May 20—EAST LYME — Traditionally the unsung hero for the East Lyme High School boys' track team, it was Finian Gates who got the baton on the anchor leg of the 4x400-meter relay Monday and clinched the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I championship for the Vikings.
Gates, running his third event of the day, came from the back of the field to lead the Vikings to a third-place finish, but more importantly to edge Norwich Free Academy — persistent all day in the points standings — in the race.
Gates, who ran a personal best 49.5 seconds, was mobbed at the finish line as East Lyme began to celebrate, although still waiting for the final results of the pole vault.
East Lyme finished with 146.5 points to NFA's 136. Fitch was third with 114.5, Waterford fourth with 98 and Ledyard fifth with 80.
"It's kind of like soccer, so it's nice," Gates said of his jubilant group of teammates, with Gates having been a part of East Lyme's state championship team in boys' soccer.
"I pretty much just tried to catch (the NFA runner) if I could. It was pretty rough, I'm not going to lie. I was close to the end there, close to being empty."
Previously in the meet, Gates, a senior, won the 400 meters in 50.73 seconds and was part of the Vikings' 4x800 relay team which won in 8:10.19. Joining Gates on the relay were Jilali Benjdid, Maddox Grillo-Smith and Kai Ritz.
The Vikings made a huge jump in points, as they usually do in that event, by placing four runners in the top eight in the 3,200. Sean McCauley took the 3,200, his second win of the day, in 9:21.87, with Matthew Carrier third, Benjdid fifth and Nathan Bergman eighth, giving East Lyme an extra 21 points.
McCauley also won the 1,600 (4:18.06), with teammate Sam Leone in second (4:18.41).
"Even though the scoreboard showed we were losing (throughout the meet), knowing how the events were going to play out — and I've been doing this for 20 years — there was no point where I was ever like 'uh-oh, we're in trouble,'" East Lyme coach Chris Morth said.
"Having Sean and Sam and Kai and these guys is a pretty nice insurance policy."
During the indoor track season, Gates was a member of three winning relays at the ECC championship, the 4x400, 4x800 and sprint medley, choosing team success over individual.
"He's a phenomenal athlete and track is not even his first love, which is the scary thing," Morth said of Gates. "He plays soccer and loves skiing and doing all this other stuff. He does this as kind of a second or third thing and is as phenomenal as he is."
"That was amazing," Benjdid said of Gates' anchor-leg run in the 4x400. "We've been praying for him to hit sub-.50 forever (in the 400). We just wanted it for him and that's what happened. He puts in the effort. He's always there for us. He's amazing. He's not about himself."
Waterford's Elliot Childs won the 110 hurdles (14.95), 300 hurdles (39.65) and triple jump (41-11.5) and NFA's Chris Amy continued his stellar season with meet records in the shot put (60-7.25) and discus (a personal best 167-8). East Lyme's Tommy Matlock also surpassed the previous ECC record in the shot, finishing second at 60-6.5.
Amy started the season with a personal best of 157-0 in the discus and has now bettered that four times.
"I think every week getting a new PR builds a certain confidence," Amy said. "It feels good. I've also got to keep a calm, level head, make sure I'm in the right spot, make sure I do everything correctly."
Other local winners were Ledyard's Roan Fothergill in the 200, Christian Wiltshire in the high jump and Mateo Viviano in the pole vault, Waterford's Gabe Lombardi in the 100 and Daniel Girard in the javelin, Fitch's Ryan Dunning in the 800 and Benjamin Perry in the long jump.
NFA won the 4x100 relay and Bacon Academy took the dramatic 4x400 race.
v.fulkerson@theday.com
ECC Division I-II Championship
Boys
Team scores
1. East Lyme 146.5, 2. NFA 136, 3. Fitch 114.5, 4. Waterford 98, 5. Ledyard 80, 6. Bacon Academy 66, 7. Stonington 25, 8. Woodstock Academy 14, 9. New London 10.
Individual results
100 meters — 1. Gabe Lombardi (Waterford), 11.29; 2. Oliver Aubin (NFA), 3. Calvin McCoy (Fitch), 4. Jacob Scott (East Lyme), 5. Jayvon Thompson (NFA), 6. Douglas Howard (Bacon).
200 — 1. Roan Fothergill (Ledyard), 22.95; 2. Calvin McCoy (Fitch), 3. Gabe Lombardi (Waterford), 4. Max DeLaRosa (Stonington), 5. Oliver Aubin (NFA), 6. Jacob Scott (East Lyme).
400 — 1. Finian Gates (East Lyme), 50.73; 2. Aaron Fidrych (Bacon), 3. Porter Carter (Fitch), 4. Amill Houston (Fitch), 5. Noah Westkott (Waterford), 6. Peyton Luther (Ledyard).
