NEWPORT – Craftsbury Academy (CA) junior Soren Stelma-Leonard led all local competitors with an impressive runner-up finish last week as the Chargers joined neighboring Hazen Union and Danville at North Country for the third high school track and field meet of the season.
Stelma-Leonard ran his best time of the season last Tuesday in the 800m, beating his personal record by nine seconds. Charger teammate Owen McKibben also posted a personal best in the same event, won by Alan Esposito of North Country.
CA’s Nora Van Gulden continued her impressive maiden season in varsity competition, posting a fourth-place finish in the 800m. The freshman cut more than 4 seconds off her best time in the event, won by Elia Garcia Jurado of Lyndon Institute. Fellow freshman teammate Natalie Hill posted a pair of personal bests in both the discus and shot put. Hill finished sixth in the discus and just outside the top ten in the shot put. Freshman Linsey Allen also posted personal records in the field events for the Chargers. North Country’s Morgan Shaffer (shot put) and Lake Region’s Brooklyn Hinton (discus) took home first place honors. Sophomore Theo Alexander (1500m) and freshman Kille Burner (discus) rounded out strong days in Newport for CA with personal bests.
“As expected, last week’s PR’s are a thing of the past. The team showed up to the event at North Country ready to push themselves even further, which was great to see,” said head coach Kyle Anderson.
Hazen Union also posted several personal bests on Tuesday, led by juniors Alex Bowley and Lewis LaPierre. Bowley set personal records in both the 200m and shot put, while LaPierre achieved the same feat in the 1500m and javelin events. Senior Rowan Book ran his best time of the season in the 800m, and Chloe Dyer recorded her best throw in the javelin for the Wildcats.
Danville freshman Jaidyn Carson finished fifth in the long jump with a personal record behind event winner Maeda Urie of Lake Region. Sophomore Kyla Van Alstyne finished just outside the top ten in the 200m with her best time of the season, with Myrah Kearse of North Country besting the field.
The St. Johnsbury Academy (SJA) boys track and field team continued their march to a fifth consecutive Division I championship last week with another impressive team finish at the Burlington Invitational. Reigning Division I cross-country champion Emmett Johnson dusted Thetford’s Brady Sloop by nearly three seconds to take home the title in the 800m. Former Hazen Union standout Manny Fliegelman posted a ninth-place finish with his best time of the season. Former Craftsbury Academy state champion Charlie Kehler ran his best time in the 1500m for the Hilltoppers to finish in the top ten, with senior teammate and reigning Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year Andrew Thornton-Sherman taking home first place honors.
