Having a larger number of athletes competing this year, as well a couple of standout performances, led to a big improvement for the Joel Barlow High girls indoor track team at the state Class M championships.
The Falcons, who had only a handful of athletes compete a year ago, had a sizable representation this time at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. Scoring 28 points (more than four times more than last year), they were just one behind Branford, taking seventh out of 30 teams on Feb. 10.
Defending champ Hillhouse was the winner again, this time with 50 points. New Fairfield was runner-up with 43, and Avon took third with 33.
For the second straight year, the Falcons earned a medal in the pole vault. Taking the bronze a year ago, Jordan Carr improved her height by a foot this time by clearing 11 feet for the gold. She also competed in the long jump with a leap of 16’ 0.5”. Phoebe Cora Smith was 19th with 14’ 5.25”.
Barlow captured two first places that day. Also getting the win, the 4×200 relay team of Vika Abukhovich, Sedonia Holub, Olivia Taylor and Jenna Najjar finished in one minute, 48.96 seconds, less than a second ahead of Hillhouse.
Points also went to Barlow in the 1,000 meters. Alex Bardani ran a 3:17.10, taking fifth with a personal record.
Two competed for Barlow in the 1,600. Olivia Kotula led the way in 5:40.18 and Alex Bardani was ninth in 5:48.23, both personal records.
In the 300 meters, Abukhovich was sixth with a personal record of 43.28, 0.38 second ahead of Najjar, who was seventh. Taylor also competed, taking 22nd in 45.19.
Representing Barlow in the 1,600 sprint medley relay, Holub, Lauren Klein Wassink, Stephanie Bardani and Sydney Borofsky were 14th in 4:51.51. Klein Wassink also competed in the shot put, taking fourth with a personal record toss of 34’ 5”, half an inch better that Foran’s Alex McWatters.
The Barlow boys had a small contingent competing this year. With only three athletes, they scored 10 points, tying Branford for 15th out of 26 schools.
Lyman Hall was the winner with 79.5, dethroning defending champ East Lyme, which was runner-up with 52. Third went to Ledyard with 42.
Many of Barlow’ points came in the 1,600 meters. For the second straight year, Jackson Sobelman captured the bronze medal, this time in 4:32.41.
Also scoring for Barlow, Devin Tala ran the 3,200 in 9:54.13, good for fourth and a personal record. Sobleman was 12th in 10:24.09.
