Amity’s Mason Beaudette.
Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media
Editor’s note: Some of the stats to highlight each athlete’s content came from the last official track postseason (2019-2020 indoor track season), as well as the recent indoor dual meet results (in March) where applicable plus the recent national Meet of Champions that was held in South Carolina.
Dangelo Aristilde, Norwich Free Academy, Jr.
He had a break-out season as a sophomore in the 2019-2020 indoor season. He was the 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). He finished seventh at Class LL in the 55 with a PR of 6.58. Coach Tom Teixeira said he “possesses outstanding quickness and explosiveness.”
Mason Beaudette, Amity, Jr.
Coach Gary Pope expects the strong distance runner to make an impact after an impressive cross country season. He was the third-place finisher 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 in South Carolina he was sixth in the Championship Division 2-mile (9:00.86). During the 2019-2020 indoor season at the State Open he was third in the 3200 (9:18.36).
Matt Bigelow, Weston, Sr.
During the 2019-2020 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). He is focused on breaking the record this season and has committed to continue his track and field career at Maryland.
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 2019-2020 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. At the recent USAF USA Meet of Champions in South Carolina he was third in the Emerging Elite Division 2-mile (9:18.41).
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 2019-2020 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.
Another solid outdoor and indoor distance runner in the state, in the 2019-2020 indoor season he was second in the 1600 (4:24.38) and at the State Open took third in the 1600 (4:22.75). 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. He has committed to Virginia Tech.
Ryan Farrell, Cheshire, Sr.
In the 2019-2020 indoor season, at the State Open he won the 600 (1:23.54) and at Class L he was third in the 600 (1:24.01). At the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions in South Carolina, 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. This was his first competitive mile since last year’s State Open.
Ralphael Hawkins, Hillhouse, Jr.
Helped lead the Academics to the Class L title in the 2019-2020 season with wins in the 55 dash (6.59) and 300 (36.33). 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 2019-2020 indoor season at Class LL he was third in the long jump (20-10.25) and ran a leg of the second place 4×400 relay team (3:31.91) to help Hall win the team title.
Matt Jennings, Haddam-Killingworth, Sr.
In the 2019-2020 indoor season, at the State Open he was second in the 1000 (2:29.56) and at Class S he won the 1000 (9:32.04). At the recent indoor season in the Shoreline Conference North meet he led the Cougars to the team title running legs of the winning 4×400 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 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 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). At the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions in South Carolina, he won the Championship Division shot put with a throw of 60-4, was fourth in the Championship Division hammer throw (189-2) and fifth in the Emerging Elite Division discus (149-6).
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 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 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 in South Carolina 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 2019-2020 indoor season at Class LL he was fourth in the high jump with a height of 6-0. He has a personal best of 6-2.
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 in South Carolina.
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). More recently he was second in the Championship Division 5000 at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions in South Carolina.
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. At the recent NSAF USA Meet of Champions in South Carolina, he was second in the Championship Division 1-mile (4:11.05) and fifth in the Championship Division 2-mile (8:57.67).
Kory Steele, Bloomfield, Sr.
During the 2019-2020 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.
