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Carpino takes third in 100 hurdles at State Open; Mitchell finishes fourth in 100

Avon’s Carly Caprino, shown clearing a hurdle at the Class MM championship meet last week, took third at the State Open in the 100 hurdles.

NEW BRITAIN, June 4 – Avon High’s Carly Carpino has been trying to run the 100 meter hurdles in less than 15 seconds all season long. She finally eclipsed that mark on Monday at the State Open track and field championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Carpino broke her own school record in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.94 seconds to finish third at the State Open – the first Avon girl to earn a medal in hurdles at the Open. Carpino also finished seventh in the 300 hurdles.

Canton sophomore Chelsea Mitchell broke the school record in the 100 meters and finished fourth to earn a spot at Saturday’s New England championships at the University of New Hampshire. It is the highest finish ever for a Canton girl at the State Open.

Canton freshman Julia Caputo earned a trip to the New England meet with a sixth place finish in the 3,200 meters while the Canton 4×100 relay team also earned a trip to the New England championship with a stunning fifth place finish. The top six finishers earn invitations to the New England meet.

Carpino came into the meet as the two-time Class MM champion in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.

“I was really happy how I ran because I finally broke 15 (seconds in the 100 hurdles) which I have wanted to do all season,” she said. “Having good competition helped, especially in the finals. It really helped me and pushed me.”

State Open girls 100 meter hurdles, courtesy of GameTimeCT

Canton’s Chelsea Mitchell took fourth in the 100 meters — the best-ever finish for a Canton girl at the State Open.

Northwest Catholic’s Katherine Jacobs won the State Open title in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.50 seconds with Griswold’s Kalli’ana Botelho taking second in 14.72. Carpino was third and she beat Ellington’s Savanna Macluso (14.95) by 0.01 of a second.

Carpino had a time of 46.72 seconds in the 300 hurdles. She is going to pass on the New England championships to rest and prepare for next week’s CIAC heptathlon. Last year, Carpino was third with 3,957 points. Botelho won it with 4,270 points.

Mitchell broke her own school record in the 100 meters with a time of 12.26 seconds in the preliminary round, beating Cromwell’s Andraya Yearwood (12.39). But in the final, Bulkeley’s Terry Miller set a new state record with her time of 11.75 seconds with Yearwood taking second in 12.29.

RHAM’s Bridget Lalonde was third in 12.36 seconds with Mitchell taking fourth in 12.39 seconds – just a tenth of a second out of second place.

“I try to stick with them and go as hard as I can,” she said.

Mitchell is second medalist in school history and the first medalist since Lucy Tanner finished sixth in the 300 hurdles at the 2014 State Open.

State Open girls 100 meters, courtesy of GameTimeCT

In the 200 meters, Mitchell was tenth with a time of 25.62 – her second fastest time in the event.

Mitchell also ran the anchor leg on Canton’s surprising 4×100 relay team (Kaylia Bailey, Maya Sutton-Hall, Madeline Archangelo, Mitchell) that was seeded 13th and finished fifth with a time of 50.33 seconds to earn an invitation to the New England championships.

“None of us expected to do as well as we did,” Mitchell said. “We’re excited for everyone to go (to the New England championships).”

Canton freshman Julia Caputo finished sixth in the 3,200 meters at the State Open.

The Warriors finished second to Bunnell (50.33) in the second of three 4×100 heats and the time stood up.

Caputo ran a personal best 11:13.16 in the 3,200 meters holding off a late charging Angela Seidman of Immaculate by 0.08 of a second to finish sixth, earn a medal and a spot at the New England championships.

Avon’s Sara Leavens also ran a personal-best 11:37.51 in the 3,200 meters, knocking nine seconds off her previous best time in the event.

Avon’s Emily Foley finished 16th in the 800 meters with a time of 2:23.83 with Avon teammate Rhiannon Richmond taking 17th in the 1,600 meters (5:26.32). Canton’s Jane Frawley finished 19th in the 1,600 meters in 5:34.08.

Avon’s Audrey Worth was 15th in the pole vault with a leap of 9-6 while the Canton 4×400 relay (Archangelo, Sutton-Hall, Brooke Shepard, Frawley) was 25th (4:24.67). Avon’s 4×800 relay (Molly Milligan, Sarah Lancaster, Jamie Rubenstein and Brynley Allen) was 27th in 11:01.51.

Canton was 20th in the girls standings with 12 points — their best-ever appearance at the State Open — while Avon was 32nd with eight points. Southington nipped Bloomfield, 35-32 for the title with Danbury finishing third with 28 points.

In the boys competition, Canton’s Max Sparks was 14th in the 1,600 meters with a season-best time of 4:26.80. Avon’s Matt Nyklicek had a personal-best time of 4:32.95 in the 1,600 meters.

Canton’s 4×800 relay (Matt Barton, Matt Webb, Sparks, Aidan O’Donnell) finished 21st with a time of 8:42.67.

Danbury won the State Open title with 51 points with Derby taking second with 46½ points. Staples-Westport was third with 36 points.

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 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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