Barker captures another state championship in shot

Canton’s Tommie Barker won the Class S championship in shot on Saturday night in New Haven. (Photos courtesy Barker family)

Canton’s Tommie Barker keeps putting their stamp on the record book.

Last spring, Barker won the NCCC championship in the shot with a school record throw of 34 feet and a half inch and added the Class S championship a week later. They continue to win championships and set records this winter.

Barker won their first indoor state championship on Saturday night when they won the shot with a throw of 33 feet and a half inch to help lead the Canton High girls track and field team to a top 10 finish at the Class S championship meet at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on the Hillhouse High campus.

The Warriors finished ninth with Bloomfield winning a 12th straight Class S championship.

Barker became the first Canton athlete to win an indoor state championship in a throwing event. It was a bit shorter than their throw of 33-11½ to win the NCCC championship in late January but it was enough to win.

“Tommie had a solid day of throwing which was enough to win the Class S title without matching or exceeding their best (throw),” Canton coach Tim O’Donnell said. “More importantly, the throw was sufficient to place Tommie in the upper half of the State Open field and they will be in second flight (the more competitive one) at (Saturday’s) State Open.

“Tommie has been consistently in the 33-to-34 foot range the past month and coach Devin Glasson believes they are ready to pop out a big improvement which could put them into contention to qualify for (the) New England (championships),” O’Donnell said.

Barker set a new school record in the shot in January with a throw of 34 feet and one inch at the Shoreline Coaches Invitational.

Ava Dakin also won a medal for the Warriors as Saturday’s championship meet, finishing fourth in the 1,000 meters with a time of a personal-best time of 3:20.01.

Dakin qualified for the 1,000 meters in late December but missed two weeks of practice and competition due to COVID-19 quarantine protocols. When Dakin was cleared to return to action, she focused on the 600 and 800 meters in the sprint medley relay. She stepped up to the 1,000 meters on Saturday and knocked 10 seconds off her previous best time.

Joy Shand ran her second fastest time of the season in the 55 meters (7.98 seconds) but it wasn’t enough to make the finals. In the 300 meters, she ran a season-best time of 44.68 seconds and finished tenth.

On the boys side, Canton finished 15th with two athletes winning medals and securing spots in Saturday’s State Open championship meet.

Nate Cournean finished third in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.28 seconds, just 0.03 of a second out of second place while Warrior teammate J.R. Rottkamp was fourth in the pole vault with a leap of 11-0 feet. He tied for fourth with NCCC champion Douglas Sutter of Somers.

“I believe it was a good day for JR which puts him into contention for a top six finish (at the State Open),” O’Donnell said.

The top six athletes in each event earn a spot at the New England championships – except in pole vault, which is not part of the New England indoor track event.

Cournean has been unavailable for a great deal of the indoor season but was finally cleared to participate in track-related activities for the first time in three weeks on February 5 but he collided hard with third hurdle and ran a slower-than-usual time.

The result was “a hard week of practice including some time with the dreaded “one-step hurdle” drill,” O’Donnell said. The drill has a hurdle every five yards instead of the normal 10 yards between hurdles.

“He somehow whipped himself into shape to run his two fastest times ever 8.24 and 8.29, finishing third and qualifying for the (State) Open,” O’Donnell said. “We are hoping he can continue the improvement curve and run even better Saturday.”

Tommy Purcell ran a personal-best time of 1:29.42 in the 600 meters to finish seventh.

Class S championships
At New Haven
BOYS team results — 1. Stonington 56; 2. Bloomfield 53; 3. Suffield 44; 4. Coginchaug 36; 4. Woodland 36; 6. Derby 33; 7. Hale Ray 32; 8. Weaver 30; 9. Old Saybrook 15; 10. Cromwell 12; 11. Haddam-Killingworth and St. Paul 11; 13. Coventry 10; 13. East Hampton 10; 15. Canton 9; 16. Portland 8; 17. Granby and Seymour 6; 17. Rocky Hill 6; 20. Parish Hill, Ansonia and Somers 5; 23. Killingly, Plainfield and Morgan 4; 26. Immaculate 3; 27. East Catholic, Capital Prep, Lyman Memorial and Terryville 2; 31. East Windsor,  Metropolitan LC and Civic Leadership 1
Class S results

55 Meter Dash Finals: 1. Malcolm Beckford, Weaver, 6.57; 2. Joshua Mooney, Stonington, 6.63; 3. Bryan McLean, Derby, 6.66; 4. Jaden Wynn, Cromwell, 6.77; 5. Noah Colangelo, Killingly, 6.80; 6. Isaiah Smallhorn, Parish Hill, 6.85.