800 — 1. Ryan Dunning (Fitch), 1:56.55; 2. Christian Menounos (Woodstock), 3. Sam Leone (East Lyme), 4. Kai Ritz (East Lyme), 5. Jesse Croteau (NFA), 6. Evan Vitagliano (Fitch).
1,600 — 1. Sean McCauley (East Lyme), 4:18.06; 2. Sam Leone (East Lyme), 3. Ryan Dunning (Fitch), 4. Jilali Benjdid (East Lyme), 5. Anthony DeBartolo (NFA), 6. Colton Sallum (Woodstock).
3,200 — 1. Sean McCauley (East Lyme), 9:21.87; 2. Patrick Croughwell (NFA), 3. Matthew Carrier (East Lyme), 4. Julien Silva (Fitch), 5. Jilali Benjdid (East Lyme), 6. Anthony DeBartolo (NFA).
110 hurdles — 1. Elliot Childs (Waterford), 14.95; 2. Moshea Gittens Brown (NFA), 3. Fernando Flores (NFA), 4. Mathew Leone (East Lyme), 5. Hagen Drake (Stonington), 6. Rhys Tickner (Waterford).
300 hurdles — 1. Elliot Childs (Waterford), 39.65; 2. Hagen Drake (Stonington), 3. Fernando Flores (NFA), 4. Diego Rosario-Gonzalez (Ledyard), 5. Jordi Cassar (Waterford), 6. Landin Leslie (Fitch).
4x100 relay — 1. NFA (Bryant Beauvil, Oliver Aubin, Malachy Murray, Damaggio Casanova), 43.83; 2. Ledyard, 3. East Lyme, 4. Waterford.
4x400 relay — 1. Bacon Academy (Ethan Fleurose, Joshua Fenton, Douglas Howard, Aaron Fidrych), 3:28.64; 2. Fitch, 3. East Lyme, 4. NFA, 5. Waterford, 6. Stonington.
4x800 relay — 1. East Lyme (Jilali Benjdid, Maddox Grillo-Smith, Finian Gates, Kai Ritz), 8:10.19; 2. NFA, 3. Fitch, 4. Waterford, 5. Ledyard, 6. Stonington.
High jump — 1. Christian Wiltshire (Ledyard), 6-4; 2. Gianni Colebut (Fitch), 3. Joal Barros (NFA), 4. Brodie Scott (Waterford), 5. (tie) Weston Dzwonchyk (Bacon) and Mason Leak (Bacon).
Pole vault — 1. Mateo Viviano (Ledyard), 14-0; 2. Luca Viviano (Ledyard), 3. Justin Blezard (East Lyme), 4. Joshua Fenton (Bacon), 5. Ian Rush (Waterford), 6. Jay Zimmermann (Waterford).
Long jump — 1. Benjamin Perry (Fitch), 21-5; 2. Zayshawn Griffin (Fitch), 3. Timothy Miller (Fitch), 4. Malachy Murray (NFA), 5. Jamel Kearse (Ledyard), 6. Jonathan Booth (Waterford).
Triple jump — 1. Elliot Childs (Waterford), 41-11.5; 2. Zayshawn Griffin (Fitch), 3. Callaway Scott (East Lyme), 4. Malachy Murray (NFA), 5. Weston Dzwonchyk (Bacon), 6. Christian Wiltshire (Ledyard).
Shot put — 1. Chris Amy (NFA), 60-7.25 (meet record); 2. Tommy Matlock (East Lyme), 3. Maradocher Civil (NFA), 4. Liam Sweeney (Bacon), 5. Sawyer Simone (Bacon), 6. Mason Holt (NFA).
Discus — 1. Chris Amy (NFA), 167-8 (meet record); 2. Tommy Matlock (East Lyme), 3. Liam Sweeney (Bacon), 4. Mason Holt (NFA), 5. Sawyer Simone (Bacon), 6. Brenden Pennington (East Lyme).
Javelin — 1. Daniel Girard (Waterford), 154-9; 2. Treyvon Lewellen (New London), 3. Jeremiah Jean (East Lyme), 4. Ethan Gawkowski (Bacon), 5. Brady Moorehead (Ledyard), 6. Bennett Holloway (Bacon).
Girls
Team scores
1. NFA 161, 2. Woodstock Academy 149, 3. Waterford 82, 4. Fitch 75, 5. Ledyard 70, 6. Bacon Academy 69, 7. East Lyme 44, 8. New London 36, 9. Stonington 14.
Individual results
100 — Darielys Arnold (New London), 12.84; 2. Caroline Holmberg (NFA), 3. Hannah Warner (Fitch), 4. Naomi Cox (New London), 5. Mia Hageman (Bacon), 6. Naema Charles (NFA).
