Preview – Boys’ Track
Seeking elusive dual meet win
While the girls’ outdoor track team has been experiencing a lot of success in Div. I of the ECC, the boys have had a little more difficulty navigating the waters against the likes of Fitch, East Lyme and Norwich Free Academy.
“We have it tough with those three, they are always difficult. East Lyme is always strong in the same events that we are strong in especially this year. That’s always tough matchup. NFA just has so many kids on their team and it’s tough to beat the numbers game. Fitch, generally, has a lot of talented sprinters and jumpers. Fitch and Stonington might be opportunities for wins this year,” coach Gerry LaMontagne said.
The Centaurs were 0-3 a year ago and have not won a dual meet since 2021.
There are 45 athletes who signed up for the team and most have been consistently coming to practice.
That includes 10 who identify as sprinters which has traditionally been a soft spot.
On the opposite side of that, one of the strengths of the Centaurs, middle and distance runners, will remain so as both Christian Menounos and Colton Sallum return for their last campaigns as seniors.
“It doesn’t feel real. I had 11 total seasons before this and this is my 12th and last one. It’s kind of surreal to have all my running here to come to an end- a little hard to digest,” Sallum said.
Sallum is coming off a tremendous indoor track season where he finished with a personal best that, according to LaMontagne, “blew away” anything the senior had accomplished previously.
“I think indoor was a huge confidence boost for me. I had some personal bests and broke some school records,” the senior said.
LaMontagne said he is really looking forward to see what both Menounos and Sallum can accomplish this season.
“They will be stalwarts for this team and they are great leaders as well. All of the other distance runners look up to them. They are great at leadership. They are encouraging, demand a lot of themselves and that translates. The other kids see it and want to mimic it, work hard and follow that lead,” LaMontagne said.
Menounos also holds several Woodstock school records but he wouldn’t mind bettering those.
“I want to bring down my school records a lot to make it hard for the upcoming class to come and get.” Menounos said. "The 400 meter record I have not got yet and I will be working on my speed early, running some 400’s and hopefully, I can snatch that record. It has been up there for 20 years; and lower my record in the 800 to maybe 1 minute, 52 seconds and lower my mile as well.”
LaMontagne also has another source for optimism and that comes from the throws.
Junior Eli Manning qualified for States in both the shotput and discus a year ago and LaMontagne is hopeful that he could challenge for an ECC individual title.
David Sumner threw the shotput over 40-feet during the indoor track season and LaMontagne thinks he can improve on that.
Kayden Menor and Chandler Folkerts have also steadily improved in another lesser known event, the hammer.
In addition to those athletes, the Centaurs also should have a good amount of leadership from a host of seniors as sprinters Aiden Brailsford, Aidan Kane and Gabe Luperon are on the squad alongside senior classmates Eli Susi (pole vault); Michael Susi (throws) and Khang Tran (distance).
“I love the outdoor season,” LaMontagne said. “I’m looking forward to see what all of our returners are going to be able to do. A lot of these guys I have watched for the last four years and it’s going to be fun to see what they can do and how far they can push themselves,” LaMontagne said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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