For both the Haddam-Killingworth boys’ and girls’ outdoor track teams, they did not emerge from their 2023 campaigns with any championship plaques or trophies, though they showed their mettle and shined through by still producing several strong placements on the postseason podiums.

With Head Coach Matt Diglio at the helm overseeing both squads this spring, the H-K boys’ and girls’ clubs went a combined 17-1 in their respective dual-meet seasons. The girls finished perfect at 9-0, while the boys went a staunch 8-1.

In terms of postseason competition, the boys were runner-up at the Shoreline Conference Championship and 13th overall for the Class M State Championship, whereas the girls came in fifth and eighth in those meets, respectively, as they were placed in Class S for state competition.

“The boys went 8-1 during the dual-meet season, and their only loss was by two points to Cromwell. The girls went undefeated going 9-0 in dual meets for the fourth year in a row,” said Diglio. “The boys were pleased with a second-place finish at Shorelines even though we had won it the previous three years in a row. The girls placed fifth but had some outstanding individual performances. We were really pleased with both teams at their respective state championship meets with a lot of kids moving on to the State Open Championship.”

Earning First Team All-Shoreline accolades was the 4x800 boys’ relay team of senior Alex Lara (who also made the squad for the 800), sophomore Matt Lara, sophomore Jack Cozean and freshman Daniel McCourt, plus senior John Panzera earned Second Team honors for the high jump.

Garnering Second Team All-Shoreline distinction for the girls were junior Mariella Fulcher (in the 200), triple jump athlete and senior Leah Chester, along with the 4x800 relay grouping of senior Isabel Berardino, sophomore Olivia Macaluso, junior Sydney Adelberg and freshman Grace Mitchell.

On the boys’ side, Alex Lara and senior Kevin Fisher served as co-captains, while their captain counterparts for the girls’ squad were senior Addie Packtor, Berardino and Chester.

At the State Open Championship on June 5 at Willow Brook Park in New Britain, Alex Lara was 13th in the 800 with a time of one minute and 59.64 seconds, plus Panzera cracked the top 10 for the high jump (6-2) and the 4x800 squad raced to 19th by clocking in at 8:27.62.

For the girls’ representation for H-K on that same day and event, Fulcher found eighth place in the 400 (58.63 seconds), Berardino grinded out a 17th-place showing for the 1600 (in 5:25.91) and Mitchell ran to 20th with the 3200 in a time of 12 minutes and 13.23 seconds. Chester was 14th for the high jump (34-8.5) and the 4x800 team performed to finish 21st (10:23.69).

Diglio remarked that coming into this campaign, the Cougars and their coaches knew they had their work cut out for them with rebuilding and reshuffling their lineups for events. H-K had to also contend with several setbacks in the form of injuries, yet they finished the season standing with a great sense of pride and accomplishment thanks to how well they responded to those forms of adversity.

“We lost a great deal to graduation last year, so we knew as a program coming into the season to readjust our team goals and focus for the season,” said Diglio. “Unfortunately, we lost several of our top jumpers on the boys’ side for the entire season due to injuries, which impacted our ability to score as a team in the championship meets. But we were pleased and proud of both teams for their persistence and dedication all season long.”

Diglio finished his 21st season with H-K, and assisting him this spring were assistant coaches of Dick Dupuis, Kristie Kaminski & Anaka Maher.

The 2023 H-K boys’ outdoor track team’s roster was comprised of seniors Fisher, Alex Lara, Jayden Fulton, Orion Inkel, Caleb Kent, Peter Lavelle, Panzera, Connor Schipritt, Jack Whitehead, Ryan Wiese; juniors of Luke Hedges, Jonah Keithan, Thomas Kekacs, Caden Lawrence, Andres Montes, Logan Rich, Ryan Ruggiero, Luke Staskelunas, Kevin White; sophomores in Timothy Cavrell, Cozean, Trevor Dixon, Samuel Greenwood, Eduardo Karkutt-Kulak, Mitchell Kelsey, Bryce Lacoss, Matthew Lara, Lucas Lawlor, Elias Lowrey, Colin Mitchell, Michael Perry, Ryan Rafferty, Chase Smalley, Jackson Snow, Koen Thomen; and finally freshmen with Gabriel Blair, Jaden Fazzone, Alexander Fredericksen, Anthony Fredericksen, Marcel Inkel, McCourt, Nathaniel Novick, Cash Smigel, Adam Stall-Ryan, and Wesley Stevens.

The 2023 Cougars’ girls’ outdoor track squad’s roster was comprised of seniors Berardino, Amanda Cassidy, Chester, Caroline Conte, Anadalay Garcia, Chloe Lacoss, Kira O’Brien, Packtor; juniors of Adelberg, Fulcher, Layla Hayward, Samantha Minickene, Madison Moriarty, Kaleigh Nelligan, Kayla Rodriguez; sophomores in Jayani Bennett, Lindsay Blade, Sarah Bradley, Adriana Garoppolo, Emmerson Goeden, Skylar Hale, Trillian Havens, Olivia Macaluso, Natalya Mallon, Margaret Robinson, Keira Sehl-Albert, Madalyn Seward, Anna Wojnarowicz; and freshmen in Delaney Aronson, Rowan Baucom, Julia Downing, Chloe Felder, Emma Johnson, Brielle Kent, Mitchell, Mikayla Ruggiero, and Madeline Sanderson.