MONTPELIER – The Hazen Union, Danville, and Peoples Academy (PA) middle school track and field teams were back in action last week for their second meet of the season at U-32’s Chaplin-Topping Track.
Hazen head coach Kathy Fortmann had a single athlete to send to U-32 from her team last Wednesday and seventh grader Alden Pougnier responded with a pair of personal bests in the distance competitions. Pougnier finished eighth in the 1500m behind event winner Calvin Winters of U-32. Pougnier also recorded his best time in the 800m event, won by Nicholas Magana of Randolph. Fellow seventh grader Landon Garrand of Danville also recorded a pair of personal bests in the same events, finishing fifth in the 1500m and an eleventh-place finish in the 800m.
“Alden took on a full field of runners in both events in his second meet of the season. He took 15 seconds off his previous race time in the 1500m and was impressive in taking on his very first 800m event. We are looking forward to Thursday’s meet at North Country,” said Fortmann.
Danville’s Matthew Lalicata posted a runner-up finish in the 110m hurdle event, won by Edward Roche of Middlebury Union. Lalicata also set a personal record in the 100m, finishing ninth behind event winner Denzell Montalvan Moncada of Montpelier and finished eighth in the 200m, with his best time of the season.
On the girls’ side, Taryn Barrett posted a ninth-place finish for the Bears in the javelin event, with Middlebury’s Louisa Orten taking home the hardware. Danville has nearly 20 athletes competing this spring in their growing track and field program.
Lily Bucklin, Genevieve Graves and Kieron Russell all posted event wins for the PA track and field program at U-32. Bucklin posted a 400m win for the Wolves, edging runner-up Liv Kielich of Harwood and placed fifth in the 200m, with teammate Katie Kubalova recording a personal best time with a fourth-place finish. Amber Manley of Vergennes captured first place honors.
Genevie Graves edged Harwood’s Lily Bourbonnais by six tenths of a second to win the 800m for PA and claimed runner-up honors in the 1500m event, behind Middlebury’s Louisa Orten.
Bourbonnais, Buckley, Kubalova, and Annabelle McClain posted a runner-up finish in the 4X400m relay behind Harwood.
PA’s Sophia Calcagni had an impressive runner-up finish in the 100m, behind Patricia Stabach of All Saints.
On the boys’ side Kieron Russell bested the field in the 200m for the Wolves and teamed up with Carter Brasse, Thomas Hynes, and Henry Young to finish second behind U-32 in the 4X100m relay.
Young had a personal best in the long jump, finishing third and Hawkey Mitchell wrapped up an impressive day for PA with a runner-up finish in the discus event.
The middle schoolers will travel to North Country on Thursday for their third meet of the season.
