At the Connecticut State Heptathlon Championships, ZuZu Pont Strong placed 24th for Branford girls’ track with 2,941 points. Ella Stone took 27th place with 2,823 points.

“Both girls went into the competition just hoping to qualify for day two, and they did that,” said Head Coach Kevin Connell. ”They gained a great deal of experience in many events they were unfamiliar with. They are very optimistic for better performances next year.“

At the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia, Zayna Cella took 18th in the freshman javelin (87’10”). The sprint medley relay team of Joelle Budz, Glorianna Buckley, Djamilla Toukour, and Lucy Moran set a new school record with a time of 4:09.19. They placed 25th and third in Connecticut. Moran placed third in Connecticut in the 800, setting a new school record with a time of 2:12.79 and finishing in 55th place.

“Lucy ran one of the all-time great relay legs in Branford track history,” said Connell. “We were in last position, almost eight seconds down from Bloomfield, and she ran a 2:11 to close the gap. We went from eighth to second. She came back to run a school record 800 on Sunday, also coming from behind. This was a great experience for all the girls and should inspire them to future success. The relay athletes should be proud of their accomplishments all season and the school records they set.”