This year, East Haven’s boys’ and girls’ outdoor track teams each crowned a Class MM state champion and had at least one athlete qualify to compete at the State Open. With success coming from both graduating and returning athletes, the Yellowjackets had an opportunity to show how talented they are and how strong of a program they can be.

East Haven began its postseason competitions by participating in the SCC East Sectional Championship on May 17. The girls’ team came in sixth place by scoring 57 points at the meet.

Junior Alice Stettinger finished first in the javelin with a throw of 120 feet-1 inch for the Yellowjackets at sectionals, marking the second-straight season that she won the event. Stettinger also finished third in both the discus (102-3) and the shot put (33-5.75).

Senior Morgan D’Auria placed second in the triple jump (35-0) and the long jump (16-6) for East Haven. Junior Jessica Urban finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles by running a time of 17.82 seconds, while sophomore Erica Canfield finished fifth with a time of 18.12.

The East Haven boys’ outdoor track finished in 10th place with 20 points scored at the SCC East Sectional Championship. Junior Dom Salato claimed first place in the javelin with a toss of 158-10 inches to lead the Easties. Salato also finished third in the triple jump (39-8.5). Freshman Dante Rodriguez took fifth place in the 300-meter hurdles (45.64) for East Haven.

The Yellowjackets moved on to compete in the SCC Championship at Bowen Field on May 24. The girls’ team finished in 12th place with 27 points at SCCs.

Stettinger defended her conference title in the javelin by launching a toss of 122 feet-5 inches to take first place in the event. She also finished fourth in the discus (107-7). D’Auria finished third in the long jump (34-11) on behalf of the Yellowjackets.

The boys’ team scored 8 points to finish in 18th place at the SCC Championship. Salato placed third in the javelin (158-4) and finished seventh for the triple jump (41-0). Rodriguez came in 11th place in the 300 hurdles (44.89).

Salato went on to represent East Haven at the Class MM State Championship at Willow Brook Park on June 1. Salato became the Class MM state champion in the javelin by recording a throw of 154 feet-11 inches at the meet. He also took eighth place in the triple jump (38-4.5).

Stettinger also earned top honors in the javelin for East Haven at states, winning the event at the Class MM meet for the second-straight campaign. Stettinger additionally finished fifth in the discus (95-9).

D’Auria claimed fourth place in the triple jump (33-10) in states. The Yellowjackets also saw seniors Emily Mazzucco and Zayuri Castaneda, along with sophomore Aniya Franklin, qualify for the Class MM State Championship this year.

East Haven went on to sent to send three competitors to the State Open Championship at Willow Brook Park on June 5. Stettinger finished second in the javelin (125-10) and placed 17th in the discus (98-10) for the Easties. D’Auria took 12th place in the triple jump (34-3.75). Salato finished 12th in the javelin (148-11) for the boys’ team.

Stettinger went on to throw the javelin for the Yellowjackets at both the New England Championship and the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. Stettinger finished 15th in the javelin with a throw of 107 feet in the New England meet at Willow Brook Park on June 11. Stettinger went on to finish in 30th place when she competed at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals meet that was held in Philadelphia from June 16 to 19.

Senior Princess Aggrey represented the East Haven girls’ outdoor track team when she competed in the CIAC Hammer Throw at Willow Brook Park on June 13. Aggrey finished in 19th place for the hammer throw with a top toss of 73 feet-2 inches.

Senior Justin Hernandez competed on behalf of the boys’ outdoor track team at the CIAC Hammer Throw event. Hernandez posted a top throw of 95 feet-8 inches to finished 28th in the hammer throw.

The athletes in the East Haven outdoor track program for the 2022 season included seniors Princess Aggrey, Zayuri Castaneda, Morgan D’Auria, Juliana Espinoza, Joe Esposito, Al-Harwari Ethar, Justin Hernandez, and Emily Mazzucco; juniors Niyel Cornelius, Ronald Koye, Tenzin Kyaptenpa, Sofia Milano, Nathaniel Rivera, Dominic Salato, Alice Stettinger, Jason Toth, and Jessica Urban; sophomores Rich Ackom-Brew, Nicole Brown, Erica Canfield, Antonio Consiglio, Aniya Franklin, Destiney Johnson, Hailey Mazzucco, Mia Pierce, Dominick Rivera, Ana Romero, Amy Sanchez, and Randy Zapata; and freshmen Mercilyn Ackom-Brew, Joe Allen, Nicholas Balseiro, Frank Cabrera, Rocco D’Amato, Antony Fazio, Rapheal Gutierrez, Rich Jones, Daniel Lares, Aidan Loehman, Zander Molster, Alain Ojeds and Dante Rodriguez.