The Foran indoor boys’ and girls’ track teams got to compete for the first time in over a year when coach Pete Jambor’s squads took on Jonathan Law at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.
“They were so glad to be competing, getting on the track, seeing other kids,” Jambor said. “Everyone did fine. It was a good experience and I’m happy they were able to get back to it. Our Board of Health liked the idea that the two Milford schools would be going to Floyd Little and competing against each other.”
The meet with Law was broken in half on March 8. The teams began at 5 and left around 6:30 with another two teams waiting to come in. Half the running events were held along with field events shot put. high jump, pole vault and long jump. The other running events, along with more field events, will take place when the meet concludes on Sunday in New Haven.
“They have really grown as athletes,” Jambor said. “Brett Dumais is our No. 1 pole vaulter, who kept it up by going to clinics. It was a good meet for him.” A senior, Dumais placed first in the pole vault and was third in the 55-meter hurdles (9.46).
“Nate Huebner is a hybrid in a sense because he does the hurdles, ran a real good 600 (third place) and he is our best miler at this point,” Jambor said of his junior who was second in the 1600 (5:44.74). “He has a good combination of speed and endurance.”
Junior Ava Steigbigel was first in the pole vault (8-0) and fourth (8.35) in the 55-meter dash.
Jambor said: “Ava matched her personal best from last year in the pole vault. She also stepped in and ran the 55-dash and had the fastest time of all our girls. Nora Hayes (second place 1600 meter), Arezoo Ghazagh (third place 600 meter), Austin Murphy (third place shot put), Mia Coppola (third place shot put) and Kevin Chen (third place 1600 meter) all had good meets.”
Jambor was happy with the turnout.
“We met virtually in the preseason and when workouts were allowed went outside when the snow melted. The season should have started in early December and many kids opted out from the start,” he said. “They didn’t feel comfortable or their parents didn’t feel comfortable. Some left when they weren’t sure if there was going to be a season. I usually end up with 50 kids. I think by the time of the Law meet we had 28. This is a good time to bond, as most of the kids that stayed will also be on outdoor team.”
Girls roundup: Junior Ava Steigbigel was fourth (8.35) in the 55-meter dash. Senior Kayleigh Hackett was seventh (8.40), freshman Jillian Junga ninth (8.56), sophomore Anna Harris 10th (8.97), freshman Emily Martuottolo 12th (9.25) and freshman Erin Schmitt 15th (9.71).
Freshman Nora Hayes placed second in the 1600. Junior Arezoo Ghazagh was fifth (7:30.25) and junior Quincy Ercanbrack sixth (8:25.20).
Sophomore Mia Coppola placed third (20:07.25) in the shot put.
Ghazagh was third in the 600 with a time of 2:00.80. Junga was fifth (2:02.43), senior Iris Chen eighth (2:17.63), junior Rylee Tondora ninth (2:18.42), Hackett 10th (2:19.78), Martuottolo 11th (2:19.87) and Ercanbrack 12th (2:33.73).
Boys roundup: Sophomore Joe DeFreitas was fifth in the long jump (13-06). Sophomore Andrew Richetelli was sixth (13-02) and freshman Joshua Cummings was ninth (9-09).
Junior Nathaneal Huebner placed second with a time of 5:44.74 in the 1600. Junior Kevin Chen was third (5:46.55), junior Damon Downs sixth (6:01.67) and Cummings eighth (6:44.53).
Senior Austin Murphy was third in the shot put (27-01.50).
DeFreitas was 10th in the 55-meter dash (7.75). Chen was 13th (8.03), sophomore Connor Nieman 14th (8.06) and Richetelli 16th (8.78).
william.bloxsom@hearstmediact.com Twitter: @blox354