300 Meter Dash: 1. Malcolm Beckford, Weaver, 36.09; 2. Jaden Wynn, Cromwell, 36.94; 3. Kanye Bailey, Derby, 36.96; 4. Isaiah Smallhorn, Parish Hill, 37.24; 5. Joshua Mooney, Stonington, 37.41; 6. Derry Holmes, Capital Prep, 38.17.

600 Meter Run: 1. William Dalles, Coginchaug, 1:25.34; 2. Matthew Davis, Bloomfield, 1:26.30; 3. Owen Delisle, Portland, 1:26.97; 4. Nathan Swercewski, Woodland, 1:27.53; 5. Douglas Suter, Somers, 1:29.00; 6. Nathan Morgan, Metropolitan LC, 1:29.02.

1000 Meter Run: 1. Ryan Gruczka, Stonington, 2:35.20; 2. Ryan Orr, Stonington, 2:37.35; 3. Griffin Mandirola, Suffield, 2:38.68; 4. Christian Malave, Ansonia, 2:39.99; 5. Michael Kraszewski, Hale Ray, 2:41.76; 6. Israel Caro, East Catholic, 2:45.15.

1600 Meter Run: 1. Sean Kennedy-Wonneberger, Hale Ray, 4:27.47; 2. Colin Slavin, Woodland, 4:38.40; 3. Bryan Martinez, Rocky Hill, 4:42.60; 4. Jack Pothier, Plainfield, 4:43.93; 5. Nicholas Fusco, Terryville, 4:49.58; 6. Albert Mack III, Civic Leadership, 4:52.47.

3200 Meter Run: 1. Sean Kennedy-Wonneberger, Hale Ray, 9:37.78#; 2. Ryan Gruczka, Stonington, 10:00.22; 3. Griffin Mandirola, Suffield, 10:10.36; 4. Colin Slavin, Woodland, 10:11.91; 5. Seamus Reidy, Immaculate, 10:12.47; 6. Christian Malave, Ansonia, 10:30.35.

55 Meter Hurdles: 1. Joshua Mooney, Stonington, 7.60; 2. Mitchell Dipalma, Old Saybrook, 8.25; 3. Nathan Cournean, Canton, 8.28; 4. Eric Meade, Woodland, 8.29; 5. Christian Wolliston, Bloomfield, 8.40; 6. Carlos Allen, Derby, 8.48.

4×200 Meter Relay: 1. Weaver (Ange Zebie, Malcolm Beckford, Moise Zebie, Otneil Morgan), 1:35.43; 2. Derby (Kanye Bailey, Byron McLean, Colin Strickland, Bryan McLean), 1:38.11; 3. Old Saybrook (Brown Carson, Noah Hester, Nicholas Rothman, Nicholas Scalzo), 1:38.36; 4. Morgan (Garret Garbinski, Fabio Silveira, Alex Gallardo, Bailey Goss), 1:38.66; 5. Lyman Memorial (Jeremiah Bobbi, Daylan Griffin, Jacob Palombizio, Gregory Toussaint), 1:38.75; 6. Bloomfield (Devon Mendez, Malikai Booker, Zachary Blackwood, Matthew Miller), 1:38.94.

