Trojans win Class S title

For the second straight year, the Weston boys indoor track team captured the Class S title. Weston won its third Class S title in four years by scoring 56 points in edging second-place Bloomfield (51) in the 31-team field.

"The boys had a great meet. Tthe middle distance runners were the key and [Assistant] Coach [Marty] Ogden does a great job with them," Trojans Head Coach Matt Medve said. "They had an outstanding meet and I figured it would be close with Bloomfield."

Senior captain Steve Piscatelli played a major role in the victory. He anchored the 4x800 meter relay team to victory with a time of 8:24.30. Preceding Piscatelli in the relay were seniors Nick Kiviat and Ryan Gilmore and junior Stephen Vento.

"We got a nice lead and it worked out perfectly," Piscatelli said. "That really helped us and it gave us a lift."

Piscatelli also won the 1,600 meters (4:23.64) and anchored the 4x400 meter relay team to second place (3:39.82). Junior Paul Philpott, Gilmore and senior captain James Bloom preceded him in the relay.

"My PR [personal record] in the 1,600 was 4:215 and I thought I could definitely take it," Piscatelli said. "All summer, we train hard and the training paid off."

Bloom took second in the 1,000 meters (2:37.67) and anchored the sprint medley relay (SMR) team to second place (3:47.02). Senior Sam Weyrauch, Gilmore and Philpott preceded him in the relay.

"My main competitor in the 1,000 was in front of me and the ones behind me were seconds behind me. I knew if I stuck with the leader, I'd finish first or second," Bloom said. "When I received the handoff in the SMR, we were in third place and behind by five seconds. I knew I had to work hard to get us second place. Everyone was fast in the relay and [the winner] East Catholic [3:41.72] is a good team."

Also placing for Weston were senior Mike Figueroa, who took third in the shot put (48-10.75), Vento, who was fourth in the 3,200 meters (10:03.98) and the 4x200 meter relay team, which placed fifth (1:39.38). Weyrauch, Kiviat, senior Kenny Judge and Philpott comprised the relay team.

"Everyone trained hard and did what they had to do to get the points we needed," Bloom said. "It's exciting."

Piscatelli said, "I'm so happy. Everyone performed well and had PRs."

Lady Trojans place second

Although Bloomfield's boys fell short to Weston, its girls were just too much for the Weston girls indoor track team and prevented the Lady Trojans from winning their fourth straight Class S title, 82-60 in the 30-team field.

Senior captain Emily Ando played a key role for Weston. Ando tied her state record from last year with a win in the pole vault (11-0).

"I was pretty happy with it," Ando said. "I wish I could have jumped higher but I hope to do it at State Open. It was still a good job."

Pole vaulting has been one of Weston's strongest events and Lady Trojan junior Kiki Litvak took second (10-6) in it.

"I'm pleased with how I performed," Litvak said. "I was sick the whole week and I had little time to practice and I'm glad I got second place. I got a lot of support from my teammates, especially Emily Ando and the other pole vaulters. I'm glad she won the pole vault."

Ando also won the high jump (5-0).

"My coaches tried to use a little strategy because I jumped about 30 times [between the three jumps] at SWCs, which was very tiring for me," Ando said. "My goal was to jump 5-0 and I was happy with the high jump."

In the long jump, Ando placed third (16-1) and freshman Sarah Dietzman was fourth (16-0).

"I was actually very happy with the long jump because I wanted to jump over 16 feet and I did it," Ando said.

Senior captain Kathryn Bacher grabbed third place in the 55-meter hurdles (8.9) and junior Kara Bucaro took fourth in the 600 meters (1:43.02). Weston scored the rest of its points in relays. Dietzman, senior Cathy Roberts, Bacher and junior Callie Arlo led the 4x200 relay team to third place (1:51.14). Roberts, freshman Sydney Allon, Bucaro and Arlo led the 4x400 relay team to fourth place (4:19.22).

"I was hoping the 4x400 would do better but we did tried our hardest and I'm happy it went well," Arlo said. "The girls worked well together and had our eye on the prize. Even though we didn't win, we still did our best."

The SMR of Dietzman, Roberts, Bucaro and senior Sarah Griffin took fifth (4:38.13).

"I thought the girls had a great meet in the field," Medve said. "Emily Ando is an outstanding athlete. "We were off on the track and if we were on, we would have made it closer, but Bloomfield was very good. We won it three years in a row and there's no shame in finishing second this year."

The absence of senior captain sprinter Meg Sanborn, who missed the season with an injury, also hurt the Lady Trojans.

"Not having Meg made a huge difference," Medve said. "She affected how we organized the lineup and Bloomfield would be nervous with her in it."

Litvak said, "We missed Meg and she scores a lot of points. We would have done better with her but a lot more things had to have gone our way on the track for us to have won."