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Competition
Woodstock Academy’s Julia Theriaque, left, competes in the high jump while senior Kenneth Birlin races to the finish in a recent SWCL indoor track meet. Photos courtesy of The Woodstock Academy.
Most indoor track teams in Connecticut don’t get out and compete on a weekly basis in the winter.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs are an anomaly thanks to the school’s proximity to the Massachusetts border and the Southern Worcester County League.
The Centaurs and Marianapolis Prep are eligible to compete in the league as independents. Neither Connecticut school can compete in the league championship.
That’s fine with Woodstock Academy coach Josh Welch.
The Massachusetts meets are great filler in between the Eastern Connecticut Conference non-scoring development meets in December and the ECC championship meet which comes up on Feb. 2.
“It’s a great opportunity to get some time in on jumps, throws, and the track, in a smaller meet environment than many of the invitationals. It gives coach (Joe) Banas and me a little more time to help athletes set goals, and chart progress throughout the season particularly for athletes who don’t make the cutoff marks at many of the larger invitationals and are unable to compete in those,” Welch said.
The Woodstock Academy coach added he thought it was a great formula for growth of the program since it does allow the lesser advanced athlete a chance to get a taste of competition.
The girls’ team finished up the SWCL season with an 8-3 mark after a 46-40 win over Millbury, Mass., and a 63-23 loss to Uxbridge, Mass., Jan. 16 at Northbridge High School in Whitinsville, Mass.
Ivy Gelhaus was the only runner to capture a first-place finish. She crossed the tape first in the 600-meter.
Julia Theriaque finished second in the high jump and fourth in the 1000-meter; Daisy Li captured a second-place finish in the dash and was fourth in the high hurdles; Iris Bazinet was second in the 1000-meter and third in the mile; the girls’ 4x200-meter team placed second and Maria Scandalito threw a personal best, 24-feet, 6-inches in the shot put.
Theriaque was tied with two other athletes for the best high jump of the season as she cleared 5-feet. Gelhaus had the second best performance (1:50.2) in the 600-meter in the SWCL.
The boys finished with a 5-5 mark following a 56-28 win over Millbury and a 50-36 loss to Uxbridge.
Senior Kenneth Birlin placed first in the 1000-meter; the 4x200-meter relay team also brought home a first-place finish.
Lucas Couture was second in the high hurdles; Ethan Aspiras was second in the 600-meter and third in the mile; Danylo Ntamwemizi was second in the shotput and qualified for the state meet with a personal-best throw of 38-feet, 4 ½ -inches; Spencer Collins was second in the 300-meter and Evan Giafriddo placed third in the two mile.
“I am very proud of what both teams accomplished,” Welch said. “We took losses to some great programs like Auburn, and Uxbridge, who put together strong teams, but we’re competitive up there and having that regular competition, close to home, helps us get stronger by keeping the athletes engaged in regular competition. Our kids start to know the kids they are competing against and develop a sense of friendly competition that is difficult to produce in scattered invites.”
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
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