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05/24/2024 02:59 AMThe Valley Regional girls’ outdoor track team garnered plenty of athletes on the Shoreline Conference’s center stage. The spotlight is only just starting to illuminate brighter, as the Warriors continue an upward trajectory.
Head Coach Kathryn Ryan and the Warriors finished just below the .500 mark for the dual-meet portion of their campaign, posting a 4-6 record. For the Shoreline Conference Championship on May 22 at Portland, Valley placed eighth with 27 points. Ryan explained that the girls are looking to harness the recent successes around the squad to have the state of Connecticut and CIAC take notice.
“We had a solid season last year which has given us momentum going into this season,” said Ryan. “We had high aspirations to finish in the top 5 within the Shoreline and also improve upon our state tournament performance. We have a hard-working and talented group of kids who are ready to take the next step and make a major statement.”
As a field competitor with the javelin, discus, and shot put, Sam Vile is the team’s lone senior captain. She is joined by a trio of junior captains in Holly Board (a 1600 and 4x800 relay runner), triple and long jumper Delny Marsden, plus hurdler, pole vaulter, and high jumper Campbell Massey.
“Samantha Vile leads the Valley throwers and has been a motivational leader both with the boys and girls in their respective events,” said Ryan. “Campbell is both a force on the track and in the field. She has qualified for the state tournament in both the pole vault and the high jump. Holly has worked hard to qualify for the Shorelines after a tough foot injury. She had an outstanding race at the Running Rams Invitational, recording an 800 time of 2:47.71, which was a personal best for the season. She is a vocal leader who excels in the classroom and is well revered amongst her teammates and Valley school community. Delny is very committed and sets the tone for the jumpers, leading by example and supporting other athletes as needed.”
Additionally, the 4x100 relay foursome of juniors Lily Belcher and Rubee Cecchini, senior Abby Reardon, and sophomore Addie Guzallis ran a time of 54.92 seconds at the Running Rams Invitational. The 4x800 group of Board, senior Emilee Surber, along with sophomores Sadie Iselin, Maddie Riebold, and Rowan Herlihy clocked a time of 10:55.70 early in the season. Ryan noted, “Iselin has stepped up nicely in place of her injured teammate Board.”
The 4x400 team of freshmen Sarah Delouchary, Herlihy, Reardon, Surber, and Guzallis ran a season-best 4:35.24 to qualify for both the state and conference championship meets at the Rams Invitational.
For individual events, junior Cecelia Wilkins (high and long jump, 100 and 300 hurdles) qualified in all of her events for Shorelines and jumped an impressive 4 feet-8 inches in the high jump and 15’-1” in the long jump to qualify for the Class S State Championship. Guzallis, a first-year athlete, has shined as a sprinter in the 100, 200, and both 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
“Addie is a top athlete who has dominated on the track in multiple events,” Ryan said. “She is highly dedicated and her work ethic is amongst the best in the program. She is a welcomed addition to the team and has set the bar with season-best times in the 100 [13.37 seconds] and the 200 [in 28 ticks].”
Junior Lily Belcher (4x100, long jump, high jump, 100, and 200) has qualified in all five events for both the Shoreline Conference and state championship meets. She had an impressive high jump of five feet at home against Morgan and Coginchaug on May 14. Sophomore Kaleigh Dugan (pole vault, triple/long jump, 4x100) has earned a spot for states in the pole vault.
Elsewhere, Herlihy has notched a spot in the 800 for states, and Reibold etched her mark for states with regards to the 1600 and 4x800 relay. Reardon is part of the state-qualifying 4x100 and 4x400 relay units. Surber is heading to states for the 800, as well as with the 4x400 and 4x800 teams, plus senior and first-year track athlete Olivia Cunningham made her way to Shorelines for the high jump, javelin, and discus.
Riebold finished eighth for the 1600 in a time of five minutes and 50.08 seconds. The 4x100 relay group raced to sixth place in a mark of 54.23 seconds, and the 4x400 relay finished eighth (4:34.25). The 4x800 foursome finished fifth, clocking in at 10:41.03.
In the javelin, Cunningham and Vile finished back-to-back with Cunningham in fifth (96-11) and Vile at sixth (87-4). Belcher was third for the high jump (4-10). Dugan saw seventh with the pole vault (8-6), and then Wilkens was sixth for the long jump (14-2).
“We have seen major growth both in individual and team performance. The team has continued to improve on a weekly basis and is performing at its peak as we enter the finale of the season,” said Ryan. “This should bode well for both individual and team performance in the state championship meet.”
The Warriors are certainly now setting their sights on the state championships with the deep list of representatives that will put their best foot forward. Yet beyond that day, Valley is looking to continue cultivating a great reverence not only amongst the Shoreline and CIAC ranks but also in their local haven with great communal initiative.
“We want to develop our athletes as competitors, student-athletes, and role models within the Region 4 community,” said Ryan. “Our athletes helped facilitate and run the Buddy Track program and will be involved in the up-and-coming Unified Track Invitational. Our goal is for individual improvement which will translate into team improvement. We want to be known as competitive, hard-working, and class acts.”
The Warriors’ 2024 roster is comprised of seniors Ella Murray, Reardon, Surber, Vile, Cunningham; juniors Belcher, Board, Cecchini, Kendall Costello, Chloe DeFelice, Jasmine Ferguson, Danna Lopez-Criollo, Mardsen, Massey, Wilkens; sophomores Dugan, Bethany Erkkila, Corallina Giuliano, Guzallis, Herlihy, Iselin, Nyla Maignan, Anahi Matute, Ava Parker, Riebold, Sonya Xaypanya; plus freshmen Violet Keyes, Sara Delouchry, Haven Sarafin, and Hope Trippconey.
After being an assistant coach for the prior six years, Ryan is in her first campaign as the girls’ head coach. Assisting her are throwing coach Nathan Siegel (in his fourth year), hurdles/sprinting coach Ryan Guertin (first-year newcomer), and boys’ team Head Coach Kevin Woods who also serves as a jumping and throwing coach for the girls’ squad.