juniors — Aidan Reed, Zed McNaughton, Sam Leggett. Sophomores — Ezra Lockhart, Mac Abrams, Meridian Bremel, Logan Knox, Ella Stainton, Farren Stainton, Quinn Stickney.

Newcomers: Senior — Abass Issaka. Juniors — Danny Smith, Logan Sudol, Ariana Winawer-Stein. Sophomores — Django Farinas, Keller Pauly, Seamus Powers, Brooks Ruderman, Tori McNamara, Amelie Fabre. Freshmen — Isabel Cellini, Aidan Keough-Vella, Edwin Lynds, Ada Mahood, Eryn McGuire, Myra McNaughton, Allie Sanchez, Aubrey Seaman, Averill Stevens, James Underwood, Quinn Uva, Owen Courcey, Finn Farrell, Jack Quicker.

Analysis: “I’m not one for making projections about wins or losses, but I can tell you that my goal this year and every year is that this team will be exactly that: a team,” Bremel said. “If we can accomplish working together selflessly to inspire and encourage one another to be at our absolute best, then we’ve already won. We have a lot of new faces on this team and I hope we can continuously push each other to be better than we were yesterday at every practice and at every meet this season.”

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