4×400 Meter Relay: 1. Bloomfield (Christian Wolliston, Matthew Davis, Zachary Blackwood, Robert Turner), 3:35.98; 2. Coginchaug (Ryan Newberry, Jason Adams, Alexander Meisenkothen, William Dalles), 3:40.24; 3. Suffield (Wyatt Cashman, Christian Flanagan, Avery Cipcic, Connor McCue), 3:45.63; 4. Woodland (Luca Cambra, Alexander Farr, Nathan Swercewski, Chase Young), 3:46.57; 5. Granby Memorial (Jeremy Brough, Brody Landheer, Benjamin Weber, Noah Kroninger), 3:48.93; 6. Old Saybrook (Brown Carson, Noah Hester, Matthew Johnson, Nicholas Scalzo), 3:49.19.

4×800 Meter Relay: 1. Stonington (Oliver Cooke, Jason Morse, Ryan Orr, Ryan Gruczka), 8:33.24; 2. Hale Ray (Luke Kindel, Matthew Kraszewski, Griffin Kelly, Sean Kennedy-Wonneberger), 8:44.97; 3. Woodland (Luca Cambra, Alexander Farr, Cole Verrelli, Chase Young), 8:47.11; 4. Suffield (Christian Flanagan, Wyatt Cashman, Keller Tobey, Reid Sunshine), 8:50.33; 5. Portland (Mason France, Jack Turecek, Derek Tewksbury, Owen Delisle), 8:51.06; 6. Immaculate (Hunter Brown, Cole Ross, Ben Gasparrini, Seamus Reidy), 8:54.41.

1600 Sprint Medley: 1. Coginchaug (Ryan Newberry, Gage Rovelli, Alexander Meisenkothen, William Dalles), 3:47.00; 2. Bloomfield (Malikai Booker, Christian Wolliston, Robert Turner, Matthew Davis), 3:47.17; 3. Haddam-Killingworth (Kevin Cavrell, Aidan Law, Alexander Lara, Caleb Freeman), 3:52.05; 4. Suffield (Aidan Gelinas, Joshua Zenczak, Connor McCue, Griffin Mandirola), 3:52.31; 5. Hale Ray (Ethan Motollo, Luke Kindel, Casey Burns, Michael Kraszewski), 3:54.08; 6. East Catholic (Chaedon Rosemond, Andrew Alberts, Andrew Tansil, Israel Caro), 3:55.92.

High Jump: 1. Robert Dunkley, Bloomfield, 6-04; 2. Avery Cipcic, Suffield, 6-02; 3. Eric Meade, Woodland, 5-10; 4. Kevin Jones, Granby Memorial, J5-10; 5. Noah Colangelo, Killingly, 5-08; 6. Aidan Law, Haddam-Killingworth, J5-08.

Pole Vault: 1. Nicholas Rivard-Lentz, East Hampton, 13-00; 2. Gage Rovelli, Coginchaug, 12-00; 3. Jason Ouellette, Seymour, J12-00; 4. Douglas Suter, Somers, 11-00; 4. John Rottkamp, Canton, 11-00; 6. Owen Wood, St. Paul Catholic, 10-06.

Long Jump: 1. Tyler Turner, St. Paul Catholic, 21-06; 2. Connor McCue, Suffield, 21-00.25; 3. Robert Dunkley, Bloomfield, J21-00.25; 4. Aidan Law, Haddam-Killingworth, 20-08; 5. Avery Cipcic, Suffield, 20-04; 6. Rohando Pierre-Louis, East Windsor, 19-11.

Shot Put: 1. Alex Krause, Coventry, 49-05; 2. Michael Hyder, Derby, 47-04.50; 3. John Milner-Jones, Bloomfield, 44-11.25; 4. Giovanni Vicens, Derby, 43-09.50; 5. Ryan Phillips, Bloomfield, 43-01.25; 6. Zaire Tullis, Capital Prep, 42-08.