200 — Juliet Allard (Woodstock), 26.04; 2. Lily Davis (Waterford), 3. Hannah Warner (Fitch), 4. Caroline Holmberg (NFA), 5. Naema Charles (NFA), 6. Akira Gregor (Fitch).
400 — 1. Lily Davis (Waterford), 59.34; 2. Riley Davis (NFA), 3. Talia Tremblay (Woodstock), 4. Taryn Gray (Bacon), 5. Alaina Campbell (Fitch), 6. Maggie Dykes (Ledyard).
800 — 1. Kate Littler (Ledyard), 2:19.88; 2. Elle Dibuono (Waterford), 3. Emma Forde (Fitch), 4. Ella Stephenson (Ledyard), 5. Isabel D'Alleva-Bochain (Woodstock), 6. Molly Musselman (Stonington).
1,600 — 1. Avery Maiese (Waterford), 5:21.81; 2. Karina Chan (NFA), 3. Julia Coyle (Woodstock), 4. Molly Musselman (Stonington), 5. Avery Anderson (Bacon), 6. Colbie Synhorst (Fitch).
3,200 — 1. Karina Chan (NFA), 11:50.84; 2. Julia Coyle (Woodstock), 3. Josie Withbroe (Ledyard), 4. Anna Waddington (Waterford), 5. Peyton Vanderstreet (Stonington), 6. Olivia Tracy (Woodstock).
100 hurdles — 1. Hannah Thomas (Fitch), 15.71; 2. Jillian Edwards (Woodstock), 3. Emma Weitknecht (Woodstock), 4. Kaitlyn Titus (NFA), 5. Keara Opalenik (Ledyard), 6. Taylor Filosi (East Lyme).
300 hurdles — 1. Juliet Allard (Woodstock), 47.71; 2. Hannah Thomas (Fitch), 3. Emma Weitknecht (Woodstock), 4. A'Charee Sampson (NFA), 5. Jessica-Willow Harris (Bacon), 6. Jennifer Aguilar (NFA).
4x100 relay — 1. Woodstock (Juliet Allard, Ella Lidonde, Elise Coyle, Emma Weitknecht), 50.61; 2. Fitch, 3. NFA, 4. New London, 5. East Lyme, 6. Waterford.
4x400 relay — 1. Waterford (Ava Lee, Avery Maiese, Elle Dibuono, Lily Davis), 4:12.78; 2. Woodstock, 3. NFA, 4. Fitch, 5. Ledyard, 6. Bacon.
4x800 relay — 1. Woodstock (Talia Tremblay, Julia Coyle, Olivia Tracy, Isabel D'Alleva-Bochain), 10:02.66; 2. Ledyard, 3. Bacon, 4. East Lyme, 5. NFA, 6. Waterford.
High jump — 1. Sydney Post (Fitch), 5-0; 2. Jillian Edwards (Woodstock), 3. Fabiola Nelson (NFA), 4. Kaitlyn Titus (NFA), 5. Ava Lee (Waterford), 6. Samantha Rodes (East Lyme).
Pole vault — 1. Lily Gilbert (NFA), 11-8; 2. Samantha Schies (NFA), 3. Trinity Ambruso (NFA), 4. (tie) Eva DiGarbo (Ledyard), Madison Ayer (NFA) and Lacey-Lee Keramidas (East Lyme).
Long jump — 1. Darielys Arnold (New London), 17-5; 2. Riley Davis (NFA), 3. Elise Coyle (Woodstock), 4. Reegan Reynolds (Woodstock), 5. Isabella Schweitzer (Ledyard), 6. Taylor Filosi (East Lyme).
Triple jump — 1. Reegan Reynolds (Woodstock), 34-5.5; 2. Isabella Schweitzer (Ledyard), 3. Kaitlyn Titus (NFA), 4. Lucy Mullen (Waterford), 5. Tatiana Pemberton (New London), 6. Keara Opalenik (Ledyard).
Shot put — 1. Alyssa Blanchette (Bacon), 35-8.25; 2. Hannah Graham (NFA), 3. Avery Plouffe (Woodstock), 4. Elianna Wallace (East Lyme), 5. Mutia Quarshie (Bacon), 6. Lucy Walker (Waterford).
Discus — 1. Hannah Graham (NFA), 132-6; 2. Lillian Morgis (Woodstock), 3. Ashleen Walsh (Bacon), 4. Lacey-Lee Keramidas (East Lyme), 5. Fiona Hood (NFA), 6. Dylan Phelps (NFA).
Javelin — 1. Sarah Davidson (Waterford), 117-8; 2. Ashleen Walsh (Bacon), 3. Trinity Cason (Ledyard), 4. Isabel D'Alleva-Bochain (Woodstock), 5. Leah Hochholzer (Bacon), 6. Alyssa Blanchette (Bacon).
