When the Naugatuck Valley League indoor track and field championships were contested Friday night at New Haven’s Floyd Little Athletic Center, the team champions were no surprise.
After all, it’s the fourth year in a row that Naugatuck has swept both the girls and boys titles. The Greyhound girls tallied 121 points to second place Watertown’s 96 while the boys scored 113 to Derby’s 93.
The Woodland girls had the strongest finish, coming in third with 73 points. They were led by senior Faye Carnemolla, who won gold in the 1,000 (3:12.76) and 1,600 (5:27.54) meters and was named the meet’s outstanding senior and distance runner. Junior Leah Zainc took silver in the 3,200, as did the 4×800 and 1,600 sprint medley relay teams. The 4×800 team members were junior Natalie Muharem, freshman Alyssa Farr, junior Kayla Reyes and sophomore Ella Iannone. The 1,600 sprint team members were senior Kimmer Clovis, junior Chloe Babo, junior Eva Lynn and Muharem. The 4×400 relay claimed bronze with team members Lynn, senior Sophia Ligi, Clovis and Carnemolla.
The only other local girls gold came from St. Paul junior Mikayla Johnson, who took the top spot in the high jump at four feet, eight inches.
Holy Cross junior Kylie Dennis was a silver medalist in the 55-meter dash and 300, coming in only behind Naugatuck junior dynamo Lauren Kropo, who won three golds and broke three records as the meet’s outstanding sprinter/hurdler. Fellow junior Reagan Zupkus took bronze in the pole vault.
The Wilby 4×200 claimed bronze behind the team of junior My’Aisha Bosompra, sophomore Allyanna Anderson, junior Adrianna Dubose and sophomore B’Journ Wilson.
Crosby senior Candices Allen earned bronze in the 55 dash.
The lone area boys gold belonged to Holy Cross senior Mason Rountree, who tied for the top spot with Derby’s Quincy Carter in the 55 dash (6.67 seconds). Senior Joseph French-Graham was second in the high jump, finishing only behind Torrington senior standout Micheal Ahoua, who took gold in the high jump and long jump.
WCA had a pair of silver medal relays, the 4×800 and 1,600 sprint medley. The 4×800 was made up of sophomore Jordan Thomas, sophomore Nick Diaz, senior Mikael Isaacs and junior Tyrell Mason. The 1,600 sprint medley team was junior Joshua Smith-Myers, sophomore Jomar Ramirez, Isaacs and Thomas. Individually, Isaacs earned bronze in the 600 while Smith-Myers took bronze in the 55 dash.
Wolcott senior Daniel Cleary was a silver medalist in the pole vault, finishing only behind Seymour senior Zachary McKirryher, who broke the meet record on his way to gold. The Eagles also had a pair of silver medal relay teams, in the 4×200 and 4×400. The 4×200 was made up of junior Angel Dominguez, senior Edward Podzunas, senior Timothy Marshall and junior Joseph Finke. The 4×400 team was Cleary, sophomore Ethan Aviz, sophomore Tyson Brenes and Podzunas.
Woodland saw senior Gabriel Diamante take silver in the 3,200, finishing only behind two-time gold medalist Joseph DeLuise of Oxford, who was the meet’s outstanding distance runner. Junior Trevor Genthe was third in the 1,000.
Kennedy junior Dhonnivon Cosme earned bronze in the 55 hurdles.