GIRLS team results — 1. Bloomfield 92; 2. East Hampton 42; 3. Old Saybrook 40; 4. Immaculate 35; 5. Stonington 33; 6. Somers 26; 7. Portland and Watertown 17; 9. Weaver 14; 9. Canton 14; 11. Woodland 12½; 12. Coginchaug and Derby 11; 14. Thomaston, Windham, Old Lyme and  St. Bernard 10; 18. Haddam-Killingworth 9; 19. Seymour and Metropolitan Lc 8; 21. Capital Prep, New Fairfield and Lewis Mills 6; 24. St. Paul and, Terryville 4; 26. Montville and Lyman Memorial 3; 28. Oxford 2; 29. Northwest Catholic 1; 30. Westbrook ½
Class S results

55 Meter Dash Finals: 1. Nancy Inthasit, Stonington, 7.35; 2. D’Jior Delisser, Bloomfield, 7.36; 3. Anna-Sashia Jones, Weaver, 7.37; 4. Katharine Bruno, Seymour, 7.46; 5. Brylee Montanari, East Hampton, 7.49; 6. Sianna Lloyd, Bloomfield, 7.59.

300 Meter Dash: 1. Avery Rueckert, Old Saybrook, 41.79; 2. Anna-Sashia Jones, Weaver, 42.26; 3. Jessica Starr, East Hampton, 42.74; 4. Katharine Bruno, Seymour, 42.86; 5. Aria Gray, Bloomfield, 42.88; 6. Kiylah Williams, Bloomfield, 43.25.

600 Meter Run: 1. Lauren Manning, Immaculate, 1:41.15; 2. Kiylah Williams, Bloomfield, 1:41.40; 3. Kyleigh Miller, Windham, 1:41.76; 4. Anna Brodeur, Old Saybrook, 1:42.05; 5. Aisha Williams, Bloomfield, 1:47.29; 6. Lillian Tabellione, Portland, 1:47.41.

1000 Meter Run: 1. Kaylee Gravel, East Hampton, 3:11.78; 2. Madeleine Morgado, Old Lyme, 3:19.11; 3. Catherine Minegar, Old Saybrook, 3:19.50; 4. Ava Dakin, Canton, 3:20.01; 5. Kate Bowman, Montville, 3:20.57; 6. Rose Penney, New Fairfield, 3:20.92.

1600 Meter Run: 1. Rachel St. Germain, Somers, 5:12.73; 2. Chloe Poulos, Woodland, 5:31.26; 3. Kaylee Gravel, East Hampton, 5:39.08; 4. Ripley Penney, New Fairfield, 5:40.29; 5. Agatha Hunt, Old Lyme, 5:44.86; 6. Lilliana Mach, Coginchaug, 5:48.20.

3200 Meter Run: 1. Rachel St. Germain, Somers, 11:01.08; 2. Shawn Laverty, Portland, 11:53.77; 3. Keelin Bremner, Immaculate, 12:10.75; 4. Kaitlin DeForest, Terryville, 12:15.32; 5. Chloe Poulos, Woodland, 12:21.06; 6. Kayla Ondy, Immaculate, 12:30.27.

55 Meter Hurdles: 1. Brylee Montanari, East Hampton, 8.88; 2. Jessica Starr, East Hampton, 9.00; 3. Johniece Jones, Bloomfield, 9.07; 4. Allsion Barton, St. Paul Catholic, 9.13; 5. Kate Wickenheisser, Oxford, 9.31; 6. Malia Wilson, Metropolitan LC, 9.41.

4×200 Meter Relay: 1. Bloomfield (Dream Wilson, Laniyah Henderson, Aria Gray, Sianna Lloyd), 1:48.07; 2. Old Saybrook (Abigail Colella, Avery Rueckert, Madelyn Beaudoin, Anna Brodeur), 1:50.36; 3. Lewis Mills (Ginny Mullen, Reilly Greene, Gabriella Zeller, Madeleine Croiger), 1:52.13; 4. Stonington (Maya Terwilliger, Carly Constantine, Hannah Andersen, Nancy Inthasit), 1:52.32; 5. Derby (Aliana Campbell, Kylin Santamaria, Lordina Boakye, Cassidy Ngaopraseutsack), 1:54.65; 6. Watertown (Alisa Sadiku, Emma Quadrato, Mallory Hannon, Besiana Dauti), 1:54.73.

