
Four area athletes competed at the CIAC decathlon Wednesday. From left to right, Canton’s Amber Harraden, Maggie Archangelo, Avon’s Carly Carpino and Hayley Dougela. (Photo courtesy Samantha Harraden)
NEW BRITAIN, June 14 – Avon High junior Carly Carpino broke her own school record in the CIAC heptathlon Wednesday finishing third – the highest ever finish for a Falcon athlete in the event.
Canton’s Amber Harraden, still slightly limping with a strained Achilles tendon that she injured at the NCCC championship meet about three weeks ago, finished ninth to give the Canton High girls program their highest finish in the heptathlon at New Britain’s Willow Brook Park.
Harraden also set a new school record for Canton with her 3,571 points, breaking the old mark set by Lucy Tanner in 2015.
In other events in New Britain, Canton junior Aidan O’Donnell cut 30 seconds off his best time in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and finished seventh in 10:21.35. That was just 0.35 of a second away from a medal and All-State status that goes to the top six finishers in each event.
Carpino had a solid second day in the heptathlon with a pair of top five finishes. She was third in the long jump in 16-10¾ and fifth in the javelin with a throw of 87 feet, 2 inches. She concluded the event by taking 14th in the 800 meters in 2:40.11 for a school record 3,957 points. Carpino had top five finishes in four of seven events. A year ago, she earned 3,367 points when she finished 12th.
Manchester’s Elizabeth Lodge had the early lead after day one, winning two of four events. But Griswold’s Kalli Ann Botelho was able to rally and beat Lodge by 99 points with a 4,270 to 4,171 victory.
Harraden finished fourth in the javelin with a throw of 90-1 feet. She was 13th in the 800 meters and 16th in the long jump. On Tuesday, she had a personal-best leap of 4-10¼ in the high jump.
Canton’s Maddie Archangelo and Avon’s Hayley Dougela each made it back to day two as one of the top 32 finishers after day one. Archangelo’s best effort on day two was finishing 19th in the javelin while Douglea was 22nd in the long jump and javelin.
Archangelo finished 19th overall while Douglas finished in 27th place.
CIAC heptathlon
At New Britain
Overall results: 1. Kalli Ann Botelho, Griswold 4,270, 2. Elizabeth Lodge, Manchester, 4,171, 3. Carly Carpino, Avon, 3957, 4. Sophia Podeszwa, Waterford 3837, 5. Amanda Kaufman, Somers 3706.
Other area results: 9. Amber Harraden, Canton, 3571; 19. Maddie Archangelo, Canton, 3149, 27. Hayley Douglea, Avon, 2963
Individual results
Day 1
200 meters: 5. Carpino (27.03), 12. Harraden (28.06),14. Archangelo (28.24), 48. Dougela (30.84)
100 hurdles: 3. Carpino (15.50), 22. Dougela (17.89), 23. Archangelo (18.02), 37. Harraden (19.09)
High jump: 3. Dougela (5-0¼). 6. Harraden (4-10¼), 11. Archangelo (4-8¼), 20. Carpino (4-6¼)
Shot: 2. Harrarden (33-01), 15. Carpino (26-0¾), 21. Archangelo (25-1¾), 39. Dougela (22-7 ¼)
Day 2
Long jump: 3. Carpino (16-10¾), 16. Harraden (14-8¾), 22. Dougela (14-0¼), 30. Archangelo (13-5)
Javelin: 4. Harraden (90-01), 5. Carpino (87-02), 19. Archangelo (65-06), 22. Dougela (57-11)
800: 13. Harraden (2:39.89), 14. Carpino (2:40.11), 21. Archangelo (2:45.38), 24. Dougela (2:52.42)
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 30 years.


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