Outdoor track has both an individual and team aspect to it. It’s a sport that has many different paths to success, and the Guilford boys’ track team has taken many of those paths this spring.

As a squad full of hungry athletes determined to produce at the highest level in every competition, the Grizzlies certainly let the results speak for themselves, as they laid it all out on the track.

“I kind of see our entire program as a team that should lead each other, and the coaches are there to help guide them through that,” said second-year Head Coach Liam Norton, who previously served as an assistant coach. “We have a very competitive division with Amity and Hand. We finished 3-8 against each team in our division, and then we overtook one team in the sectionals. I look at our regular season as an opportunity to prepare for the postseason, grow our team culture, grow our expectations, and set goals for ourselves.”

Leading the charge and helping to create that strong family-like atmosphere were two senior captains in Andres Gutierrez (300 meter hurdles, 4x400, and triple jump) and Coleman Love (distance runner). Both brought unique qualities to the table that helped to steer the ship in the right direction.

“They have both been incredible leaders; the two people when I was starting out that showed off their leadership as freshmen. Andres is a guy that is able to keep guys on track, make sure they are getting to their events on time. He can also be seen as our anchor for the 4x400 team, coaching other members of the relay team. Coleman has been the perfect kind of leader that we have for the distance team. Not only can he lead his entire team while they run, but he is also someone who can lead our entire program through all of our warmups and recovery stretching programs.”

The Grizzlies roster sports 60 athletes that all came together to reach a common goal this spring, particularly when it came to finding the right combination of runners to compete in the group races.

“One of our goals was to establish a really good 4x800 team, a strong 4x100 team, and a strong throws team, which we absolutely did,” said Norton. “We got a 4x400 team together that we really think can attack the school record, which is 3:21.9. I believe that we have four guys that can be put together in the next meets, really give that number a run for its money.”

On the throwing team, Timmy Hastings (senior, discus, shot put), James Oberg (junior, discus, shot put), and Wesley Tandler (sophomore, discus, shot put), are athletes that have not only contributed to the team’s success this season but have also set new personal records (PRs) for themselves. In addition, senior Trevor Ridley (sprinter, 4x100) has been putting the sprinters on his back to train each day as hard as they can.

“We have established a dominant role in the throws. James in particular is currently the eighth ranked shot putter in the state, throwing 52’4.25,” Norton said. ”James, Timmy Hastings, and Wes as a whole have really galvanized our team of throwers in going into practice every day with an expectation of improving. I think this is a huge benefit to have on a Guilford team, where typically we are known for our distance. But this season, we are really starting to establish ourselves better as a sprinting and throwing team.”

Guilford recently competed in the SCC East Sectional Championship on May 13 at Lyman Hall. The team placed sixth out of 10 teams with 56 total points. Oberg won the shot put with a PR of 52’4, and he took fourth place in the discuss (137’9). Gutierrez broke the school record for the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 38.75, and the 4x400 team (Ethan Wienkamp, Max Freeman, Stephano Jarin, and Gutierrez) came in third with a time of 3:29.14. The 4x800 team of Enzo Taverna, Mackinley Cho, Alex Milano, and Alex Hansen came in fourth with a time of 8:29.83.

Hansen also took fifth in the 1600 with a time of 4:35.82 and fifth in the 3200 with a time of 10:19.49. Love took sixth in the 800 with a time of 2:06.68 and ninth in the 1600 in 4:45.85. Wienkamp took fifth in the javelin with a throw of 150’8. Ben Glascoff (19’9.75) took seventh in the long jump, and Freeman finished seventh in the 400 with a time of 52.81.

As the Grizzlies prepare to shine on the biggest of stages in the postseason, Norton will look to two key athletes in Aiden Ruotolo (sophomore, 100, 200, 4x100) and Glascoff (sophomore, 100, long jump, triple jump) to add depth to the team.

“Aiden and Benjamin have really shown themselves to be competitive athletes in the sprints and the jumps,” Norton said. “Benjamin has qualified to jump in the long jump and triple jump at the Class M State Championships. He has really shown himself to be a young leader on the team. Aiden is in his first season in track and has also qualified to run in states for the 100 and 4x100. He is someone that has been an incredible addition to the team. As a former football player, he brings that mentality to the track team. He is picking guys up and also competing in practice to prove himself on the team.”

New athletes this year have also helped the team to excel, including Jarin (junior, sprinter), Wienkamp (junior, javelin, 4x400 decathlete), and Freeman (junior, 400, 4x400). Wienkamp has qualified for states in the 4x400 and javelin throw.

“Stephano came from our soccer program at Guilford and has proven to be a real elite level sprinter running in the 100s and 400s this season,” Norton said. “Ethan is going to be our decathlete this season and is someone who came in during the first preseason practice stating that he wanted to accomplish this goal. Max Freeman is another guy who brings culture to the team and really pushes the rest of the 4x400 team to be at their best. He is always giving feedback after workouts and how practice is going.”