4×400 Meter Relay: 1. Bloomfield (Aisha Williams, Aria Gray, Laniyah Henderson, Kiylah Williams), 4:15.52; 2. Thomaston (Liv Blasko, Sophia Coer, Gwyn Romanzi, Mackenzie DiDonato), 4:26.50; 3. Old Saybrook (Abigail Colella, Catherine Minegar, Avery Rueckert, Anna Brodeur), 4:26.54; 4. Immaculate (Nicole Merritt, Isabel Taiman, Julong Williams, Lauren Manning), 4:28.05; 5. Haddam-Killingworth (Jordan Duncanson, Leah Sosnowski, Kayla Rodriguez, Brianna Minervino), 4:29.70; 6. Derby (Cassidy Ngaopraseutsack, Kylin Santamaria, Kayla Adams, Cassandra Silkoff), 4:33.33.

4×800 Meter Relay: 1. Immaculate (Nicole Merritt, Keelin Bremner, Lauren Manning, Kayla Ondy), 10:07.81; 2. Portland (Lillian Tabellione, Meghan McPhee, Abbey Pickel, Shawn Laverty), 10:28.24; 3. Somers (Gracie Flynn, Ella Campion, Sara St. Germain, Rachel St. Germain), 10:31.91; 4. Haddam-Killingworth (Isabel Berardino, Sydney Adelberg, Charlotte Selmer, Brianna Minervino), 10:35.72; 5. Watertown (Olivia Eshoo, Ryann Walsh, Lillian Khouri, Torri DiStefano), 10:49.01; 6. Stonington (Isabella deCastro, Helena Hoinsky, Alexa Williams, Iliana Rashlieigh), 11:00.51.

1600 Sprint Medley: 1. Stonington (Hannah Andersen, Helena Hoinsky, Nancy Inthasit, Iliana Rashlieigh), 4:27.13; 2. Derby (Aliana Campbell, Kylin Santamaria, Cassidy Ngaopraseutsack, Cassandra Silkoff), 4:33.27; 3. Watertown (Emma Quadrato, Mallory Hannon, Besiana Dauti, Olivia Eshoo), 4:39.39; 4. Immaculate (Isabel Taiman, Caitlyn Mascetta, Nicole Merritt, Kayla Ondy), 4:39.43; 5. Thomaston (Claire Saunders, Stevilynn Fox, Mackenzie DiDonato, Sophia Coer), 4:39.46; 6. Bloomfield (Shanell Thompson, Amyra Ettiene-Modeste, Sarah Priemer, Aisha Williams), 4:43.72.

High Jump: 1. D’Jior Delisser, Bloomfield, 5-00; 2. Malia Wilson, Metropolitan LC, 4-10; 2. Johniece Jones, Bloomfield, 4-10; 4. Kristen Goodrich, Lyman Memorial, J4-10; 4. Jessica Timothy, Haddam-Killingworth, J4-10; 6. Rayna Pomeroy, New Fairfield, 4-08.

Pole Vault: 1. Allison Vigue, Coginchaug, 11-00; 2. Autumn Bacik, Watertown, 9-00; 3. Christina Grace, Old Saybrook, J9-00; 4. Resia Baran, Windham, J9-00; 5. Amyra Ettiene-Modeste, Bloomfield, 8-06; 6. Halley Pierson, Westbrook, 8-00; 6. Isabella Bianchini, Woodland, 8-00.

Long Jump: 1. D’Jior Delisser, Bloomfield, 17-07; 2. Laniyah Henderson, Bloomfield, 16-10; 3. Sarayah Winborne, Capital Prep, 16-03; 4. Amyra Ettiene-Modeste, Bloomfield, 16-00.25; 5. Johniece Jones, Bloomfield, 15-10; 6. Kennedy Mitchell, Northwest Catholic, 15-09.50.

Shot Put: 1. Tommie Barker, Canton, 33-05; 2. Olivia Habarek, Stonington, 32-01.50; 3. Payton Lowe, St. Bernard, 31-11.25; 4. Lindsey Reilly, St. Bernard, 31-09.50; 5. Sarah Cooley, Woodland, 31-06.75; 6. Kelsey Chiasson, Montville, 30-09.50.