Cazzaniga Paces Bethel Over Bunnell

On Monday May 3rd the Bunnell Boys track and field team traveled to Bethel High School to meet up with the Wildcats in South West Track and Field competition.

Both teams competed through cloudy skies, the occasional here and there shower, with temperatures in the mid 50’s. Unlike Friday’s meet versus Pomperaug, there was no wind.

The storyline of the day belonged to Bethel’s Luca Cazzaniga as he took part in three first place finishes. All in tough long distance track events leading the way to a lopsided win over the Bulldogs.

Cazzaniga was part of the opening race of the day, the 4X800 Relay. He anchored the team of Kyle Kurtz, Anthony Alves, Caleb Funk, and Cazzaniga with a time of 9:10.

Bunnell’s team of Vincenzo Fabrizi, Armand Fabrizi, Dominck Puzzo, and Mario Oliva managed a season best time of 9:20.

In the 4X100 Relay, Bethel’s Daniel Cruz, Bennett LaBree, Diego Sarabia, and Armen Kara held on to defeat the Bunnell team of Mikail Francis, Matthew Stewart, Maurice Neri, and Jonathan Gulish in a time of 46.67. Bunnell’s time was 47.14.

Bunnell’s Neri, in a slim margin, beat Bethel’s Patrick Clayton in the 110 Hurdle race with a time of 19.19 seconds. Clayton’s time was 19.73 seconds. In third place was Bethel’s Jaden Hayles in a time of 21.20 seconds.

Bethel’s Sarabia won the 100 Meter dash in a time of 11.93 seconds. Second place went to Bunnell’s Stewart in a time of 12.07 seconds. In third was Bethel’s Hayles at 12.59 seconds.

In the 1600 Meter race it was all Cazzaniga from start to finish, he raced off to a time of 4:31. Cazzaniga overshadowed fellow teammate, Louis Marcantonio’s, remarkable run of 4:38. Bethel’s Aiden Cullinnan was third at 5:10.

In the 400 Meter race, Bunnell’s Gulish continued his winning ways in the 400 with a 52.91 seconds finish. Second place went to Bethel’s LaBree at 53.89 seconds. In third was Bethel’s Cruz at 56.51 seconds.

Bethel’s Clayton, looking to reverse a win by Bunnel’s Neri in the 110 Hurdle race, did so, in the 300 Hurdles, with a time of 45.87 seconds. Neri in second at 49.02 seconds. In third, Bethel’s Hayles at 51.16 seconds.

All was not lost for the Bulldogs on the afternoon though, Jakub Olechno dominated the Javelin event with a career best throw of 144’-3”. It was Olechno’s fifth straight first place finish on the season in the javelin event.

Bethel's Jack Robinson took second in the Javelin with a mark of 126'-2" and N. Chittem was in third at 120'-2".

Bunnell’s Stewart took the Long Jump event with a jump of 19’-1”. Second place went to Bethel’s Sarabia with a distance of 18’-5”. In third was Bethel’s Anh Ly at 17’-0”.

In the High Jump, Bethel’s Payton Bell hit a 5’-4’ mark. Second place went to Bunnell’s Olechno at 5’-0”. There was no third place winner.

The Triple Jump event saw Bethel’s Sarabia in first with a mark of 38’-5”. Second place was Bethel’s Ly at 34’-5.50”. In third, Bunnell’s Bolelembe Iboki with a jump of 29”-5.30”.

Bethel’s Bell took first place in the Discus throw with a mark of 119’-8”. Second place went to Bethel’s Lincoln Ackerman with a distance of 81’-1”. In third, Bethel’s Christopher Carlson at 76’-5”.

Back on the track, in the 800 Meter race, Bethel’s Funk took the top spot by barely beating out teammate Jack Robinson with a time of 2:07.06. Robinson second at 2:07.71. In third, Bethel’s Kyle Carbone at 2:11.17.

In the 200 Meter race, Bunnell’s Stewart led all with a 23.75 finish. Second place was Bunnell’s Gulish at 23.80 seconds. Bethel’s Kara was third at 25.73 seconds.

In the Pole Vault event, Bethel’s Labree was first at a vault of 11’-6”. Second place went to Noah Burns-DeMelo at 10’-6”. In third, Bunnell’s Ryan Ortega at 8’-0”.

Next up on the track was the 3200 Meter race, it was once again Bethel’s Cazzaniga in a distance race with a first place finish in a time of 10:22. Bunnell’s Mario Oliva turned in a career best time in the 3200 with a 10:38 finish. In third, was Bethel’s Cullinan at 11:42.

In the 4X400 Relay, the Bethel team of LaBree, Funk, Cruz, and Marcantonio led the way with a time of 3:42. Bunnell’s team of Gulish, A. Fabrizi, Guido Llanos, and Francis finished in a season best time of 3:55.

In the Shot Put, Bethel went on to their fourth event sweep of the day as Bell took first at 36’-11.25”. Second place went to Carlson at 33’-8.5”. In third, Ackerman at 31’-6.75”.

Final totals on the day, Bethel 107 Bunnell 42.

Bunnell's record falls to two wins on the season against three losses.

Up next for Bunnell, at Weston High School, against the Trojans and the Kolbe Cathedral Cougars on Monday May 10th, 4:00 pm..