Two freshman athletes in Lewis Thoreen (1600, 800) and Luca Esposito-Langlais (1600, javelin) have also been making a name for themselves this season.

“They have both qualified for the SCC Championship meet running under five minutes for the mile,” said Norton. “Lewis ran a 4:51, and Luca ran a 4:58 mile and threw 158’ in the javelin. They are two guys that I look to lead our program for years to come and really start to score some championship points.”

Distance runners Hansen (senior), Taverna (junior, 4x800), and Cooper Woods (senior) have been mainstays on the Grizzlies that have served as role models for their younger counterparts.

“They are two of the more vocal guys on our team during practice in the most positive way possible. They really give feedback to the freshmen and sophomores and give them pointers that they were given previously by former captains,” said Norton. “Cooper is one of our top 3200 guys. He is a reliable person in that race and picks up his teammates when he is not running.”

Guilford has been able to overcome circumstances out of its control all season long, and when it came down to the toughest adversaries, the Grizzlies fought to maximize their potential and prepare even more for what the postseason meets have in store.

“There were meets where it was 40 degrees and rainy. We have had some challenges on just wear and tear on our knees, battling through a lot of running,” said Norton. “I think the competition and growing pains that we have faced have only served as a positive in the long run. Athletes have been able to see what the greatest looks like (Amity, Sheehan, Lyman Hall), and they are able to see the greatest in themselves.”

Several athletes have already qualified for the state championship, including Trey Chieffo (senior, long jump and high jump), Cho (senior, 4x800), Gutierrez, Hansen, Hastings, Love, Ridley, Milano (senior, 800, 4x800), Aiden Soper (senior, triple jump), Woods, Freeman (junior, 400, 4x400), Jarrin, Oberg, Taverna, Weinkamp, Glascoff, Gabriel Grassi (sophomore, 4x100), Ruotolo, and Tandler. Norton looks forward to seeing how the depth of his squad can stack up against the greatest competition.

“I am really excited to see how our team fairs against the schools in the SCC West because we do not see them during the regular season,” said Norton. “I am excited to see athletes like James and our 4x400, these guys that are all ranked in the top 20 in their respective events, go up against some of the top people in their events. As a member of the Guilford coaching staff, this is one of the first times that I can remember a stacked roster and see them compete in the postseason.”

Norton is assisted by Cassie Nemec, Ronald Piombino (boys’ and girls’ throwing coach), and George Cooksey (volunteer).

The Grizzlies full team roster is comprised of seniors Chieffo, Cho, Jonah Cone (sprinter), Alfie Day (sprinter), Mangus Fencil (sprinter, long jump), Maddox Formica (distance), Teagan Guile (sprinter, discus), Gutierrez, Hansen, Hastings, Love, Milano, Jack Rasmussen (sprinter, long jump), Ridley, Alan Shapera (100m, high jump, long jump), Tyler Skapczynski (sprinter), Jackson Skoczylas (sprinter, discus), Soper, and Woods.

The junior class includes Lance Berry (distance), Adam Briganti (discus, shotput), Freeman, Alex Hough (discus, shotput), Jarrin, Brenden Mull (discus, shotput), Cameron Nargi (discus, shotput), Oberg, Davyd Oleksyuk (sprinter), Kian Pixton (long jump, triple jump, 100m), Tevis Pixton (sprinter), Taverna, Mason Tazuk (discus, shotput), Weinkamp, and Peter Visco (javelin).

Sophomores Aaron Bergantino (discus, shotput), Emerson Breda (sprinter), Joshua Daniels (400m, high jump), Glascoff, Grassi, Aaron Kowalonek (400, high jump), Sam Martocci (discus, shotput), Liam Nargi (sprinter, discus), Logan Plancon (javelin), Faelan Romano (discus, shotput), Ruutolo, and Tandler are all part of the squad.

The group of freshmen ecompasses Ryan Babak (sprinter), Everett Barden (distance), Jackson Eder (javelin, discus), Esposito-Langlais, Caleb Hansen (distance), Jack Thomasson (sprinter), and Thoreen.

Guilford Boys’ Outdoor Track and Field 2024 Schedule:

April 10: Finished second overall

April 17: Finished third overall

April 20: Finished sixth overall

April 23: Finished first overall

May 1: Finished third overall

May 4: Finished fifth overall

May 7: Finished second overall

May 13: Finished sixth overall

Tuesday, May 21: SCC Outdoor Championships- Track at 1:30 p.m., Field at 1 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28: CIAC Class MM Boys Championships-Track at 10:30 a.m, Field at 10 a.m.

Monday, June 10-11: CIAC Decathlon, Hepthathlon, Steeplechase, and Hammer Throw-Track at 3:30 p.m., Field at 10 a.m.