The Conant indoor track team competed in their first action of the winter Friday at Portsmouth, where the Orioles brought home two event wins and shattered a school record.
The field-only meet was a chance for the Orioles to show off what they expect to be a loaded squad when competition begins in earnest for spring track. With the exception of two athletes from Bishop Brady, Conant was the only Division III presence at a meet that featured throwers and jumpers from perennial track powers from DI and DII schools.
“Our Orioles athletes rose to the top,” said head coach Bill Edson.
Senior Garrett Somero and freshman Ben Sawyer both won their respective events. Somero, last spring’s shotput champ, hadn’t touched a shot again since May; he nearly equaled his championship throw of 45’1”, tossing a 43’7” under unconventional throwing conditions, as the Portsmouth High School gym was converted into an improvised throwing and jumping venue.
In the high jump, Sawyer’s leap of 6’ 4” won the event and wowed the onlookers with his efforts, achieving a new Conant school record. Jordan Nagle also acheived an new personal record and placed third overall. Ethan Vitello traded his running spikes for throwing shoes and finished a solid 9th place and Blake Ferguson was 14th in his first-ever meet.
“If this meet is any indication for what lies ahead for us, it’s going to be a fun spring season,” Edson said. “These guys have worked hard over the years and I’m looking forward to see how it all plays out for them.”